chuckaduck
Active member
A somewhat sad reflection....... They mate for life...
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Swansong
- Thread starter chuckaduck
- Start date
Wonderful birds always a pleasure to watch esp, when they take issue with your ?? tons of boat of "their" bit of river.
Another version
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teddington_lock
New member
Is the one in the bush dead ?
chuckaduck
Active member
Unfortunately yes , the other one is its mate.
ianc1200
Well-known member
Probably killed by those black ones; will be considering a cull soon if they keep breeding as they are at Caversham
Captain Coochie
Active member
I think if you crop that image so you have the dead swan in the right corner and the river swan as close to the left corner as you can then it will say what you want it to say .
It all looks a bit of a mess as it is if you dont mind me saying ?
I cropped the picture very crude mind you . I hope you dont mind ?
It all looks a bit of a mess as it is if you dont mind me saying ?
I cropped the picture very crude mind you . I hope you dont mind ?
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teddington_lock
New member
How sad 
Where was this ? did you report it to anyone ?
Do you know how it died ?
Where was this ? did you report it to anyone ?
Do you know how it died ?
Captain Coochie
Active member
Looks like Laylam to me ? There has been a nest there for many years .
Regarding telling people about dead swans . I have found a few dead swans and no one wants to know .
Regarding telling people about dead swans . I have found a few dead swans and no one wants to know .
Aha....but how does that black swan know its black,cos all it will ever see is white swans ?
boatone
Well-known member
It would be sad if the swan died of man made issues but otherwise just the reality of nature? Swans do die of natural causes.
No doubt someone will now say that I am a heartless b*st*rd
No doubt someone will now say that I am a heartless b*st*rd
teddington_lock
New member
Looks like Laylam to me ? There has been a nest there for many years .
Regarding telling people about dead swans . I have found a few dead swans and no one wants to know .
We had one reported to us last week , dead near half mile tree ...
I wasn't sure who to call , everyone wanted to know about dead swans at the time of bird flu , but not now. Maybe the swan sanctuary ?
Perhaps because they are such large beautiful majestic birds , it always seems a bit sadder than a run of the mill duck or whatever.
It looks like it has just pegged out , no sign of dog attack or anything ?
chuckaduck
Active member
Hi
It was at Walton bridge, yesterday, I called the rspca but dont know whether they have been there , I think it died of natural causes as I couldnt see any evidence of fishing lines etc, or cuts .
It was at Walton bridge, yesterday, I called the rspca but dont know whether they have been there , I think it died of natural causes as I couldnt see any evidence of fishing lines etc, or cuts .
No Regrets
Active member
- Joined
- 9 Jul 2007
- Messages
- 8,331
It would be sad if the swan died of man made issues but otherwise just the reality of nature? Swans do die of natural causes.
No doubt someone will now say that I am a heartless b*st*rd
I agree on both counts.
Those Black Swans are pretty stupid. When we were berthed at T&K where they seem to spawn from, we saw a young Black Swan attempt a take-off between the lines of moored boats.
Trouble is, the pontoons were fairly short, and we saw it flap past madly, followed by a large crashing noise a few seconds later as it crashed into the main walkway having failed to gain enough altitude...
It swam back a while later with a haughty expression...
"No doubt someone will now say that I am a heartless b*st*rd"
You are a heartless B,stard...........Happy now.
In around 50 odd years of bobbing around on boats that is only the third or fourth actual dead swan I have seen,think they live for well over 10 years and sometimes much longer.Suspect most die unobserved in out off the way places and are soon turned into dinner for something else leaving no trace.
You are a heartless B,stard...........Happy now.
In around 50 odd years of bobbing around on boats that is only the third or fourth actual dead swan I have seen,think they live for well over 10 years and sometimes much longer.Suspect most die unobserved in out off the way places and are soon turned into dinner for something else leaving no trace.
Andrew_Fanner
New member
A very sad picture. A pair that nested on Sunbury Lock Ait last year looked to have lost their brood to something, quite possibly the big old pike downstream of the moorings. They lookd, in so far as expresions can be seen, as devastated as any parents would be. My daughters were quite upset, even if it was a valuable lesson that the swans they love to see are subject to "Nature red in tooth and claw".
I'd assume that if the bird dies of natural causes, including predation, then Authority will not really be interested, only if there is clear evidence of man made injury or a disturbed nest.
I'd assume that if the bird dies of natural causes, including predation, then Authority will not really be interested, only if there is clear evidence of man made injury or a disturbed nest.
bradtarga34
New member
On our recent run up to Cookham we must have seen 4 or 5 dead swans, more in one weekend then we've seen in 5 years or so on the river. I put it down to most likely being the very cold snap we had as some were very decomposed so must have happened a while ago, very sad though nonetheless...
"So, you are spitting feathers again "
Blimy wot you doing on here on the sheltered accomodation forum for the dodddery and infirm ?
Actually swans can be vicious big gits,watched a couple of swans at Allington lock spend a good half hour seperating and then repeatedly try to kill a gosling by drowning, it finally took refuge by sqeezing in between the lock gate and the lock wall. It was rescued by the lock keeper and reunited with its mother.
"Blimy wot you doing on here on the sheltered accomodation forum for the dodddery and infirm ?
Actually swans can be vicious big gits,watched a couple of swans at Allington lock spend a good half hour seperating and then repeatedly try to kill a gosling by drowning, it finally took refuge by sqeezing in between the lock gate and the lock wall. It was rescued by the lock keeper and reunited with its mother.
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teddington_lock
New member
We have a large cob 'George' who lives around Trowlock Island , periodically he will chase an intruder down the lock cut and corner it at the lock gates , and try to kill it ...
We regularly have to chase him away with boathooks , and lock the distressed swan downstream.
We have a pair of Egyptian Geese that live on the weir island and in the general vicinity of the lock , and George has broken the females wing. It doesn't seem to affect her much , they just walk and swim around the place instead of flying.
We regularly have to chase him away with boathooks , and lock the distressed swan downstream.
We have a pair of Egyptian Geese that live on the weir island and in the general vicinity of the lock , and George has broken the females wing. It doesn't seem to affect her much , they just walk and swim around the place instead of flying.
