Swanning About

Following some heavy downpours over the last couple of days, yesterday's walk was a little damp and muddy under foot. So we decided to take a turn round Straw's Bridge. On the way, we passed the Manor Floods and as we stood looking across the water, a family of Mute Swans came steaming over to see if we had anything for them.

The six cygnets in this family were growing fast and have started losing their fluffy down and becoming more like mum and dad.

On the back lake of Straw's Bridge, another swan family have hatched five cygnets, which we first encountered a few days earlier.

These little charmers, are quite a bit younger and still had their downy, fluff-ball appearance

It was nice to see them all still happy and healthy yesterday, growing fast and with their parents keeping them well out of harm's way.

 Of course, as soon as you point a camera at the swans, the local coots...

and mallards turn up to get in on the act. And why not?