Saturday, September 6, 2008, while on a fishing trip with my step-son, Tyler, on the St. Joe river near the Capital Avenue Bridge. I noticed a pair of swans floating on the river down stream. Something was very peculiar about one of the swans. There was something that appeared to be clinging to the back of the swan slightly above its wing. As I ventured closer, taking photos, I noticed the object was moving and I wondered what is with this swan. First I thought maybe it is a baby swan but that did not make since to me. I even entertained the thought that it might be a snake and that seemed even more bazaar.
Luckily, I had my SLR digital camera and my zoom lens attached and as I closed in on the swan it became very clear what I was looking at. It was a leg and a web foot coming out of the bird near its wing high on its back.
The extra leg was moving and the foot was opening and closing. I tried to get a look at the other side of the swan to see if there was another and it appeared there was only one.
I moved to within forty feet of the bird and then it began to swim away from me. I watched in amazement and I knew this was no ordinary swan.
Additional photos of the swan can be viewed in my Picasa web album located at http://picasaweb.google.com/ronniemann/Fishing908#.
Please note that these photos have not been modified, touched up, or edited in any way.

Photos and story by: Ronnie Mann