BIRD NEWS:415

Turning around the corner and progressing along the track leading away from Chichester towards Birdham and Chichester Harbour, I had to slowly pass Mr and Mrs Hiss - a pair of mute swans - who were none too happy to share their path with a human - even a swan-loving one.

This pair of chicks are coot chicks. There white patch is not yet there, but they were swimming not far from mommy Coot, so definitely coots and not moorhens despite the red. Regular readers may recall me posting pictures of baby moorhens - AKA black fluff balls - last year or the year before. A short way along was another coot collecting material for the nest.

I next arrived at a shaded tree-lined patch where swallows were swooping down to catch flying insects and flies above the canal. I took about a half dozen shots - but could not find a single swallow in any picture, alas. They were just too quick...

So it was back to the coots again - this one resting on its nest. Next, a coot family with 'teenage' juveniles- bigger than the red headed babes but not yet adult and obviously still young from this year.

This shot shows the difference between adult and juvenile clearly - well, it would if the photo itself were not blurred. I turned to go back towards the city....