In the last 7 years I have never seen the Nairn cygnets stay with the parents beyond the 6th of October. It looks like this is going to be the first family to over winter in the river. It could be that the 3 week battle with the cob intruder last January, might have some bearing on the family sticking together until this February. It would make very good sense, since any intruder would stand little chance of driving out 10 Swans ! On the other hand maybe they have been too well looked after ! Just to show they do have some level of intelligence , It was interesting to see them walk along the riverside to avoid trying to swim upstream against todays spate! They look in great shape and the cygnets are very attractive in their mottled coats
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2 comments:
hi Joe, as i was walking down the back path next to nairn academy yesterday, i first thought i was hearing a small gaggle of geese flying overhead, but on closer inspection although they were very high up , i am sure what i saw was a family of around 7-8 swans flying past making a simular noise to geese, there wings were far to big to be geese. could this be another family of swans from around the area moving on ?....Steve
Steve, At this time of year there are many Swan families taking their young to pastures new, and to join large winter flocks in coastal areas like Findhorn and Ardersier. They also call at loch flemington and other wetland areas. There are other species of Swans like Whooper and Bewick Swans that arrive in Britain from Iceland and Siberia for the winter. This is the month for mass migrations of many species.
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