I've got it sussed!

I don’t normally post in the morning but I’ve got it sussed!  AUK, the cob swan, wasn’t chaperoning the flock of juvenile swans as I thought. He was keeping them away from his family.  He’d come up to the boat last evening when he heard me rattle the food box but I thought it was a bit strange as we were now moored about 200 yards down stream of the chain ferry and previously we’d been opposite the RSC Theatre. We’d not seen him go beyond the ferry before, in fact that was as far as he ever allowed the juveniles to go before chasing them back upstream.  As I was feeding him, out of the bushes opposite us came a pen (female swan) and 3 very young cygnets.

They also came over to be fed although the cygnets are still too young to eat the swan food and I had to give them bread. AUK heard a noise and set off back upstream at a fast pace and in full display mode just as a couple of the juveniles came into sight by the ferry. I’m so glad we stayed an extra night to see this. What a wonderful parent, poor thing must be shattered keep chasing 60 juveniles away from his family.  I hope they manage to keep the little ones safe until they too are almost fully grown juveniles and can join next years flock.