Having killed around 50 ducklings in the river so far, the crows have now also killed a cygnet earlier today! Eye witness accounts told me the crow was jumping around the nest area and eventually made a successful grab for a newly hatched cygnet, killing it at the base of the island.
Penny was still hatching her clutch and could not move, and Popeye the cob was limited with his reach. I am still surprised that the crow got so close to the nest during the hatching. These crows are causing a huge amount of carnage on the riverside, and are becoming ever more skilled as time goes by. Having retrieved the dead cygnet I was surprised by the size and weight, and the crow could not have flown off with it. No wonder tiny ducklings don't stand a chance with these predators.
The River Nairn Swans and Waterfowl Trust will have to see what action we can take to combat this destructive menace.
The swans hatching is still in progress, but the windy weather is very much in the crows favour.
While retrieving the dead cygnet, I took the opportunity of taking a few pics and short video of the nest site below, enjoy !
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