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Sedgefield Pictures

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Swans at Hardwick Park


Courtesy of Ian Hunter

Ian took photographs following the swans during their nesting at Hardwick Country Park during 2006.

His collection charts this year's success story.

Ian also asked us to give a reminder - bread is not a very good food for swans and ducks. If you take bread for the birds, just feed a small amount to each group. Grain is much better, the birds love it, and it is much closer to their natural food.

The nest site was chosen about mid April.
and building work began.
Both birds worked on the nest; pen (female) closest to camera
The cob (male) has a richer coloured bill.
Ian saw the first two eggs on 28th April;
these take 34 to 38 days to hatch from the start of brooding.
The cob (male) stands guard when the pen is feeding.
Both pen and cob at the nest.
Brooding continued all through May;
mostly by the pen.
After 39 days, Ian saw a number of cygnets and some unhatched eggs.
The next day there were seven cygnets.
A few days later they take their first swim
escorted by both cob and pen.
A delightful image of the cygnets and the pen resting on the grass.
By early August only three cygnets remained and Ian found them resting on the bank of the new lake.
In mid August the family were back on the Serpentine Lake
The cygnets had begun to explore their world; sometimes away from the cob and pen.
The cob was never far away and always watchful.
Most exploring and foraging was still done with the pen
A photogenic record of the whole family together.
It is now October and the cygnets are 4 months old but, sadly, another has been lost.
Not our swans, but another family which arrived at the beginning of November. It is possible that they have arrived from a small lake at Bishop Middleham - if so, they must have walked almost one mile because Ian believes that the cygnet cannot fly yet.
Early November brings us Ian's last photograph of the family group, with the cygnets at 5 months old.

Many thanks to Ian for providing this fascinating record of success by our local swans.

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