On my way to work I have noticed, on a mudbank in the Don, about 10 eggs that have been laid by a pen, the cob is always by her side. These are being sat on by the pen and have been for over 6 weeks now. Not knowing much about the gestation period of swans I wonder if any forumers can enlighten me. Also is this the time of year they would hatch?

I am always hopeful I can get a close up shot of the hatching, I do have telephoto lens, and carry my camera to work each day.

hi ya m8
my son was doing his work experiance at barlow fisheries near dronfield and there were some swans up there guarding eggs think they have hatched now so it could be very soon for the 1s you are on about :thumbsup:

I wouldn't get too close to the Swans if I were you, they might get a bit over-protective of their young, and those Swans don't half have a nasty nip when they're mad at you..

The gestation period is 35 days from the date of the last egg. During the incubation period the male becomes very territorial and will aggressively protect his mate. He will normally use his strong wings as a weapon instead of biting. The cygnets are born with a gray downy plumage that eventually turns to white. They can fly in 3 to 4 months and generally stay with the parents until the next breeding season whey they are asked to leave. Mute Swans have been known to live for over 25 years, but most only survive to 5 or 6 years old. Many cygnets die in their first 12 months, often due to flying accidents.

hope this helps:thumbsup:

we went to Clumber Park last Sunday and there were already some cygnets swimming around.