Cygnapped !

Notice anything different about the Nairn cygnets ? There are now 10 of them ! I'm so used to seeing them piling into the moat and getting stuck into the wheat I rarely count them. Today was odd because one of the cygnets appeared to be getting attacked from time to time by one of the other cygnets in particular. This kind of activity is fairly normal at this stage in their growth, and the parents tend to ignore it - they were not bothered at all. At one stage the harassed cygnet got out of the moat came close to me and hunkered down for a sleep ! After a while they all headed over to the island and then I realised there were 10 cygnets instead of 9. Obviously they have cygnapped an addition to the flock this morning, making it an even dozen. This one has probably just been chased away by it's parents and has joined our lot at sea thinking it's a flock, this is normal for Swans to seek the first flock and join it. I get the impression the new cygnet is a female because it's smaller, and seemed to be getting attacked by one of our female cygnets...a bit of female jealousy perhaps ! It will be interesting to see how this effects the family and if it will be allowed to stay with them until they all leave. Perhaps it's one of the Brodie or Forres cygnets, will one of our young cobs take a fancy to it ? Interesting times lie ahead !