Spreading my wings

I took a few minutes off before arriving at the local show in Kingsway to pick up Helena at the end of her day on her stall. I chose to visit a bridge over the Gloucester to Sharpness canal at Elmore, which I hadn't visited before. Last week one of the swing bridge operators further downstream had mentioned that it was a good place to see kingfishers.

I must admit that I didn't see any in the few minutes I stood on the bank. The main attraction was this swan with its cygnets, which are still quite young.  I loved the way this one was stretching, standing on its bottom and flapping its tiny stubby wings. I wonder how long it takes for them to grow to full size.