My bride took this foto of a Waterhoen (Gallinula chloropus) juvenile. This thing has been enlarged, but was actually tiny, just out of the egg a couple of days. Those little beasts really do look like aliens. Back at home we can look down on a small body of water and it has been enormously fascinating watching the birds mate, declare territory, nesting and bringing up the young. Looking down below, we could see a swan family nesting in the reeds. There have been grebes, coots waterhoens, kuifeenden (Aythya fuligula), herons, mallards and a variety of passing birds as well as the little brown reed birds that can sing so lovely. From the neighbour lady's flat there were better views and we watched their progress over tea. Here some of the cygnets have hatched out and the parents carefully let them become acquainted with their surroundings: It was just three days and the family was off. After their disappearance, we did not see them floating around on the pond below. This is not odd because there are canals everywhere...leading into the city and also leading out to the water that was once called the "Zuyderzee". They could have gone any direction, but there was a report that a swan family had been hit by a train at the edge of our town--both adults were killed and all but two cygnets... which were taken to the animal shelter. It must have been "our family", because the cygnet count and age corresponded with the amount that hatched out here. Sad. There is a saying here--that "Nature is cruel and Humanity is sentimental".
Superb photographs!! I actually love the way Moorhen chicks look. They remind me of little Elizabethan dandies with their ruffled necks and bright heads. What a pity the swans didn't make it though. At least the surviving babies will be well looked after at the animal sanctuary.
Thanks so much Eileen. Well, they may be a leedl bit cute the first few hours that they come out of the egg...now?!? Ach. Yes, I was sad to learn about the swans. Such a pity.
Sj you are so right. That Moorhen chick is quite ugly. But they turn into a very nice looking bird. so sad for those swans to go to all that work and then not survive.
2T---They could have used a moorhen chick for the "Ugly Duckling" story. chuckle. Yes, it was so sad...those swans. The real tragedy is that those swans have nested there for the past few years, and so will never make it back. If the shelter releases the swans in the neighbourhood, we can hope that at least one of the adult young may return here to nest.
