Yesterday evening we went to see how the coot chicks were doing and were treated to the sight of a couple of them snuggling in under their parent’s wings for warmth. The one in this photo was spotted on its own in the water heading back to the nest whilst being given toots of encouragement from its parent. There was already at least one other coot chick sheltering under the wings.
We also spotted a hare tucked down in the grass, possibly a leveret? Perhaps that’s just wishful thinking on my part. But it did look the size of some wee bunnies that we’d seen scampering about the path.
The ears and eyes are quite different from those of a rabbit, like this one below.
I had heard that the town swans had had six cygnets, so yesterday morning I walked along to their nest see if I could spot them. Alas, both parents were sleeping and the wee cygnets must have been tucked under them out of sight. However today I saw them with their parents swimming along the canal. My friend was holding onto me in case I toppled into the canal trying to photograph them! There were six, all keeping quite close in to the bank where we were standing.
We also saw three ducklings on an afternoon outing too.
I don’t know if ducklings take warmth and shelter under their parents’ wings but certainly the coots and swans do. Returning back along the canal towards the end of our walk my friend and I delighted at seeing the cygnets pushing their way into the warmth of their parents’ white feathers.
Sometimes the cygnets ride along in the backs of their parents, I’ll be out again trying to capture this on camera too.
Sarah's Wildlife Watch 