In my excitement about Sumburgh Head redevelopments and classic cars, I totally forgot to mention that our Loch of Spiggie whooper swans successfully hatched out five cygnets!! Only a few whooper swans breed in the UK, and this is the first time they've brought out chicks at Spiggie in nearly one hundred years. We are totally chuffed to bits.
Small cygnets are vulnerable to predation, so we ask people to avoid disturbing the swans. We really appreciate folks cooperation in avoiding the Setter Marsh area during the incubation period, and particular thanks go to Shetland Anglers' Association. As with most of the reserve, you get the best views from the road. Keep an eye out for bathing bonxies, displaying lapwings and hopefully we'll be seeing broods of tufted ducks before long.