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One Step at a Time #14

One Step at a Time #14

Here’s One Step at a Time #14. My pics today are from a hike close to home this week at Kensington Metropark. With four eggs in her nest, a swan kept a watchful eye on me as I clicked away.

Close-up of a swan's head showcasing its white feathers and black facial markings.
A close-up view of three greenish eggs nestled in straw and feathers.

All photos are my own. ©Pepper Tron/Heavens Sunshine
No usage allowed in any form without my written consent.

Thanks to all who shared a post last week. Here are the links from last week’s prompt. Please let me know if I have missed anyone.

Three incredible floating Colorado mountain peaks were captured by Sue.
Frank’s photos included my favorite Magnolia blossoms.
Anita shared another gorgeous gallery from Cyprus.
Egidio posted beautiful photos from his travels to Fortaleza.

One Step at a Time is a place to share the beauty of nature as you enjoy the outdoors. Add a link to your post on the comments below. Also, please tag your post with One Step to make it easier for others to find. Click here if you’d like more info on One Step at a Time.

I am curious to know your thoughts.

47 responses to “One Step at a Time #14”

  1. The Long Boardwalk - Heavens Sunshine

    […] Images from other trails around the world were also shared on One Step at a Time #14. […]

    Reply
  2. Teresa Avatar
    Teresa

    Awww the mother is lovingly watching her babies. Here is mine https://wanderingteresa.com/travel-diary-dauin-day-2/

    Reply
  3. Travel Diary: Dauin – Day 2 – Wandering Teresa

    […] am linking this to Jo’s Monday Walk, Pepper’s One Step at a Time and Ju-lyn’s Happy Place Happy […]

    Reply
  4. sue.1957@yahoo.com Avatar
    sue.1957@yahoo.com

    Here’s my new post link, for the challenge. Blessings, always, Pepper. https://heavenlyraindrops.com/2026/06/17/gods-serenity-is-perfect-cabo/

    Reply
  5. heavenlyraindrops Avatar
    heavenlyraindrops

    She’s a beauty.

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      I agree, Sue. Too pretty not to click. 😉

      Reply
  6. Linda Schaub Avatar
    Linda Schaub

    I forgot to include my Winter walk, so here it is:
    https://lindaschaubblog.net/2026/06/14/spanning-the-seasons/

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      So glad you remembered. 😉

      Reply
  7. Linda Schaub Avatar
    Linda Schaub

    This is such a beautiful post Pepper, the swan and her eggs. I saw a Canada Goose step off her nest and pluck feathers to line around the nest once – it was such a beautiful sight. I follow a nature photographer, Jocelyn Anderson on Facebook. I have mentioned her to you before as she goes to Kensington every morning to feed the birds from her hand and make videos and she takes lots of photos as well. She had a video yesterday or today where a snapping turtle tried to get into the swan’s nest and the swan poked at it with her bill, but the turtle kept crawling up, so she eventually swatted it down with one wing and got rid of it altogether.

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Thanks, Linda. That snapping turtle should have known better than to mess with a mama swan. Wish I had been there to see that. I haven’t forgotten about Jocelyn. I look for anyone who might be her every time I go to Kensington. I wonder what time she goes there.

      Reply
      1. Linda Schaub Avatar
        Linda Schaub

        I’ll see if I can find the photos … I am sure she posted still shots of the video. I don’t know if she says what time she goes there, but I know they goes daily and on that main boardwalk.

        Reply
        1. Pepper Avatar
          Pepper

          I was there again this morning. I’ve been trying to stop there first before going anywhere else. I keep expecting the swan’s eggs to hatch. 😊

          Reply
          1. Linda Schaub Avatar
            Linda Schaub

            If I see Jocelyn post about the swan’s eggs hatching, I’ll let you know. [We have some horrible winds here – power went out briefly.]

            Reply
            1. Pepper Avatar
              Pepper

              Winds? We got some rain but not much wind at all. . . . yet. 😊

              Reply
              1. Linda Schaub Avatar
                Linda Schaub

                Hope they did not kick up overnight – these winds were reaching 50+ at times. At least we did not get the tornado thankfully.

                Reply
                1. Pepper Avatar
                  Pepper

                  We did get some wind last night and today too, but not enough to be a problem. Definitely not as high as what you got. 😮

                  Reply
                  1. Linda Schaub Avatar
                    Linda Schaub

                    They had predicted my area would be hit hard with yesterday’s storm, which caused me to be dwelling on it all day. I’m glad if we have a few calm days.

                    Reply
                    1. Pepper Avatar
                      Pepper

                      It seems as if we should have some calmer days coming. 😉

                    2. Linda Schaub Avatar
                      Linda Schaub

                      That’s good, though with rain which is unfortunate. I am glad they changed the Notifications back the way they were.

