A few nights ago, my daughter and I went for an evening stroll to our local lake. A family of mute swans patrolled the perimeter, the parents hissing at anyone who dared to stand too close. I must admit, while I find the cygnets adorable, adult swans make me very nervous.
Swans are family orientated. The male and female usually stay together for many years, sometimes for life. The male helps build the nest and look after the babies. A stark comparison would be Mallards; a couple here, also doing a turn around the lake. While they look like the perfect couple, I've read that the male will only stay with the female until she lays her eggs; then he'll be off to find another female, or even, occasionally, a male.
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The sun soon slid down the sky, leaving a beautiful glow on the water. As the ducks made their way to their nests, I linked arms with my daughter and we headed home to ours.
