Riverside Pond Pen Mute Swan

I called into Riverside Pond on my way to work this morning. Needless to say it was dull and raining and the only birds within blipping distance was a pair of Mute Swans. So swans it is! For such a small pond the bird list this morning was pretty impressive. Apart from the Swans I spied a pair of Canada Geese, two pairs of Gadwall, Mallards, Moorhens, Cormorant, Black-headed Gulls, a Greylag Goose and the sparking highlight as a Kingfisher sped down Riverside Brook.

The male, or cob Mute Swan, is larger than the female or pen and when together the longer neck, larger webbed feet and larger black berry of the male make identification much easier.

Cob & Pen

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