Feeding on weed

The swans spend a lot of time treading on pond weed to bring to the surface for the cygnets to eat. The cygnets have learned about bread already, but I'm glad that their parents limit how much they can have - they've clearly been reading the latest advice on healthy eating for swans. Still six cygnets today, thankfully, and both pairs of coots were showing signs of nesting again - although the pair who had the nest on the island may be trying to take over the moorhen nest in the rushes. We saw a moorhen chasing one of the coots which was good considering that a coot is a fair bit bigger than a moorhen. The heron was on the island again, so it might have had something to do with the loss of the first coot brood - and possibly the two cygnets, but I'm less sure about that. And we saw a little grebe for the first time this year, so things are definitely looking up.