                    3. Pepper Avatar
                      Pepper

                      I am glad too. 😊

      2. Linda Schaub Avatar
        Linda Schaub

        Here you are Pepper – this is the swan (perhaps the same as yours) after the turtle attacked the nest.
        https://lindaschaubblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/mute-swan-and-turtle.jpg

        Reply
        1. Pepper Avatar
          Pepper

          Oh, Linda! Thanks so much for the link. Yes, I am pretty sure it is the same swan. There’s at least one more nest that I have spotted from the boardwalk but it is foo far to photograph even with a long lens. You are so thoughtful. 😉

          Reply
          1. Linda Schaub Avatar
            Linda Schaub

            You’re so welcome Pepper. I’ll go back and see if the video shows any of the boardwalk and let you know. It wasn’t a long video.

            Reply
          2. Linda Schaub Avatar
            Linda Schaub

            Pepper, I went back and looked at the video – there are reeds all around, but I don’t see a boardwalk. I saw a comment on there to the effect “I don’t think this is the swan we saw.” So, like you said, there may be two swans sitting on nests. I did see four eggs in the video if that helps since you saw the eggs. Mama Swan was moving the eggs back and sat on them so she could poke at the turtle with her bill so I saw her rolling around four eggs.

            Reply
            1. Pepper Avatar
              Pepper

              Thanks, Linda. The one that I have been watching has four eggs as well, but there are a lot of swans at Kensington. I have just spotted the two nests on the smaller lake. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are others on the other larger lake as well. 😊

              Reply
              1. Linda Schaub Avatar
                Linda Schaub

                I had looked up how many eggs a Mute Swan lays and it was 4 to 11, so that’s why I mentioned the four eggs only. Sometimes I see geese with a lot of offspring and sometimes just one or two, so that’s why I was trying to pin it down. I didn’t realize there were that many swans at Kensington. I see Mute Swans at Lake Erie Metropark, but rarely nesting swans.

                Reply
                1. Pepper Avatar
                  Pepper

                  I had no idea they laid that many. I thought four was a lot.

                  Reply
                  1. Linda Schaub Avatar
                    Linda Schaub

                    I wasn’t sure, so I looked it up because I figured the gosling eggs are large, swan eggs would be even larger – that would have to be a huge nest to accommodate all those eggs!

                    Reply
                    1. Pepper Avatar
                      Pepper

                      It sure is huge. 😊

  8. belindagroverphotography Avatar
    belindagroverphotography

    Lovely portrait. It must have been something to come across!

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Yes, it was. I am keeping an eye on it while waiting for the babies to hatch. 😊

      Reply
  9. Frank Hubeny Avatar
    Frank Hubeny

    I like the white feathers in the nest with those eggs. I once watched baby alligators climbing all around a mother alligator in a park in southern Florida. I could tell she had her eye on us.

    https://frankhubeny.blog/2026/06/16/trail-across-the-tracks-to-the-left/

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      You are a brave man to watch baby alligators with the mom around. I loved you bridge photos for this week. Thank you so much for sharing them. 😉

      Reply
  10. Wandering Dawgs Avatar
    Wandering Dawgs

    Beautiful capture of the swan!

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Thanks, Beth. Swans are one of the unexpected pluses to moving to Michigan. There are so many in our area. 😁

      Reply
  11. bradenmikael Avatar
    bradenmikael

    Great capture!

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Thank you very much. 😊

      Reply
  12. bushboy Avatar
    bushboy

    Amazing close-up Irene and to find the nest as well, fabulous 😀

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Thanks, Brian. I was glad I had a long lens on my camera. I keep expecting those babies to hatch so I’ve been checking on the nest often.

      Reply
      1. bushboy Avatar
        bushboy

        Now I am expecting photos of cute fluff balls 😀

        Reply
        1. Pepper Avatar
          Pepper

          I am hoping to be able to get some. 😊

          Reply
  13. Gisela Benseler Avatar
    Gisela Benseler

    “Eine Schwanenmutter vor ihren Eiern”/ “Heaven”s Sunshine” – so I showed it on my Blog.

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Thanks, Gisela. 😊

      Reply
  14. Lynette d'Arty-Cross Avatar
    Lynette d'Arty-Cross

    Yes, I bet she was! Great captures, Pepper.

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Thanks, Lynette. I didn’t stay for long. Got a quick click and moved on so that I wouldn’t worry her too much. 😊

      Reply
  15. Ken Bloomfield Avatar
    Ken Bloomfield

    What a great moment to capture the swan. Love the photo.

    Reply
    1. Pepper Avatar
      Pepper

      Thanks, Ken. I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to comment. Have a great week. 😊

      Reply
error: All photos are copyrighted by Pepper Tron (aka Irene Tron & Heavens Sunshine). All rights reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited.