White Feather in Green

Having just signed up as members to the RSPB, I thought I'd pop down and see how the local wildlife was doing at the pond. It's a busy place at this time of year, with lots of dog walking, pram pushing and kids optimistically trying to fish for the mythical giant Pike that is said to inhabit its waters. An oasis of nature surrounded by day-to-day village normality.

The Delph Pond swans, cob, pen and their one cygnet, are having a tough time of it at the moment though. As well as being put in danger through all the junk being left in and around the pond, it now looks like algae is taking over, as can be seen by this rather manky and murky picture of a swan's feather. Apparently this happens due to rich nutrients in the water when there's a lot of sunshine.

Don't know how that happened after this past July then.