These adult swans, seen on the Mill Stream in Abingdon, have eight new cygnets. Last years juveniles did stay during the winter, but as time went on the adult male could be seen chasing them away, getting increasingly aggressive if they did not take the hint.
On the Ock Valley walk there was one half of a big willow tree came down over the weekend.
Lots of new trees have been planted by members of the Green Gym in previous years at the town end of the path. They will provide good cover for wildlife in years to come.
This year, on their first outing after Easter, 18 people, with the Green Gym, spread wood chip on the path, and litter picked the Ock Valley Walk. A programme for people interested in exercising to make a difference with the Green Gym is here.
And by the way this is a deer that crossed the Ock Valley Walk, crossed the River Ock, and then escaped into the gardens of St Amand Drive on the other side.
Across from the River Thames, on Wilsham Road, a bungalow called Pendower is just about to be demolished. The grounds have room for two larger properties with higher roofs.
In the early morning, seagulls take up positions watching the river, from vantage points on Wilsham Road. You can tell their most popular positions from the white deposits they leave.
They are ready for whenever there is food on offer. They wheel round,
then swoop down to try to get the food from the ducks.
No, not a new pub, but a genuine black swan
I first saw him on December 5th in South Abingdon on the gravel pit lake nearest to the Marina and he is still there and very much at home with the mute swans (of which there are 2 large families) and a wide variety of other water birds.
(Many thanks to Elizabeth for the report.)