New chicks get a rough deal, who hasn't watched adult ducks & geese proudly parading their new offspring only to come back a day or so later and find the brood decimated. A couple of weeks ago I watched the first appearance of six cygnets as the parents brought them out of the reed-bed to get used to the water ... when I went back today, only one was left, unfortunately the adults had been taking them on dangerous walks around the reserve!
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One pair of Shelducks hatched 23 youngsters this year!
A couple of weeks ago I counted 19 left and today was delighted to see there were still 17 remaining ... quite an accomplishment for the pair!
As I sat down in the shade to watch the ducklings across the lake, I saw a Lesser Black-backed Gull make an approach in an attempt to snatch a duckling ... he got more than he bargained for!
I think these 'high-octane' pair were making an excellent job of protecting their offspring.
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