Separation begins.

How to keep this short - these cygnets are winging their way across the pond to meet up with their parents having been left alone on the Leg of Mutton Pond for a short while. I watched this fascinating scenario. The whole family were on the L of M pond when I got there, then, almost sneakily, Mr & Mrs climbed out of that pond, got into the interconnecting stream  - about 200 yards - and made their way back to the Heron pond where they are for most of the time. After about ten minutes the cygnets realised that their parents had left them. They were chittering away, as they do, going around and around the pond. They then climbed out, went up the stream, and on seeing their parents, mad a dash for the pond and took off to meet them. Methinks Mr & Mrs are preparing these young adults for the cutting of the apron strings.
I was whizzing to and fro on my bike trying to catch all the action!