Our beautiful pair of Swans have completed their annual moulting. Duke will now be able to fly and defend the territory more effectively if required. Moulting requires a lot of protein and energy replacing all the feathers on such a large bird.
Duke has been eating all the extra goodies like dried Mealworm, which are high in protein, as well as mixed wild bird seed, and spratts pellets, all ideal food for moulting birds, including the mother ducks. Their moulting is timed to start after they have reared their ducklings for about 6 weeks. This means that the whole family is vulnerable until all of them grow their new flight feathers, about 10 weeks for the ducklings and the mother takes about 3 to 4 weeks, which coincides with her babies. The last duckling family below, have about 3 weeks to go,
(and the mother to the left of the photo ) will have her new plumage by then as well, allowing them all to fly at the same time.
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