Here's looking at you, kid

The dying rays of the sun picked up the warm brown of those fully grown cygnets that have been reared in the Clydebank stretch of the Forth and Clyde Canal. Until quite recently there were eight. Now down to seven this brood does not seem keen to leave this haven where the shoppers regularly feed them. Yesterday I watched the parent birds take flight with five of the seven cygnets following their example. Two did not get the message and paddled furiously after them emitting plaintive cries. While today these young birds were looking for food the parents were preening themselves at some distance and ignoring them. I don't think it will be long before they take a more assertive stance and chase them off.