Abbotsbury Swannery's first 2021 cygnets arrive safely

They braved the bad weather

Author: Sophie CridlandPublished 10th May 2021
Last updated 11th May 2021

In a race against time, the first fluffy youngsters of the year have arrived at Dorset's Abbotsbury Swannery.

Despite the floods and high winds the cygnets hatched from the eggs in Nest No 2, despite all the drama.

It was all hands on deck for Swannery staff just days beforehand, as exceptionally high spring tides threatened to flood the nesting area where the swan pairs have been carefully tending their eggs.

The team had to move quickly to raise and reinforce the most vulnerable nests before they were overwhelmed.

Abbotsbury Swan herd Steve Groves says: "We had to move fast to lift the eggs, add extra bundles of nesting material and put stakes round about 15 of the lowest and most exposed nests, but thankfully all survived.

"It's always a special sight to see the first cygnets hatch and it will be so nice to welcome visitors back to the Swannery this year for the hatching season and to watch the youngsters growing up over the summer.

"It seemed so sad that we were the only ones to witness this wonderful spectacle last year."

NEW ARRIVALS THIS SUMMER

This year there are more than 80 nests at Abbotsbury, and that means hundreds of cygnets expected over coming weeks.

The Swannery is the only place in the world where visitors can walk through a colony of mute swans and enjoy seeing the cygnets grow throughout the season.

The hatching continues during May and June and it's great fun to watch the youngsters take to the water for the first time and from July until October they develop into teenagers. Come September and they will be making their first attempts at learning to fly!

The swans lay their eggs at two day intervals and hatching takes place 35 days after the final egg of the clutch has been laid.

The Swanherd and his staff feed the adult swans on wheat grains while the cygnets are fed daily on chick crumb, a crushed pellet full of protein, and grass cuttings. Their parents also find natural foods for their cygnets such as algae, water-weeds and grubs.

Visitors can walk safely among the nests while hundreds of cygnets are hatching out on to the paths. This tremendous spectacle is one of the highlights of the English summer. The Swannery is open every day from 10am to 5pm. Advance booking is essential.

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