Blackford Pond swan family

T and I did some cygnet worshipping, first at Blackford Pond, where there were still eight and then at Craiglockhart Pond where sadly they had lost one.

As before, there was a lot more in the way of young life at Craiglockhart than Blackford. At Blackford we didn't see any other young birds, but at Craiglockhart we enjoyed watching the young coots diving for food with their pale lobed feet near the surface pushing downwards. There were also young moorhens diving near the coots. We also saw four mallard ducklings with their mother and a pair of little grebes but no sign of a family.

While we were there a dog rushed into the water and chased some of the birds before being called away by its owner who was on a bike. I simply cannot understand the mentality of some dog owners. Things were actually better before the access legislation came into force - you are now allowed to take dogs anywhere provided you do it "responsibly". The problem with that is that irresponsibility can only be proved after some harm has been perpetrated. Definitely a case of shutting the stable door... And nothing was going to happen as regards this incident.