Checking the eggs

No baby birds at all so far on Blackford Pond; I had hoped there might at least be cygnets, but not yet. I have to say that if I were a bird, I wouldn't  choose to be a swan: the prospect of sitting on a nest of sticks for weeks on end doesn't appeal at all. 

Various other nests were being built or sat on: there are now three pairs of coots, with a new pair taking up at the end with the reeds. Previously this was part of  the territory of the coots who nest on the island. It will be interesting to see if the new pair stay - they don't seem to have started a nest yet, whereas the pair at the opposite end of the pond now have a nest and seem to be sitting.

Having felt very disheartened yesterday by the Conservative success, I was more hopeful today about the impact that the amazing SNP results might have for Scotland - the SNP success is the really incredible thing that happened in this election. I'm not in favour of Scottish independence, but I do want more powers for Scotland, particularly as regards welfare, and I'm hopeful that we will now get them