Tag: cygnet

July 19th – Oh, hi pals. Where have you been? Not seen you for a while.

Near Bentley Bridge, just near the nest where they hatched their single cygnet, the swan family were moving purposefully towards Darlastoin.

Their single offspring – very attentively looked after – is growing large, and doing well by the looks of things. 

They stopped briefly to see if I had food, then scooted on, little one in the classic ‘resting foot’ position, leathery limb tucked high on the back for rest.

A lovely sight.

June 22nd – On the canal at Walsall, the single cygnet family are doing well, and their offspring has positively rocketed in size since I last saw them.

Still travelling in single file with clear purpose, they patrol canals throughout Walsall, and if I stop, they always pop over to seen if I have food.

I love how the little one is resting it’s leg. 

June 11th – I also passed the swan family with the single cygnet, who’d nested near to Bentley Bridge. They were resting and preening together on last year’s nest in the disused inlet at Pleck.

They young ‘un seems to be growing and looked pretty relaxed, so providing mum and day can keep it safe I think he should be OK now.

I’m really rooting for this particular family.

May19th – I passed along the canal at Bentley Mill Way later than usual, and noted that the swan brood here had hatched. I say brood, but I’m not sure what the singular of brood actually is; momma swan clearly only laid one egg this year, the remnants of which are all I can see in the nest.

I noted the parents travelling down the canal with their cygnet between them, proud attentive parents. I also noticed an interested heron; lets hope he decided not to run the gauntlet of the angry swan couple.

This pair do seem to have small clutches. I hope little one survives.

May 13th – Returning to Brownhills, I noted the new families are arriving thick and fast. At Catshill junction, a pair of proud Canada geese with a huge brood of 13 goslings, all seeming in good health. At Silver Street, the Watermead swans have 9 cygnets – all busy little balls of grey fluff.

I love to see the waterfowl breeding, and the antics of the chicks.

August 19 – Some folk, of course, don’t even notice the rain and carry on regardless. After all, when you live on the water, what difference does a drop more make?

This cygnet – one of the Watermead family, still apparently in rude health – was just getting some greens as I splashed past near Silver Street.

I love the way these shoots are constantly cropped by the swans – it’s like their own little grazing patch.

May 13th – The Walsall Canal swans at Pleck had hatchlings when I passed them midday; I was very pleased to count four, and I suspected she was hatching more. The cob patrolled on the open water, and the scene was tranquil.

I returned the same way that evening on my way home, to find a drama unfolding. An elderly heron was perched on the rear rail, his beady eye making unfailing eye contact with the cob, who was perched on the nest with his mate. There was clearly deadlock – the heron obviously had spotted an opportunity, but the swans were having none of it.

In a couple of days when grown, they’ll be safe from the herons and other predators, but it’ll be a tense few days for mum and dad as they guard their precious charges.

Nature, red in tooth and claw.

July 29th – Sorry, more cygnets. I didn’t know about these, but taking a desperate dive onto the canal to avoid traffic madness on my way to work, I passed this family of three and parents in Pleck, Walsall. 

They interested me particularly, as the young are clearly starting to develop white plumage, yet look younger than the Catshill brood (they’re smaller, too).

The adults don’t look any different, though…

July 26th – I’ve recently discovered Darwin Park – the long avenue through the new housing estate in south Lichfield. It’s very impressive, if a little artificial, but I do think it’s nice, and also a very decent traffic-free route out of the city to Waitrose. 

There’s a pond there, and on this hot afternoon, Mrs. Mallard, with what I assume must be a second clutch, was promenading in the sunshine. More indolent, but no less cute, were a pair of swan parents with six offspring.

Mr. Swan was a little truculent, but his offspring were unperturbed by my presence. I’m absolutely captivated by cygnets this year. The positions they get their resting legs into are fascinating.

This is a lovely place and a new asset for Ye Olde City.