Downies out and about

Mute Swan family at Oxwich (c) P. Tyrrell

Following on from the eight cygnets first noted from the hide at Oxwich Marsh by Nick Edwards on the 9th May, then photographed by Paul Tyrrell on the 21st, Gower's only other pair of Mute Swans at Llanrhidian took seven cygnets to water for the first time on the 21st.

Llanrhidian cygnets on 26th (c) B. Stewart

In addition to photographing the Mute Swans at Oxwich on the 19th-20th, Paul Tyrrell also provided conclusive evidence that Gadwall have bred successfully there this year.

female Gadwall with her brood (c) P. Tyrrell

Gadwall at Oxwich

Gadwall numbers have increased in recent winters at the few freshwater sites where favourable habitat exists. At Oxwich 32 were noted today, though the highest count was at Fairwood Lake where 51 were counted on 19-Dec-08 by Harold Grenfell & Peter Douglas-Jones. The highest count at Oxwich to date was 40 on 18-Jan-09.