Whooper Swan at Helston Boating Lake

  This juvenile Whooper Swan has temporarily made its home on the boating lake at Helston. When we arrived the swan was resting on the island but it soon joined the Mute Swans that were being fed with bread by passersby and their children. Although it received the odd peck from a Mute Swan it was constantly whooping, as though it was looking for its family.

  There were several male Mute Swans with the Whooper Swan, all trying to be in charge of the lake! They would charge through the water,with their wings up and their head and neck tucked in against their body.

 

Mute Swans at Tresemple Pool, Truro River

  This evening we had a short walk along the Truro River from St Clement to Tresemple Pool. The tide was going out and feeding on the mud opposite Tresemple Pool was a beautiful Black-tailed Godwit in summer plumage. Unfortunately it was quite distant but I managed to take a record shot as shown below.

                                                  


  On Tresemple Pool feeding at the edge of the water were a pair of Mute Swans who were accompanied by a Common Sandpiper. Whilst watching the swans another male Mute Swan flew in from the river and landed on the pool. He immediately raised his wings and started charging through the water towards the pair of Mute Swans already there. 

  The resident male responded to the challenge and launched himself into the water with his wings raised and they circled around each other before he chased his rival to the other side of the pool!

  A few moments later we saw the resident male chasing the female across the water, making a big splash in the process.