Leeds Castle, Maidstone, reveals cygnets and ducklings hatched during warm winter
13:53, 27 December 2015
The unseasonably warm weather has seen baby swans and ducks hatch at Leeds Castle.
Cygnets are rarely seen this time of year, but because of the unusually mild weather there have been additions to the 29-strong flock, the young of proud parents Romeo and Juliet.
Black swans are capable of breeding twice a year and can lay at any time, but usually it is too cold for their young to survive in the winter months.
Visitors have also been treated to the sight of ducklings.
James McComiskey, wildlife warden at the attraction, said: “We don’t often see cygnets on the lake at this time of year.
"If it gets frosty and cold I would have to grab them but they are surviving out there by themselves so far.
“Having ducklings in November is unheard of. They suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
“Usually it is lovely and quiet and you can just spend Christmas preparing for next year but now we have cygnets and ducklings to keep an eye on, I have a hedgehog in the office, chicken eggs and baby fowl to look after.
“But you can’t complain and the visitors love them.”
Have you seen any unseasonably early goings on this winter - animals being born already or flowers blooming long before spring? Send pictures and details, along with your name and phone number, to messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk and they could feature in the Kent Messenger or on KentOnline.
Latest news
Features
Most popular
- 1
The abandoned ‘ghost road’ that once took holidaymakers to the Kent coast
23 - 2
Everything you need to know about Kent’s biggest Christmas market
3 - 3
Air ambulance lands after head-on smash between bus and car
- 4
'Our son didn't attend lectures for five months - why didn't uni check on him?'
- 5
Hundreds in the dark after power cuts