Stroppy mum

A bit of a kerfuffle on the river this morning. Mother swan and her two cygnets were warming themselves in the early sun when two swan neighbours from up by the sluice came into view. They were minding their own business and feeding on the river weed. They've been this far down and closer to mum and her cygnets before but for some reason mum took umbrage this time. Without warning she took off and flew straight at the two neighbours ploughing into the water about 10ft in front of them. She did this twice before raising herself in the water and clapping her wings. The two neighbours tried to act like they hadn't noticed but slowly gave way and made their way back up to the sluice. 
Meanwhile the 3 cygnets, who I tend to look on as being adolescent swans these days, were about 100yds back staring intently at their mother. You can just imagination the conversation between them -
"Oh god, mum's off on one this morning" 
"That's just SO embarrassing."