Swan eggs gone missing from Nymphenburg

I don't see this as a news item in the press, but it should be. A pair of swans was trying to hatch six eggs right near the sidewalk along the Schloß Nymphenburg canal. Suddenly, yesterday the eggs were all missing and the swans were nowhere in sight. The eggs had been there at least 3 weeks, and were carefully watched by the whole neighborhood. I am just assuming that some human took them because Papa was very protective.
Last spring the same pair had a nest at the exact same spot and the female was sitting on it but we never saw the eggs. Then suddenly, the swans left and we could see that there were no eggs.
Can anyone shed any light?

Maybe they hatched and mama and papa swan and their new chicks went trotting off.

I had an omelette yesterday. Why do you think this should be a news item? Swans are like big rats with white feathers.

Maybe there is some reason they have been taken. I have never actually seen a baby swan, only big ones.

haha yeah you are right, i reckon its all a big conspiracy and swans dont actually hatch from eggs, they float down in adult form from above.

I "met" two storks on Sunday. Damned big birds they were too - drifting around in the same thermal at 4500'...

Breaking eggs news: Swan family halts city rush-hour.

It's a conspiracy of the gray geese. Originally, it was planned to cull 50 gray geese in the Nymphenburg castle gardens and most of them in the English Garden as their shit is said to contain highly infectious bacteria. The gray geese held a big pow-wow and said if we go we are taking as many other fowl with as possible. In a stealthy nighttime maneuvre they pushed the swan eggs down to the canal using their world famous egg rolling behavior, thus exterminating the next generation of swans.

Police are suspecting fowl play...

This may be way more information than you're looking for, but I'm an ornithologist so here goes. The incubation period of Mute Swans is ~36d thus, if the nest was there for at least 3 weeks the eggs may have already hatched (or the nest could have been depredated). Hatching would have occurred over a 1-2d period. If the nest did hatch, there should be egg shells (with the membrane attached). If you're so inclined, you can root around in the nesting material for these though I wouldn't recommend it since these guys are known carriers of avian flu in Europe. If the nest was lost then the swans will likely re-nest in a few weeks (hopefully in a safer location).

Is this carte blanche to get absolutely hammered in Seehaus, then go on a massive goose hunt without getting nicked. Delicious goose.

I just thought I would update this. My neighbor, who is a member of Friends of the Schloss, says yes indeed, the Schloss does remove swan eggs to prevent overpopulation. They also "cull" (shoot) gray geese in the Schlosspark. She didn't know what happens to the eggs that are removed or why they wait so long to remove them. I did see three cygnets in the Schlosspark on Saturday, so apparently the nests were well-hidden.