180 degrees

No problem - I guess Lexi could go into training for 360 degrees!

After a morning which was a faff for various reasons too boring to relate, I met up with T at Blackford Pond where I hadn't been for ages. There was a lone cygnet from last year who I'm sure will get chased away soon by his parents. He was practising flying so I guess he's getting the idea. The water level was still pretty high, but not as high as it had been and there was a fair amount of the island out of the water with a nice pile of twigs which would make a good start for a swans' nest. However, the swans looked as if they had other ideas as they were creating a pile of vegetation by the near bank of the pond, in the same style as the Craiglockhart swans, but with less protection as the Craiglockhart nest is actually an island and protected by bushes. The new Blackford nest didn't strike us as a good plan at all as they will easily be reached by foxes, dogs, cats and rats. Maybe they will change their minds, but I'm not sure about that.

There weren't many gulls on the pond, so it looked fairly empty, but there were two little grebes who we don't usually see until later, a pair of tufted ducks, a few mallards and several moorhens.

I've now added an extra of the male swan working on the nest and one of Lexi trying to disappear down a cardboard tube which I keep some of their toys in. I'm glad she didn't get stuck.