Last Sunday the new pair at Craiglockhart Pond hatched 7 cygnets.
Last year we lost the pair that had been on the pond for 22 years. First the male disappeared then the SSPCA removed the rest of the brood, but the female still died. So the pair on the pond are new. Happily they have proved successful.
Judging from their behaviour the new parents have got the hang parenthood. Out of the seven offspring six are centre stage here.
It would be nice if they all survived. We will be keeping an eye on them.
How could anyone call them ugly ducklings? They're gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteWhy did the SSPCA remove the rest of the brood when the male died? Did they think the female would be unable to cope? She must have had a fair few offspring if the pair had been there for 22 years.
ReplyDeleteThe SSPCA reportedly intervened because the mother's condition was deteriorating. They were unable to restore her to health. Perhaps she pined. We are told that neither of the new pair are related to the old pair, but there hasn't been a missed year without cygnets. Other sites in Edinburgh (e.g. St Mary's Loch) have lots of Swans but the ones on the pond seem very territorial and there is just one pair. Perhaps that's why they are so successful.
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