Signets at large

[Catscratch]

Thought you might like to see these signets at the business park where I work. The chicks are no more than a couple of weeks old. It is quite difficult to get pictures of them because dad (who has been named Charlie) is very protective. There are warning signs all around the lake "Beware, Aggressive Swan". I managed to get these when someone had thrown some bread so Charlie was reasonable placid. The head shot is just of Charlie taken the day before. I was on a raised walkway and he was thinking about attacking my feet!

[Jandy]

Great shots, Catscratch! What a lovely family - the cygnets are like grey powderpuffs!

[Catscratch]

Thanks Jandy. Saw them again today - still 5. They have moved to the larger lake - more food, more people. Charlie was being quite well behaved today and didn't chase anyone! Mum also had one of the babies on her back - I wish I had brought my camera - it was a definite aaah moment. :)

[Catscratch]

Latest photos of the cygnets. Only four of them now, but they are all doing well. :)

[Jandy]

Two more great pics, Catscratch! Glad to see they are doing so well. They're in that in-between stage now, not quite so cute and cuddly - teenagers? Maybe Hans Christian Andersen saw one like this, and it gave him an idea for a story!

[Nature__Lover]

I've got cygnets at that inbetween-stage at the moment too.
They are so graceful.
But i've got to say, baby moorhens, and baby wigeons, have got to be some of the cutest babies at my lake.
The baby moorhens are at the first stage - black pom poms with red heads ;-)

also, I had a great sight the other day~
the mother moorhen was making very aggressive noises, i turned to look, and she was chasing brown rats! if they came anywhere near her babies, she darted at them!
go momma moorhen! :)

[Catscratch]

Here is Charlie and his brood settling down for a sleep after a busy day on the lake. The cygnets are getting quite big now - great to see there are still 4 of them. The remains of a gull close by were a reminder that there is still an active fox in the area :(

I think the 2nd picture is a moorhen chick, but as it was on its own, I'm not terribly confident... but I'm sure that you will know

[Catscratch]

Latest snaps of Charlie and his brood. They are very tolerant and unafraid of passers-by, but prefer it if you bring bread.
I was taking quite a few shots and then Charlie warned me away by gently nipping at my trouser-leg.
There are 9 swans on the site - Charlie, his mate + four young, a lone swan (one of last year's young) and a pair. It seems to be more peaceful now that the group of 3 have split - maybe Charlie doesn't feel so threatened anymore...
The last shot is of the singleton

[Jandy]

Again, great pics, Catscratch. This year on the Brent Reservoir (Welsh Harp) we had a family of swans with seven cygnets, which fairly soon became six, which I think all survived, though we don't now always see them together.