Dog eat dog world of pond/lake/bird contraception

A friend rang and told me where to find some cygnet (baby swans) I’m talking BABIES, barely walking.... and certainly fluffy and OH SO Cute.............

I walked the perimeter of said lake and couldn’t see the babies. I was beginning to suspect I had been given a dud lead.

As I’m walking, I notice that the birds started calling loudly, it was about 10am.... All the birds took off to the north end of the lake. But I noticed that some moor hens remained behind. Two white ducks headed off to the north end of the lake also. Suddenly the moor hens dived into the reeds and came out carrying a duck egg, which had been pierced with a beak and was bought out to share.

 

Obviously it’s the ‘norm’ because the moor hens knew exactly what to do and proceeded to share in the fun and games of getting messy and a young moor hen took off with shell that remained.

5 minutes later and I get back to the north end of the lake to find a gentleman just crossing over the road and pulling out a loaf of bread. It turns out he feeds the birds daily at about the same time every day!

That was when I was privileged enough to capture the cygnets.

I always did wonder why I never saw ducklings around, which is why I was so surprised to see the cygnets, I think this proves just how lucky these cygnets are.... having such a devoted pair of parents in the Black Swans, which pair for life.

Certainly opened up my eyes regarding nature and her way of managing population control. Moor hens crafty enough to steal eggs, black swans smart enough not to leave their eggs ever and white ducks silly enough to abandon their eggs for some sweet white bread.

I hope you enjoy the photos, I know I enjoyed taken them!

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Enjoy all of natures beauty!