Nesting Swan

We got a good start on the journey down to Great Haywood to pick up Solace.  That of course meant we got a nice early afternoon start to our cruise.  One of the joys of this time of year (for me at least) are the birds.   Soon we were meeting Mallards with their clutches of ducklings.

This Swan had chosen to nest about 3 m (10 ft) from the stern of the "Maid of Oak" a large wooden narrowboat.   It clearly hadn't read the notice at the other end where there was an area fenced off and labelled "Swan Area".

We decided to moor for the night just before we arrived at the "Armitage Tunnel".  Well it was a tunnel once but the top has been removed.  It is still so narrow you need to send a "spotter" ahead to ensure other boats aren't coming through at the same time.