by

Stepping out

The Cotswold countryside, parks and gardens are a almost swamped by luscious green foliage this year.  The early spring and wet May seem to have benefited the trees and lawns.  It is a joy to walk amongst them.

There are lambs, foals, baby rabbits and ducklings to be seen all around and my garden birds are working overtime to feed their young.  They beaver away all day long in choreographed movements almost like a dance.

I went to a local park with my little granddaughter at the weekend and she was delighted to see six cygnets that have hatched out recently.  The swans nest on an island in the lake but they come over to the grass to feed and walk their little ones.  It is amazing and heart-warming to see how many adults and children turn up in their spare time to see and photograph the new arrivals.

Swans are very protective parents so it is best not to get too close!  As Shakespeare says…

So doth the swan her downy cygnet save,

Keeping them prisoner underneath her wings.

Eggs laid at Abbotsbury Swannery
Mother protecting her eggs
Swans mate for life and are very protective parents

10 thoughts on “Stepping out”

  1. Oh these a wonderful photos! On a trip to London, walking through a lovely park, we saw a mama swan literally rear up (I know that’s normally a descriptive phrase for a march larger animal), flap her wings angrily and hiss and hiss and hiss and rush a duck that was coming too close to her cygnets!! They are indeed protective of their young. Love the pics of the two adults with their necks almost entwined into a heart shape! Thanks so much for posting!

    Like

    Reply

  3. I was minding my own business, enjoying a picnic with friedns in Kew Gardens when a swan came from behind me and snatched the sandwich I was about to put in my mouth. I never looked at swans the same way since!

    Like

    Reply

I would love to read your comments so do let me know what you think of this post x

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.