who's been nesting on my pond?

I spy a nest in the rushes.... 

its a pair of black swans

 swan one

 swan two

all change!

 (its time for swan one to sit on the eggs.... 

and as its late afternoon I suspect this might be the female - taking up the night duties)

 first one has to dry off a little (shake and preen, shake and preen)

settle

 egg warming position assumed

black swans have been nesting on the farm for a couple of decades now 

- but I never tire of the excitement 

waiting for cygnets to hatch

hoping the parents can protect them from foxes 

(and crows and eagles and accidents) 

fingers crossed for this clutch

....