five – BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking

June 11th – On a post repair test ride, bad news.

The Watermead swan family are now down to five from the original six. The remaining cygnets looked healthy and well though.

Most likely the victim of a hungry fox, it’s normal to lose a cygnet or two to predators in every urban clutch – we’ve been lucky in recent years to be relatively unscathed, but one has to remember the prodigious clutch sizes of these birds and consider that maybe some population control is natural.

When the youngsters start ground roosting separately as opposed to in a protective huddle, they are easy prey to Reynard and hopeful, the loss has been a warning to the remaining five.

Sad, so very sad – but it’s nature, red in tooth and claw.

June 5th – I saw what I assume are the Watermead swan family on the canal mid afternoon; sadly they seem to have lost a cygnet – most likely to a fox now they’re growing so large. It’s sad, but natural – the fox has to feed too, and it’s why swans have such large clutches.

The remainder look healthy and are feeding well, and are growing at an alarming rate.

Let’s hope mum and dad select safe roosting sites at night from now on.