I'm a little late with this today as it  was such a crisp and sunny start that I went up to the Tarn first thing.  The cygnets are now quite independent and feeding well away from the parents.  It's at this time that they are most vulnerable so we can only hope that the removal of the resident fox a few weeks ago will secure their survival.  They have grown well over the summer, but remain small due to their late start in life.  It still looks as though they are male and female, but it's difficult to tell.  The dabchick were calling strongly from the reeds, such an eerie sound when the world is quiet and still as it was this morning.  No sign of the cormorants which have been present recently.  It's too much to hope that they have moved on permanently and they really are becoming a persistent pest.

There were no rises as I watched the water and no sign of fish moving in the shallows.  Rather too cold I suspect for early feeding as the water temperature was only 10c.

It's now clouding up a bit and starting to warm on a rising barometer so rain is unlikely.

Finally,  be warned that the power in much of Horton will be off all day on Sunday as United Utilities are carrying out major work on the power lines in the valley.  The Crown Hotel has secured a generator so the beer should still flow and simple meals will be available.

Ian