So last year! An adolescent swan.

Now that daddy swan has bowed out, last year's cygnets have returned to the lake. You can't blame them really. The male swan had banished them to a nearby pond and it was a shame to see them swimming round and round in circles. There is, however, a problem: mummy swan doesn't want them back. She is chasing them so hard they are taking to the air. From the way they were going about it, I don't think these birds have flown before and I don't think they want to. It looks like they want to stay exactly where they are. This year's cygnets are now quite large and they don't seem to be too worried by the presence of their big brother and sister. (There are only two surviving cygnets from last year. This year there are 5 of them.)

The female swan seemed placid whilst the male was alive, but she has suddenly become quite aggressive - needs must, perhaps. Is she teaching her kids to fly or does she simply want them out of the way? Who knows.

If you are wondering why I haven't blipped the swans in flight, it is because they were some distance away and if I cropped that hard we would be down to the size of a postage stamp! When you are watching something interesting through the lens, your head seems to think you are seeing most of the action, but when you get the image up on the computer you wonder where all the extra frame came from!! I don't like to crop too much from a frame.

This shot isn't as well focused ( around the head ) as I would have liked but I think it looks okay at the smaller size.