Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Cygnets and other birds on Greenland Dock

Having checked out the swans in the old lock at the top end of Greenland Dock a couple of weeks ago, tending to their unhatched eggs (pic below) I was so glad to see that seven of them have hatched and are doing a wonderful job of negotiating the waters around their nest.  Both parents were in attendance, and the little family looked as though they were doing very well.



A couple of weeks ago



Today





There was also coot nesting in a rather strange corner of a neighbouring pontoon, the main part of which featured a number of abandoned unhatched small eggs.




There were a number of grebes around, but all appeared to be single, and there were numerous juvenile seagulls around.




At the top of the dock there were a pair of crows scavenging in the mud at the edge of the Thames, one of whom took the opportunity to enjoy a very muddy bath.



On the way back, crossing the old cut that lead into Norway Pond (now the Lakes), there was another coot settled on a very sad attempt at a nest.  There was plenty of nesting material floating nearby so hopefully that will become a rather more robust effort soon.



Walking back down Greenland Dock I passed a set of photographers apparently gathered with their gear.  According the staff at the Moby Dick pub they were taking pics for a brochure for the new development over the road.  Very dull!  I was expecting something far more exciting when I saw them there :-). 

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