Hatching of black swan cygnet welcomed in Dawlish

The first cygnet from three black swan nests with eggs in Dawlish, has hatched in time for Easter.

The arrival of the hatchling has been warmly welcomed by the local wildfowl warden, as storms battered the town earlier this year and floodwater in Dawlish Waster washed cygnets and nests of eggs away.

Dawlish's black swans are a longstanding tourist attraction, as the town has one of the largest populations of the birds in the UK.

Wildfowl warden Don Phillips said: "It's great. It's a shame we haven't got more."

Phillips added: "One's better than none, as they say, and we have got more hopefully hatching within the next week, farther down the brook."

The heavy rain in January led to the loss of two cygnets and other nests.

"It's been horrendous with the rain. We've had so much rain, it flooded... they haven't had a bit of peace.

"The nest they've built here is higher than the one they had last time, just 20 yards away."

People are being urged not to interfere with the swans and cygnets.

Phillips, who has been the warden for more than 18 years, said: "It's the same as any wild bird, you keep away. Just let nature take its course."

He added: "Don't feed them, that's the worst thing you can do... just let mum and dad sort them out for their food."

Phillips said if people throw the cygnets food, it could attract gulls and ducks which would lead to the swan parents getting "frustrated and agitated".

Phillips said the black swans were what the town was "all about" and they were "what Dawlish is known for".

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