Whether pictured on a greeting card, as a wedding day centerpiece, or peacefully
gliding on a pond at your local park, the type of swan you are most likely to see in the Northeastern US is Cygnus olor, more commonly known as a Mute Swan.
These graceful birds are often found floating on a pond along Freedom Road in Pleasant Valley, just a few minutes from Pleasant Valley Maple Lodging.
Mute Swans are immense, white birds. Besides Freedom (Road) Pond, you can also find them on North Avenue Marsh in Pleasant Valley, Wappinger Lake in Wappingers Falls, and Morgan Lake in Poughkeepsie. (They amicably share those waterbodies with their feathered
cousins).
“The Ugly Duckling” was also a Mute Swan who gradually gained his white plumage, like other grey cygnets (baby swans) do.
As an homage to the beautiful swans, I sculpted one out of (mainly) recycled materials. If you have children, model building is a great way to learn new information. Building swan models can help teach about different species. They also make interesting home or lawn decor.
