On the path to the Kelpies (see previous post) we saw a family of swans on the other side of the canal. A dog was being walked and had to be wary of the adults.

Closer to the Kelpies a more exotic bird was being exercised. It turned out a man took his parrot there every day. It could fly about a bit on the end of a line. I caught it below when it was on the ground.

Parrot on a stick. Well, on a lead:-

On the walk back to the car the swans had moved over to the near side of the canal and settled down by the side of the path. A wide berth was given and warnings shouted to kids on bikes not to get close:-

After our move to pastures new on April 4^th the good lady and I finally made it back for a look at Beveridge Park in Kirkcaldy on June 1^st.

The swans look to have four cygnets this year. (They may have had more and lost some but it was almost two months since we’d been at the park so wouldn’t know about that.)

(Not to mention several ducks.) In Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy, 22/7/2013.

We hadn’t seen all five cygnets the previous twice we’d been to the park before I took this photo so were pleased to see there wasn’t one missing this time.

They’re showing some adult plumage now.

The number of cygnets in Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy had, by 7^th June, fallen to five. I don’t know what happened to the missing one.

At the back end of May I took this photo of this year’s Beveridge Park cygnets (still six) – not to mention the parents and a duck.

About a week ago in the Beveridge Park I took these two photos of 6 cygnets and an army of goslings. You can see trailing from her mouth the weed the pen has pulled up from the bottom of the pond to feed the cygnets.

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Two days ago we were in the Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy (without the camera) and for the first time this year saw the local swans’ new brood of cygnets. We counted 7 young ones – good going we thought: previously the pair have only ever managed two offspring!

The geese beat them to it. Last week we had seen about 12 goslings on the water.

Today – with camera – there were sadly only 6 cygnets. You can see them here:-

The cob was off in the background chasing the geese on the path which surrounds the pond.

Slightly earlier three of the cygnets were on their own a bit.

The other three had stuck close to mum.

While we were going round the path some more-newly hatched goslings crossed in front of us.

The cob had left the water to chase the other geese well away and was displaying fiercely.

I’ve told you about the swans, how they live in the park.*

This was how they looked in January this year. Cygnets almost grown up.

The last time we were in the Beveridge Park, about a week ago, the cygnets weren’t in evidence. Perhaps they’ve been chased off by the adult cob in preparation for this year’s clutch.

*A line apparently contributed to the song Badge (which I have as no. 15 in my Friday on my Mind category) by the first supergroup, Cream, by one Ringo Starr.