I’ve ‘acquired’ a pair of Swans
Discussion
Obviously I’m not the Queen but I’ve become rather protective over a pair of Swans.
Spending weekends building boats and messing about on the river I started chatting to a young Swan last year. Now I can’t be sure it’s the same one but he’s been around for quite a while now and always comes over to say hello. This weekend he wasn’t alone and brought his lady friend to meet me. She’s not as confident as he but happy to be near me and they’ve started making a next on the bank opposite.
I’m really hoping they’ll stay together and produce some Cygnets this year so thought I’d share their story here. Also offload the million photos from my phone I take of him/them.
Meet Fred and Florence (named after my Grandparents)
Spending weekends building boats and messing about on the river I started chatting to a young Swan last year. Now I can’t be sure it’s the same one but he’s been around for quite a while now and always comes over to say hello. This weekend he wasn’t alone and brought his lady friend to meet me. She’s not as confident as he but happy to be near me and they’ve started making a next on the bank opposite.
I’m really hoping they’ll stay together and produce some Cygnets this year so thought I’d share their story here. Also offload the million photos from my phone I take of him/them.
Meet Fred and Florence (named after my Grandparents)
Roofless Toothless said:
Fred does do something similar with me. He also chats away. Although he was dancing and mating with Florence in the sunset on Saturday night. I didn’t have my phone to hand at the time. I want to capture them embraced at some point if they’re not too embarrassed. A few passing boats have commented and asked if I was feeding them (I wasn’t) but I am going to invest in a sack of corn for them.
Thank you for the comments. I wasn’t sure anyone would be interested! And it’s lovely to hear other stories of similar encounters. I’ll keep updating over the coming weeks/months.
Last year I got all emotional over a drowned Duckling that turned out to be a Banana skin. So this is making up for that.
I’m sure they know my voice too as if he (now they) are further up the river they’ll come at speed when I call.
I’ve always thought they were elegant creatures but up close their eyes are mesmerising and they have such beauty.
He’s allowed me to stroke the back of his head and will take food from my hand although I’m trying not to do this. I’ll get too attached.
Last year I got all emotional over a drowned Duckling that turned out to be a Banana skin. So this is making up for that.
JerryEXE said:
Swans are such magnificent birds and, based on our experience, seem to get to know and trust certain humans.
Mrs Jerry has become very protective of the couple of swans that live on the river just out side her parents’ house. We’ve not been as creative as Gretchen with the names and they are simply Mr and Mrs Swan. They recognise us (especially Mrs Jerry) and will immediately come if she calls for them, even if they are 50m away and paddling in the opposite direction. The male chatters away to her and will even come out of the water and eat from her hand.
Gretchen, when the inevitable happens and you get to witness something like this …
then if you are even half as excited as Mrs Jerry was it will be a sight to behold. It was fantastic watching the little fella grow and then a little sad when he turned white and the parents pushed him away. Mrs Swan is missing in action a lot at the moment so we are hoping she’s incubating an egg or two and we’ll soon see a repeat of the above.
That’s adorable Mrs Jerry has become very protective of the couple of swans that live on the river just out side her parents’ house. We’ve not been as creative as Gretchen with the names and they are simply Mr and Mrs Swan. They recognise us (especially Mrs Jerry) and will immediately come if she calls for them, even if they are 50m away and paddling in the opposite direction. The male chatters away to her and will even come out of the water and eat from her hand.
Gretchen, when the inevitable happens and you get to witness something like this …
then if you are even half as excited as Mrs Jerry was it will be a sight to behold. It was fantastic watching the little fella grow and then a little sad when he turned white and the parents pushed him away. Mrs Swan is missing in action a lot at the moment so we are hoping she’s incubating an egg or two and we’ll soon see a repeat of the above.
I’m sure they know my voice too as if he (now they) are further up the river they’ll come at speed when I call.
I’ve always thought they were elegant creatures but up close their eyes are mesmerising and they have such beauty.
He’s allowed me to stroke the back of his head and will take food from my hand although I’m trying not to do this. I’ll get too attached.
Well after a lovely weekend other half and I both tested positive for Covid earlier this week so the sun wasn’t the only thing we caught. I’m back at the boats now and my Swans have come to check up on me. They seem even more bonded and Florence has gained lots of confidence around me.
Fred has been friendly nibbling my fingers - I’ve kept Chickens, Ducks and Geese before so recognise a vicious nip.
There is however another Cob around whom neither of them are pleased to see
Fred has been friendly nibbling my fingers - I’ve kept Chickens, Ducks and Geese before so recognise a vicious nip.
There is however another Cob around whom neither of them are pleased to see
Congratulations JerryEXE
I’ll be honest I’ve lost track of them. I thought another pair arrived on the island of the lakes in the marina and my Swans had nested on the river bank. I haven’t seen them on the bank for while (thought perhaps they were sitting on eggs). So the pair on the island may well be ‘my’ Swans, having moved to a quieter/safer spot.
In the meantime the single Cob appeared. He was definitely NOT one of my Swans because he wasn’t very nice to me. See below image.
This weekend this pair have been banging their necks against the boat for attention. I saw them fly over on to the river from the island. Their friendliness and the way they were with me leads me to believe they are indeed ‘my’ Swans. I’ve tried to compare markings from photos and it does seem it’s the original Cob.
I hope this makes sense
I was working on the boat when I took these quick pics with my phone and gave them a left over bread roll from our BBQ as they were asking nicely. They’ll eat very gently from my hand.
Feathers cross your Cygnets thrive. Please keep updating
I’ll be honest I’ve lost track of them. I thought another pair arrived on the island of the lakes in the marina and my Swans had nested on the river bank. I haven’t seen them on the bank for while (thought perhaps they were sitting on eggs). So the pair on the island may well be ‘my’ Swans, having moved to a quieter/safer spot.
In the meantime the single Cob appeared. He was definitely NOT one of my Swans because he wasn’t very nice to me. See below image.
This weekend this pair have been banging their necks against the boat for attention. I saw them fly over on to the river from the island. Their friendliness and the way they were with me leads me to believe they are indeed ‘my’ Swans. I’ve tried to compare markings from photos and it does seem it’s the original Cob.
I hope this makes sense
I was working on the boat when I took these quick pics with my phone and gave them a left over bread roll from our BBQ as they were asking nicely. They’ll eat very gently from my hand.
Feathers cross your Cygnets thrive. Please keep updating
Good work. I have a Bengal but thankfully he’s a house cat. Buggers. 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.
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 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 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’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.
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.
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.
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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