I’ve ‘acquired’ a pair of Swans
Discussion
Thank you everyone for the kind words.
I have more of an update. There’s a local waterfowl rescue centre in the next village along the river and our boat neighbour beat me to calling them to notify them (they tag a lot of the birds when rescuing etc).
They came down and found her body. She was last years young and tagged by them. They believe the wires were probably obscured to them and they were dazzled by the sun. Her mate flew back over and looked down for her (boat neighbour witnessed this as he has said was close to them too and also very upset).
Has really broken me. We are going to try and take the canoes out at the weekend and take him some food/check up on him if he doesn’t come by.
I’m angry there are no pennants/flags hanging from the wires above the river so going to look in to how this can be rectified.
RIP Florence.
I have more of an update. There’s a local waterfowl rescue centre in the next village along the river and our boat neighbour beat me to calling them to notify them (they tag a lot of the birds when rescuing etc).
They came down and found her body. She was last years young and tagged by them. They believe the wires were probably obscured to them and they were dazzled by the sun. Her mate flew back over and looked down for her (boat neighbour witnessed this as he has said was close to them too and also very upset).
Has really broken me. We are going to try and take the canoes out at the weekend and take him some food/check up on him if he doesn’t come by.
I’m angry there are no pennants/flags hanging from the wires above the river so going to look in to how this can be rectified.
RIP Florence.
I’m sure she didn’t suffer.
Gosh that is sad news. 
Our local swans had built a nest and I saw the female sitting on it so I was hoping to see cygnets again but for some reason the nest has gone (although both adults are still there).
It's very close to a housing estate and the centre of town so I just hope it was an act of nature rather than something else.
Our local swans had built a nest and I saw the female sitting on it so I was hoping to see cygnets again but for some reason the nest has gone (although both adults are still there).
It's very close to a housing estate and the centre of town so I just hope it was an act of nature rather than something else.
That’s very unfortunate, and unexpected. But does happen, although I wasn’t aware of it (had to look online):
https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2017-02-01/hi-vis-...
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/severa...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire...
Last link has graphic photos.
Although articles do mention that safety measures can be installed.
https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2017-02-01/hi-vis-...
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/severa...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire...
Last link has graphic photos.
Although articles do mention that safety measures can be installed.
As if things couldn’t get any more sad today I’ve been enjoying watching a couple of Morehens with their tiny chicks in and out of the reeds while chicks sat on Lily Pads.
In the last five minutes a Gull has picked off three of the Chicks despite my protesting. Christ the river and nature is cruel.
In the last five minutes a Gull has picked off three of the Chicks despite my protesting. Christ the river and nature is cruel.
We’ve lost another one and are now down to 5. However, the remaining 5 are probably getting to the point where they will survive (and if you’d told me this at the start I’d have been very happy so cannot complain). They are growing quickly and are now about the size of adult ducks. They’ve also got their dad’s temperament and will hiss and peck at anything that gets between them and food.
otolith said:
Bacon Is Proof said:
Never heard of heron being as tame as mentioned but then I have a family of morehen that will eat from my hand.
This is one of the herons my friend feeds - they tap on his door to be let in and fed!
d things. Still, if you keep feeding one it might not take so many ducklings!This year my Mum has started getting up at 4am and sitting in a chair by the pond to catch the bloody herons in the act. She's managed to scare them off a few times. I suppose everything has got to eat.
This has been an unexpected rollercoaster. Mind, still one of the best on PH.
I live in a built up area but the local leisure centre has a very large pond. You get the odd swan living there in the summer, and once a morehen was spotted! Though it helps that the water is packed full of goldfish, local legend has it someone didn't want their goldfish anymore and tipped the contents of the tank into the pond many years ago. In the summer it's not uncommon for herons (and the odd seagull) to swoop down and snatch a goldfish. I once saw one making off with it's lunch on an early afternoon.
Michael
I live in a built up area but the local leisure centre has a very large pond. You get the odd swan living there in the summer, and once a morehen was spotted! Though it helps that the water is packed full of goldfish, local legend has it someone didn't want their goldfish anymore and tipped the contents of the tank into the pond many years ago. In the summer it's not uncommon for herons (and the odd seagull) to swoop down and snatch a goldfish. I once saw one making off with it's lunch on an early afternoon.
Michael
I suspect that this could be my last photo for this year, the 4 remaining cygnets are all doing well. So well in fact that the parents are now leaving them on their own a lot and dad looks like he’s starting to drive them away so it’s only a matter of time before it’s just the adults again (which hopefully means new cygnets next year!).
I’m glad this has been bumped because at the weekend a lovely, friendly (I like to think ‘my’) Cob came to see me. Right up the the gunwales and let me hand feed him
The most beautiful thing was he brought a lady friend too!
They stayed for ages talking and dancing as the sunset.
Further along the river on a walk I also saw this family
They’ve done amazingly well to keep eight Cygnets.
Thank you for sharing all the photos and stories. I’ll keep updating as life on the river changes with the seasons.
The most beautiful thing was he brought a lady friend too!
They stayed for ages talking and dancing as the sunset.
Further along the river on a walk I also saw this family
They’ve done amazingly well to keep eight Cygnets.
Thank you for sharing all the photos and stories. I’ll keep updating as life on the river changes with the seasons.
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