The cygnets have hatched!

Great sight down on Mallards Lake this evening as we passed by on our evening walk. For the first time for a couple of years, there are cygnets back on the lake. There have been swans on the lake as long as we've been walking past but in 2015 the male died through eating bread that had been left in the lake and had developed toxins. The female reared the brood on her own.

In 2016 the female remained on the lake but on her own, so didn't breed. We were delighted to see a pair back on the lake this winter but we don't know if it is the same female with another mate or an entirely different pair. However, it is lovely to see swans back with a family. At first, we thought there were 4 cygnets but another one was hiding as you can see here there are 5! The sighting was further enhanced by hearing a cuckoo whilst watching the swans. First time we're heard one in Bearsted for many a year.

I took many photos as conditions were challenging; 7.50pm on a dull evening with a maximum zoom on 400 at 1/30th resting on top of a box containing a lifebuoy. I nearly didn't bring the Panasonic then thought that I'd missed a good shot of the Slow Worm the other day through not having it with me.

In other news, we're all ready for Susan's studio to be delivered and erected tomorrow. I levelled the rest of the ground; just hoping all the measurements and checking were right and it fits in the space. Pictures tomorrow I expect.