Norman. Your article reminds me of just how the lakes were when I was a lad in the 1950s. As you stated, the lakes were fed from streams near White Mare Pool and not from the Bede Burn. In fact the Bede burn started where the outflow from the lakes joined Bede's Well. Amongst the birds on the lakes were Little Grebes or Dabchicks who built floating nests in the reeds and covered their eggs with vegetation when they left the nests. I waded out to the island a few times to see Tufted Ducks' nests, but kept away from the swans. I must confess that in my misspent youth I collected birds' eggs, but only one of each species. In those days most boys did the same. I eventually grew up and have spent many years doing voluntary conservation work to make up for my time as a naughty boy.