Daft as a coot

I don't know what's got into the birds on Blackford Pond this year but they seem to be nesting in daft places. Today I went back for the first time in nearly four weeks and there was a coot nesting slap bang in the middle of the pond, rather than under some overhanging branches near the bank or in the reeds where there would be some cover for baby coots. This place is about as daft as the little grebe nest very near the north (near) bank. Last time I was at the pond there were four little grebe young and today there was one, but it is now well grown. I watched it being fed by its parent and it was also diving too although didn't seem to be catching anything yet. 

One big thing was that the cygnets have hatched, just five this year. Looking at Facebook, I think they hatched about 30th May. I took some photos but it was a very sunny day and it's very difficult to get decent pictures of swans in the sun, so a blip of them will have to wait until it's less sunny. Not that I'm complaining about the sunshine.

Otherwise, as far as baby birds are concerned, there were four quite large mallard ducklings, looking as if they belong to the same family which is good going.