Tag: cygnets

July 6th – I had to pass through Sutton Park in the early evening, and as I cycled by Longmoor Pool, I was pleased to note it had a family of resident swans, with as far as I could tell, seven cygnets. The youngsters were asleep on the water, and only awoke when the parents showed interest in me. That did;t last long when they realised I had no food to offer them.

Something about the light seems to have made this look quite dramatic…

May 18th – On the way home, I checked out the Watermead swan family, still with 9 healthy cygnets, enjoying the sun near the canal overflow opposite Silver Street.

They all seem in good health, and the parents are very attentive. I think they’re too large now to be of interest to the local herons, but I hope mum and dad are vigilant for brer fox. 

We usually lose one or two – let’s hope we don’t this year. Such a fine family.

May 5th – This one has me a bit puzzled, and makes me realise how little I know about swan behaviour. This lone swan is on the decaying nest left in the disused basin by Cashmores works just off the Walsall Canal at Pleck. This nest successfully incubated and hatched at least four cygnets last season to a pair who I think are now nesting up at Bentley Bridge. The nest here is very secure from most predators – well out on the water, and humans can’t get there as it’s almost totally fenced off. 

The one thing it’s not secure from is herons, and I’m fairly sure a heron took a couple of newly hatched cygnets here last year, which may explain the pair not using this site again.

Occasionally, a single swan sits this rotting nest. I have no idea why. She – I’m assuming it’s a she – was there this evening, and seemed quite content, but there was no sign of a partner at all, and no sign of nest maintenance.

I do wonder what’s going on here.

November 23rd – It was a bitterly cold morning – or at least, it seemed like one after the unseasonal warmth of recent weeks. Cycling down to Darlaston on the canal, I was accosted by some familiar hoodlums.

This is the only family group of this year’s swans I think are sill together, most having joined larger local flocks. They looked in rude health though, and gave no answer when I asked if they were cold.

They soon lost interest when they realised I had no food…

September 24th – For the first time this week, a really decent day with lots of sunshine, but the cold is creeping in – it barely crept over 16 degrees all day. 

The birds on the local canals didn’t mind, though – the Walsall swan family were, as usual, hustling for treats, but the herons – a twtchy young gun in the morning and a more relaxed, slightly mad looking elder hand in the evening – were stubbornly self-sufficient, as ever.

I love to see these guys. They fair made my day.

August 13th – Nice to see the swan family at the slipway next to the canoe centre in Brownhills this afternoon. They are now healthy, large birds with some degree of attitude, and long may they display it.

I thought they’d been ringed, but only mum and dad have the ID, so this brood have yet to be tagged.

They tolerated my interest with only a small amount of hissing, and they feel like good friends these days. It’s always nice to see them.

July 13th – I haven’t seen these guys for a while , and my goodness, they’ve grown! These are the Watermead swan family from Brownhills, and they came over to see if I had any food as I passed Clayhanger Bridge.

I was glad to see they still number five, and interesting to see the very beginnings of adult plumage forming on the growing cygnets.

Here’s to another successful year!