What should have been a perfect day to complete the cygnets hatching turned out to be a tragedy. Tueday I watched the nest site and newly hatched cygnets for several hours, 6 at the last count about 4.30 in the afternoon. The pen was still sitting but decided it was time for the 6 to get to the water for the first time. She led them down but turned back because one cygnet would not leave the nest. The cob took charge over the 5 down by the waterside and the pen sat back on the nest beside the reluctant cygnet. After a few minutes the cob led them back up to the opposite side of the nest, which is higher. The cygnets would not climb up to the nest, so sat down beside the cob a few feet away. All seemed under control so I headed home for dinner.
When I returned at 7pm, I was told by two residents who overlook the nest site of the tragedy.
Apparently minutes after I left the cob took the cygnets down to the moat for a dip, after a few minutes he climbed back up the steep slope to the nest followed by 4 of the cygnets but two remained swimming in the moat trying to find a way out of the water. One of them went to the end of the moat out of sight of the swans and was pounced on by 3 hoodie crows who tore the cygnet to pieces!
After 7 weeks sitting incubating those eggs and hatched for a matter of hours, to end up being torn to pieces by crows is to my mind unacceptable.
I cant tell you how angry I was when told of this news !
These hoodies have built a nest right above the swans nest site and have to go ! They are causing carnage on this part of the river and the situation will only get worse if allowed to !
The pressure is on the swans to get the cygnets into the water to feed, because the yolk sac that has sustained them until now will have been used up. The dilemma is caused because not all the eggs have yet hatched, so the pen is reluctant to leave them but must allow the new cygnets to survive by getting them to the water. Tomorrow will be crunch time and any eggs remaining will either hatch or probably be abandoned to save the hatched cygnets.
I have enclosed a photo showing the fluffy remains of the hoodies attack, as well as some shots of what should have been a perfect day.
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