Wildfowl along Dawlish’s leafy Brook have been ‘hot nesting’ over a premium egg laying site.

No sooner had the iconic black swans produced a family of five before snowgeese moved in. And now two females seem to be sharing the same nesting straw.

Bird watcher Carole Scrivens, whose waterside flat overlooks their island haven, said: ‘They did the same thing last year.

‘On that occasion they produced eleven eggs between them but only one hatched brecause it was late in the season.

‘Unlike the swans,who are fiercely territorial, these geese are like an extended family. They’re happy to share the nesting and a group of them congregate.in the area.

‘It’s a bit like hot bedding where a night shift moves directly into a day shift’s bed.as they come off duty. There are at least seven eggs in this nest, but it’s getting difficult to count accurately because of the foliage.

‘So much greenery is hooting up on this island which makes it such a popular spot and the mother geese tend to cover up their eggs when they move off even for a short while.’

STORY TED HYNDS

PICTURE: MIKE ALSFORD