100% Nesting Success !

Our beautiful swans Slim and Sue have gone beyond my expectations for hatching success. 

The final tally is nine, and I saw the final hatch this morning. 

Sue's continued persistence on  hatching all her eggs was beginning to concern me a little, as the first ones hatched Friday night/ Saturday morning. Anther 3 emerged on Sunday, and I thought the remainder were maybe infertile. 

Around 11 am today Sue got off the nest and encouraged the cygnets to follow her, I watched as 5 entered the river while Slim babysat what looked like only 3 bobbing heads in the nest. 

                       I decided to investigate if the 5 with Sue were managing to find any food as the river is almost bereft of weed for them to eat. They were happily feasting on algae covered stones. I could see Slim taking a very close interest in the nest and wondered if all was well. 

Further observation took me to the nest to see a final newly hatched cygnet still wet and half in the shell ! 

What a  lovely sight beside 3 of it's siblings and Slim watching over them, what a privilege ! After a brief few minutes Sue returned back to the nest with her cygnets. All that remained to be done, was dry out the newly hatched and keep them all happy and warm. 

 After a nod of recognition from me, Sue was quite happy to have me observe the cygnets preening beside her as she dried off the new one underneath. It could not have been a better day. I even managed a minute long video of the happy family below, best one ever !