I met a mother swan with her ten (!) cygnets, just climbing out of a pond. She then led them on a long (100m) walk beside the boardwalk through the reedbed. You can see why cygnets aren't white.
Once they reached the next pond they could at least get their feet clean again.
They then swam under to the other side of the boardwalk.
And their father was there waiting for them.
The cob joined the pen and the cygnets in the water and all 12 were swimming together.
The BTO website says a normal clutch for mute swans is 4-7 eggs so this pair is doing exceptionally well.
* In the Christmas carol The Twelve Days of Christmas there were only seven swans a-swimming.
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