The pen usually leaves the nest to feed when the cob arrives to relieve her, any time between 6:45 a.m and 7:15 a.m. This morning she remained on the nest. Hopefully this means hatching time is imminent!
Are you my mother? The day we've been awaiting has arrived! When I got to the nest this morning the pen had her wings widely spread across the nest, and the right one was quivering. I was sure there would be cygnets under there. I had to wait about an hour for her to get up so I could peek underneath, and there was the prize - the first cygnet! If you look directly behind the cygnet's head, there is a pile of grass, but no second cygnet.
Hello world! The day we've been awaiting has arrived! Under the pen's watchful eye, the newly-hatched cygnet glances at its new world.