Today started yesterday! PB phoned at 2025 hours to say he had received a call from the Tesco Distribution Hub at Magor to report the fact a swan had come down in the busy lorry park, and that he had been out to collect it. I’m afraid to say I ducked out when Pat said he thought he could probably manage to accommodate the swan at ‘his’ overnight. Fantastic! What a relief!
What it meant was there was then a clear need to get up and get on with it on Friday! Got to Pat’s just before 0900 hours. The swan – probably a two year old female – looked so comfortable cooched where Pat’s dog normally sleeps. I’m afraid I omitted to find out where the dog did spend the night…. The swan had fed well on bread and shredded cabbage in water. While there, inevitably (!), the phone rang announcing a problem in an isolated hamlet between Bristol and Bath -Siston.
Two weeks earlier a pair of adult swans had arrived, and appeared to have established themselves on the caller’s pond. Fine. Trouble this morning; a single juvenile had arrived, and very clearly had not been made welcome. The adults set about the young bird with murderous intensity, and what should be done about it? Answer: if possible separate the warring parties, and keep them apart, and I will get there as soon as possible.
So, that’s Friday pretty well spoken for:
- Quickly take Pat’s swan, and release her at Channel View in Cardiff.
- M4 to Junction 21, Bristol ring-road, and so to Siston.
- Juvenile swan now out of sight of the adults – downstream of lake in outlet stream. Easy to catch – stream not too deep, and with a firm stony bottom.
- Rapid escape, and deliver juvenile to The Knap at Barry; now one of a flock of about thirty birds, four of which are 2014 juveniles.
The end, said he foolishly – there’s another six hours ’til midnight!