Oh my gosh!  Yesterday I received this e-mail:

Your photo of a Mute Swan Cygnet has won an Honorable Mention in our 2013 National Wildlife Photo Contest.  It will appear in a slide show on the National Wildlife Federation’s website in the magazine’s PhotoZone pages in January. It will also be considered for our Photo of the Week and Caption Contest during 2014.

Congratulations on being a finalist in our competition!

My Honorable Mention shot was my favorite swan cygnet image from Lake Morton this spring.  I remember that magical day of sitting around the nest with Kim and Rob and Linda and Barb.  The babies cuddled up with Mom and were so adorably cooperative.  With my 500mm lens I was able to focus very closely on their tiny little heads, which were framed beautifully with Mom’s soft feathers.  I had a sequence of images that were just amazing, and this was my best.  I’m honored to have received national recognition for it!

When Rich saw the title Featherbed, he laughed and said, “why didn’t you call it Down Comforter”?  Well, I guess that title works too! :)

It won’t be long before the swans have tiny cygnets around the lake again.  I can’t wait! Next year I’m going to get more pictures of cygnets riding on Mom’s back! :)