Lady Beatrice

Today at the castle I saw the first mallard ducklings.  There were nine of them and they were very tiny, just hatched by the look of them.  Mum had taken them to a spot rarely trodden by the visitors and the were in a little heap in the shade.  I took photos but they weren't good as they were all bundled together and I didn't want to get too close.  I'm sure that there'll be more opportunities when they're on the water.

My blip is of Lady Beatrice the resident swan.  She was plain Beatrice before and with her mate Benedict have lived and raised cygnets on the castle moat.  This year she returned alone and then recently a new male swan arrived.  He doesn't have a leg ring so isn't Benedict or one of her cygnets.  They took to each other immediately!

There has been a poll to find a name for him and Sir Tom won (after fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore). She has been given a title to match his and is now Lady Beatrice.  

They have been taking sticks to a nesting platform but it's probably too late in the year to produce young.  There are great hopes for next year though!