My first sighting of a duckling this year was just a single one, accompanied by two parent ducks. It’s unclear what happened to the rest of the brood. When I returned two days later, there were two parent ducks in the same location — but the duckling had disappeared.

Nearby, a pair of moorhens had built a nest not far from the cycle track. It did not look the safest location.

Returning two days later, I spotted the two moorhens again — this time with five or six chicks, tucked away among the relative safety of the reeds. They weren’t easy to see, blending into their surroundings.

P.S. I am busy on a project for a few days so probably won’t get to do the blog for a few days. But if anybody sends me a report with pictures then I could use that.

A heron with its wings spread, leaves its perch below Abingdon Bridge, having noticed me with my camera. The bird with its wings ruffled flies away over the ripples on the River Thames,

Its makeshift perch had been a jumble of logs and debris, accumulated by the bridge arches where Abingdon Bridge meets Nags Head Island.

Here is a more symmetrical shot a moment later. The wingspan is the largest of any Abingdon bird. Herons are common but still look exotic.

Back in May 2024 there were a swan family with 9 cygnets on the Mill Stream near the Abbey Meadows in Abingdon.

Now, halfway through winter, a swan family with four cygnets can be seen along the same stretch. The young swans, almost adult in size, still have youthful brownish plumage and grey bills.

The cygnets remain with their parents, who have not yet chased them away. According to Swan Life, this separation usually happens when cygnets are between five and ten months old.

The move to independence will be a dangerous time. Their first flights bring the risk of colliding with power lines, one of the big hazards in their journey to adulthood. Their new location is unlikely to offer quite the same ready supply of human food as the bridge near the open air pool.