The cygnets at Stratford Park

Helena hasn't been well today and asked me to get some medicine from a chemist. I chose to go to a supermarket which has a pharmacy in the store and once I had picked the pills up I parked in the corner of their car park and walked a short way to Stratford Park.

I had spotted that the swans were still on their nest which they occupy each year sited on a small manmade island on the former fish pond of Stratford Court. There weren't too many people milling about for a change nor hordes of gulls hustling for the bread being thrown at the birds.

I stood at the edge of the pond and took some pictures of the swan on the nest.  Within a few minutes I spotted a couple of little grey heads of two cygnets in the background just before this little beak appeared  from beneath the swan's body.  It may have heard its other parent grabbing some bread from a child of a young family just a few yards away near to me. Within seconds the nesting swan had stood up turned around and lead the cygnets away to the rear where there is a small ramp to allow them safe access to the pond.

It was only then that I saw that there were actually seven cygnets and all of them looking very healthy. They took to the water with ease and I presume they are some days old now and getting ready to become more independent. After a couple of minutes the whole family slowly gathered themselves close together and swam away to a quieter part of the pond. I have added a couple of other pictures of them as 'Extra photos' below.