Bonnie the widowed swan of Figgate Park

This nesting swan is ~21 year-old Bonnie. Aged about two, she took up residence in Edinburgh's Figgate Park in 2002, and has lived there ever since.

Over the course of the past 19 years, Bonnie has had three 'husbands'. Sadly, her most recent one - named Clyde, of course - died just a couple of weeks ago on 19th April. That day Clyde engaged in vicious combat with another male swan. His adversary was a newcomer, who arrived in the park with his mate late last year. As soon as the friends of Figgate Park saw the extent of Clyde's fight injuries, they called out the SSPCA. Clyde was in such a sorry state that he had to be put down.

There was some concern that the newly-widowed Bonnie would abandon her nest as she mourned Clyde. However, she is still here, waiting for her cygnets to hatch.

I blipped Bonnie when taking a wander through the park with Mr hazelh, Paddy and Caitlin at lunchtime today. We were over in Portobello to return the car. We borrowed it this morning to make a visit to the tip with the last of the garden makeover débris (mainly bits of dead pallet), and to pop over to Prestonpans to check the wares at Sam Burns' yard (though nothing caught our interest there on this occasion).

For our exercise today, Mr hazelh and I walked back home from Porty. This was probably a mistake. It was horribly cold, wet, windy and almost autumnal. Still, along with the soaking we clocked up a good step count.

It's a quiet evening and early to bed for us tonight. Someone has not quite recovered from last night's excesses. (Clue: it's not me!)

Exercise today: walking (~18,000 steps).