Ten juvenile swans at Frampton Court lake

The weather was so good that I couldn't resist a fleeting visit to the lake. I'd hopped to see the reported number of hobbies overflying there, but I only got a glimpse of a bird that might have been one.

I watched a few goslings, both greylag and barnacle, and admired the flight of a couple of terns. A crested grebe amused me and I liked the sight, and particularly the sound, of two overflying oystercatchers circling around the islands.

Insects were appearing in greater numbers, but not profusely yet. I chatted to a young couple who said they had come up from Bristol as the lake is such a beautiful and peaceful place for them, in comparison to what else ios on offer around that city. They both seemed keen on photography and had a massive 600mm lens strapped to a Canon 7D. When I asked what it was pointing to in the reeds on the water's edge, they said they seen a grass snake swim in those reeds and not re-appear as yet.

I moved on to leave them to their vigil and stood on a short promontory amongst some bushes. The distinctive sound of swans feet on water, when they are starting their take off, resonated from the far side of the island. when they eventually appeared having turned around the end of the island they were flying towards me as if in a squadron. I wasn't prepared but managed a few pictures of this rather amazing scene. When I checked the images on my computer I could see from the dark traces of brown markings on the top of their wings that they might be first year juveniles gathered before they've found mating partners.

On the lake there were still quite a few swans (sometimes I've counted more than a hundred individuals on the lake at any one time). But there was only one pair of swans with any (they had four) cygnets and I wondered whether the cold late spring affected their mating season.