Swan family

I went to Blackford Pond for the first time since 1st June and found that the swan family was sadly now down to three cygnets. There had apparently been four until a couple of days ago but one of them simply disappeared with no clue as to what had happened, I learnt from someone at the pond. I think that's the worst survival rate that I've known at the pond, there having been seven eggs initially. I also saw a mother mallard with five tiny ducklings - see one of the extras. They were zooming around the pond looking very exposed. I heard that a couple of days ago there had been eleven. I know most ducklings don't survive, but hopefully these five will. Nature can be a sad business. There were a couple of quite well-grown and independent young moorhens, so at least they have done well. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and I was rolling up my shirt sleeves for the first time since I came back from my holiday.

There are extras of Lexi and Alfie.