Remember the late Danny Kaye singing There Once Was An Ugly Duckling, based on the Hans Christian Anderson story of the ugly duckling which turned into a swan? I don't think that many people today would describe the cygnets as "ugly' if the amount of visitors to the Abbotsbury Swannery are anything to go by.
It's the time of year when all young swans are hatching, not only at Abbotsbury but also on lakes, ponds and waterways throughout the country.
There is something very British about a pair of swans gliding along effortlessly with a brood of cygnets tagging on behind, having to paddle twice as much as their parents to keep up.
The picture today was taken this week of a young cygnet that managed to haul out of the water for a ride on mum's back.
He had five brothers and sisters still in the water but was quite happy, safe and sound and in the dry and I really appreciate mum for lifting her feathers just long enough for me to take this photograph.
