TWO eggs have now been laid by the Black Swans in Dawlish.

Bert and Kimba have finally settled on building their nest on the purpose-built island on the Brook at Tuck’s Plot after trying out two other locations.

Dawlish waterfowl wardens are keeping a close eye on the pair whose previous two cygnets were lost last month.

The gates have been closed off at that part of the Brook to protect the pair while they are laying.

A spokesman for the wardens said: ‘Kimber and Bert are still in the laying phase with eggs laid over several days, usually one every one to two days.

‘During this time, the eggs are deliberately not incubated fully.

‘If incubation started too early, the first eggs would hatch sooner, leaving later cygnets smaller and at a disadvantage.

‘The later hatchlings would be smaller and less mobile.

‘By waiting until the clutch is complete, or very close to it, both parents ensure that all the cygnets develop together and hatch within a short window.

‘It is a patient process, carefully timed by nature, and we are lucky to watch it unfold live.’

Once full incubation begins, usually shared by both parents, the eggs develop at roughly the same rate. As a result, the cygnets hatch within a short time, often within 24 hours of each other, rather than over several days.

The other eggs which were laid at different locations will now be abandoned.

Swans can lay a large amount of eggs and a previous cloth several years ago contained 11.