It’s that time of year .. … the harvesters are taking advantage of a spell of better weather to get the grain in … … and the straw is baled to be stored for winter use.
And then there were none ….. ….. with the last remaining Cygnet ‘disappearing’ over the weekend … … the Cob (male) was left occupying one pond and … … the Pen (female) on another and with no family to look after she eventually … … flew off towards the sea followed a few days later by the Cob! With predators in the area having to feed their young it is sadly the reality of nature!
The sole survivor … … after losing four of the Cygnets the adults are very protective of the remaining one!
Cygnet update … … it is now obvious that the resident pair of swans on Corby Loch do not have a brood this year and spend their time eating and preening themselves. However two weeks ago 0n a nearby pond … … the Cob (male) and … … the Pen (female) were successful in producing a brood of … … five Cygnets BUT … … sadly on Tuesday this week four of the five were missing, one body was recovered from the pond and only one cygnet was left! Which predator took them is unknown but at only a few weeks old they would have been vulnerable to Foxes, Badgers, Herons or even the larger birds of prey!
A Coots ‘mobile home’ ! … …the nest was originally located some twenty feet from the east bank … …and was anchored on a rock which was just breaking the surface but … … when the water level rose a little after rain the nest and occupant drifted across the Loch … … and ended up on the weed bank near the far shore with the Coot sitting ‘tight’!
Whins (Gorse) reflections … … in a flat calm at the far end of the Loch. Now a week later they are brown and have all gone to seed.
This years fledglings … … the Little Grebes who live near the boathouse have produced five chicks … … but sadly it appears the resident Swan couple have left the nest without any sign of Cygnets following them!