First Of The Gang To Hatch (Monday 4th May 2015)

It had been a bank holiday Monday when I had last visited Caen Hill Locks to see the pair of nesting swans, so it seemed appropriate to see how they were faring on this bank holiday.

I found them both at the nest site and with one new arrival. The cygnet must have been at most 3 days old as eight eggs had been reported on the site the previous Friday. Other unconfirmed sources said there were now five eggs being incubated by the mother swan.

A little later the cob swan went into the side pond behind the lock and the cygnet followed him, and shortly after that the pen swan joined them both. In the nest one egg was just visible, buried in the nest material- so how many other eggs were hidden in there could not be determined without disturbing the nest. A visitor to the nest said that the other eggs would not now hatch because the mother had abandoned them, but I knew that she was only taking a brief break to feed and to be with the first of her clutch. However, I resolved to return as soon as possible to monitor developments,

L.
14.5.2015 (1343 hr)

Blip #1571 (#1821 including archived blips)
Consecutive Blip #013
Day #1867
LOTD #806 (#927 including archived blips)

Lens: Pentax 17-70 mm, Pentax 55-300 mm x1.4 rear converter

A Visit To Caen Hill Locks, 4 May 2015 (Flickr album)

Caen Hill series
Canals series
Kennet and Avon Canal series
Swan series
Today's Extra Photos series

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Blue Öyster Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper (1976)
Rosamund Pike turned in a terrific performance in Gone Girl, which I saw on this day. From the film soundtrack I have chosen this Byrds-like anthem. Whenever one hears Blue Öyster Cult on the radio it is always this song that crossed into the charts when released on a single, although it is highly atypical of their style.

One year ago:
Stitchcombe