All quiet

What a cold afternoon it was, especially when standing about looking at swans.

Fear not, these three young mute swans are not dead. They all have their heads down looking for aquatic vegetation.

They belong to Queen Elizabeth II, as do all swans by tradition. Does she know they are here in deepest Lancashire?

The mute swan, which is not mute by the way, just less vocal than other species, is the only one resident all year round in the UK.

The young are grey to begin with, then develop brown feathers which they will keep until their second year. If these three had their heads up instead of scoffing, then you would also see that they don't have their orange beaks as yet.

It was straight into the lakeside café for a warming cappuchino after this.
Not the swans. Me.