Giving Me the Eye ...

There i was...
My favourite place...behind my camera...

Enjoying myself...A LOT :)

When suddenly...i found myself... 

caught...

 In a rather intense stare-down...

A stare-down of note...!

A stare-down of note...with A BIRD...

of all things...?!

None of the usual eyes...locked with mine...
no...

Cool clear blue eyes...Bianca-Leigh's...

 Sparkling sensitive green eyes...Brandon's...

 and  warm chocolate brown eyes...Bradley's

No these eyes were... red...!

and the bird was...

black...and

rather large...

 a swan...

but most importantly...

He was  Dad...

A Dad on the job :)

He was quite good at it too...!

I called out to Bradley... who is 6 and... my little protector...

[Bradley 'stands up' for me when he thinks Brandon who is 14 needs setting straight]
Bradley came running over...and i asked him

to keep an eye on Dad and warn me if he made his move...

I was intimidated but determined to get my shot...

and i happily got some lovely ones...

but i made quick work of it because i didn't want to stress this young family out...

well more to the point...Dad was looking ticked-off  with me...!!

 I enjoyed my time with them... just watching...

i saw that swans are great parents...

committed and protective...

Time well spent...for them...

and

for me too :)

Dad stands watch...

over...

His family ...

Mom and 3 growing fluff-balls with eyes :)

Cute thing!

Mom didn't seem to get tired of her babies...

Here Mom briefly left the pond...

but did not call the babies out...

it look like they were waiting for her 'go ahead'...

Dad held his position...eyes trained on me...

Mom returned...

Dad kept his body between his family and my camera...

creating a 'safe-zone' for them...

all the while...

giving me the eye :)

I decided against trying to get a shot of the babies on dry land...

and joined my own little family as they wandered off into the jungle of

plants up for sale...

And as i did so... i remember wishing all children...

could feel so loved and cherished !