April 23rd – A waiting game. Still she patiently sits on her nest, secluded in the safety of the disused canal basin in Pleck, Walsall. Her mate patrols the canal on the mainline nearby, and today she had mallards for company.
It’ll be interesting to see if she has eggs, or if this is a dry run. Quite safe in there, the nest is surrounded by fences all round, inaccessible to the public.
I love watching the swans.
May 8th – It’s rare that I’m too early for something, but today I was just that. At Catshill, the swans who’re sitting the nest there have been causing some speculation. I think this is the third or so nest in exactly this spot, and a pair of birds have nested on this stretch of canal for at least five years, and in that time, none have yielded cygnets.
This year, I’ve avoided overt comment, as I didn’t want to jinx the couple. I’m not convinced it’s the same pair as last year, as I haven’t caught a glimpse of the legs and the rings yet. When I passed today, what I assume to be mum was on the nest asleep, and her partner nearby, similarly in repose.
Also watching the nest carefully has been Warren ‘Ogley Dirt Farmer’ Parry. We’ve both separately seen a bird turning the eggs. Today, the scene for me was serene and undisturbed.
Warren passed this way sometime after me, and observed no less than seven newly hatched cygnets, out with mum and dad. I feel quite emotional.
They might hiss at me and flap, but I’m very fond of that swan couple…
June 4th – A terrible day of botched plans and failed attempts. However, the riding was good. Heading out to Chasewater late morning, I noticed that as the abandoned swan nest on the canal near Sadler Road sinks, it’s now evident that they had eggs for sure. There seem to be three remaining, but some could have been lost to vermin and predation. I have no idea why they were abandoned. It’s silly, really, but this makes me very sad when I think about it. But it’s just nature.
May 13th – I returned via the canal. Not to check out the swans, whose eggs I now felt lost, but to best get some respite from the biting headwind and ride some level ground. Passing the nest, I was shocked and surprised to see the female back on the nest, fast asleep, with her partner milling around foraging in the nearby reeds. I don’t know if this is normal swan behaviour or not, nor if the eggs will survive the periods of their mother’s absence. Can anyone help here? I found the whole thing quite baffling…
May 11th – At least I know now that Mrs. Swan has eggs. When I took a look tonight, the nest site behind Sadler Road, Brownhills, still had no hatchlings, but mum was standing on the edge of her nest turning the olive-couloured eggs in a gentle, determined fashion. I hope they’re OK. I didn’t know they did this, but having spoken to a seasoned birder since, it seems this is perfectly normal. Here’s hoping for little ones soon…
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