I had a walk down to the local lido. Mr Swan was busy preening himself on the side.
Swans have a preen gland at the base of their tail. The gland gives out an oil that the swan then spreads through its feathers. This helps their feathers to stay waterproof.
They also preen to get rid of parasites. Usually they preen alongside their mate, but Mrs Swan was on the other side of the lido busy laying eggs. Thankfully, she'd chosen a very secure spot, hidden away.
At one point Mr Swan appeared to have an itchy beak.
The Canada Goose also got in on the act. Even though Canada Geese are usually seen around lakes, its not very often I see them at the lido. I don’t think it will be long before they fly elsewhere.
