I’ve ‘acquired’ a pair of Swans

[MonkeyBusiness]

I Hope this isn't a daft question.

How (and who) tags the new borns? We have a tarn near us with a good number of swans. During breeding season how on earth do you catch and tag the family? The mother and father quite rightly are very angry parents when approached during this time.

Edited by MonkeyBusiness on Saturday 21st May 18:41

[garythesign]

I think you did a great deed.

I also think this is a lovely thread.

[JerryEXE]

Oilchange said:

moorx said:

JerryEXE said:

There will probably be some who will say we should have let nature take it’s course (or simply drop the cygnet back in the river) but I’m hoping most here will agree that we did the right thing. It was really heart warming to see the cygnet back with it’s family and feels like our good dead for the day.

Well I'm not one of them. I think what you did was great

Thankfully you didn't do a good dead after all.

Oops! I’ve fixed that.

Many thanks to everyone agreeing it was a good thing to do.

A couple of things I forgot to mention … Mrs Jerry said that the poor little thing’s heart was almost beating out of it’s chest when she scooped it up but by the time we put it into the box it was completely calm. She also said that it was, without a doubt, the softest thing she has ever felt . The little chirps that it made calling for it’s mum were also very sweet.

We were slightly concerned upon reuniting them and the adult swans were initially very aggressive, hissing, raising up and flapping wings … but this didn’t last long and the cygnet was welcomed back very quickly.

[soad]

Yes, well done.

Local canal has some beautiful creatures.

[Arnold Cunningham]

When I bought my first house, I really wanted one I saw that backed on to the canal. I’m the end I decided that detached won over semi backing on to the canal, but I still would have loved to have a garden that backs on to a river or canal.

[take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey]

Arnold Cunningham said:

When I bought my first house, I really wanted one I saw that backed on to the canal. I’m the end I decided that detached won over semi backing on to the canal, but I still would have loved to have a garden that backs on to a river or canal.

Great in summer, but can be very damp and cold come winter IME.

I'd want a few hundred meters of land between the house and river.

[Bacon Is Proof]

Simpo Two said:

My favourite riverside birds are great crested grebes and egrets. Kingfishers are 100 points in the I-Spy Book of Birds but you're lucky if you see more than a blue flash.

Very hastily taken with my budget phone, about seven foot away:


I'm on a boat though so cheating.
Never heard of heron being as tame as mentioned but then I have a family of morehen that will eat from my hand.
ETA: Patrick, Julianne and baby Bobbi, now grown up.

Edited by Bacon Is Proof on Sunday 22 May 11:14

[Jasandjules]

Well done on saving the baby. I would have done the same and frankly anyone who would not is not a nice person...

[JerryEXE]

We’ve lost one . It’s been a couple of days now with only six cygnets instead of seven. I’m starting to think that maybe the one we “rescued” had been pushed out and this has happened again? Or maybe it just wasn’t particularly good at keeping up and has got lost again? Whatever the cause we are accepting that this disappearance is permanent (and, if we are honest, we never expected all seven to make it) and shall just continue to monitor those that are left.

Anyone for a piggyback?

[Mr Pointy]

It's sad but the attrition rate rate is very high for young waterfowl. If all seven made it through to adulthood you'd be knee deep in swans in a few years.
https://www.swanlife.com/swans-first-two-weeks

[JerryEXE]

Knee deep in swans you say? …



This was last year and they had drifted down from the Quay upriver. Didn’t take long for Mr. Swan to singlehandedly drive them all back to where they came from

[Gretchen]

I’m so sorry to read that JerryEXE.

Unfortunately I too have sad news. I haven’t stopped thinking about this and cried most of last night and again some today.

Last night a large bang was heard after other half got in from work. He shouted down to another boat to check all was ok thinking a gas bottle has exploded but it was devastatingly a Swan flying above the railway bridge in to the overhead wires
I’m here now and have still yet to see ‘my’ Swans but there was a Swan calling for its mate last night. I’ve never seen them fly above the bridge, usually underneath or land and float through. I’m praying my Swans are safe but fear the worst. I will of course update as soon as I know.

All I can think of is the loss of a life partner. I’m absolutely broken.

[ali_kat]

Oh

I was reading this thinking what a wonderful thread it was.

I’m sorry for you both - fingers crossed that it was the single cob Gretchen x

[Gretchen]

ali_kat said:

Oh

I was reading this thinking what a wonderful thread it was.

I’m sorry for you both - fingers crossed that it was the single cob Gretchen x

I can’t even express how upset I am. Am crying again now. Our first full year here and I was so attached to them and their future. I’m sad that any animal has lost its life this way. I hope they didn’t suffer.

I’d only said at the weekend that the trains really don’t bother me but the cables scare me.

I will keep posting and please others continue share your happy memories and experiences.

[Gretchen]

It doesn’t help that I’ve researched the death of a partner to discover Swans do mourn and go through and grieving process like humans and sometimes pass from a broken heart

[Gretchen]

I’ve been checking the river and spied a line Swan some way off. I’ve called it (other half thinks I’m weird but of course he’s right) and it swam down to me. Unfortunately it’s the lone Cob

[JerryEXE]

Oh no! Really sorry to hear that Gretchen. Really heartbreaking, try to be strong.

[SpudLink]

Very sad turn of events. Especially when a life partner is lost in that way.


I thought maybe I’d post a couple of old photos from a very happy day at Abbotsbury swannery.

Did someone mention being knee deep in swans?


There are hundreds of adults that have lived there for generations.


They are completely comfortable with strangers being around the nest.

[garythesign]

Sorry to read about the loss of one of your swans Gretchen.

They really are the most beautiful creatures.

I used to helpout at a wildlife rescue centre and it was the geese I had to worry about. Especially the frill necked ones!

[ali_kat]

Gretchen said:

I’ve been checking the river and spied a line Swan some way off. I’ve called it (other half thinks I’m weird but of course he’s right) and it swam down to me. Unfortunately it’s the lone Cob

I’m so sorry lovely

Please keep the thread going, they do find other love eventually