Noise, cygnets and a Iowan...

I wish I had a sound byte of how loud the swans & geese were. You'll notice in many of the photos the mouths are open...lots of noise.
There were many youngsters in the bevy (I just love using that word). Are they still called cygnets (baby swans) at this stage? Here a bunch of them seem to be cheering on a dispute amongst the adults.
Here is what the brochure says about the cygnets..."When hatched, a Cygnet (baby Swan) may gain 20% of their body weight on a daily basis and are fully feathered by 7 to 8 weeks, yet unable to fly until 15 weeks. Daily practice of flight begins in mid-September, and they remain with their parents throughout winter. The young are chased away by the parents following their first winter, although they stay with their siblings for up to two years, followed by choosing a mate. This is where Monticello plays a key role as the ‘singles meeting place’ for the swans. The winter meeting grounds on the Mississippi in Monticello plays a key role in the formation of new pairs. Minnesota swans are tagged on the wing. Left wing tag indicates female, right wing tag is male. Iowa swans have neck collars."
I like this photo because the little group at the top of the photo seems to be having a "family meeting".
Looks like there were a few Iowans in the group...
Tomorrow...courtship at the "singles meeting place"...