Swan Stories
- by anna
- 15 January, 2016
In those days of bombs, murders, emigrants, political instability and people to people hatred, I thought of giving you, my friends, a breather and turning your attention to the drama in the lives of the swans near us.
We live very close to the river Colne, which is barred by a bridge, on which we have to walk on every day to get to town or the park. A pedestrian path starts from this bridge, and goes all along the river, which is used by hundreds of people every day – mothers with children, joggers, pensioners, people with dogs, bicycles and lovers. After about a kilometre, there is a turn in the river and the road veers from the riverside in order to take us past a lake, fed by the river, which makes its way round the top end of it. The lake is a home of a number of bird species, including blackbirds, swans, ducks of all kind, some Canada Geese, mallards, seagulls, a solitary heron, coots and other feathery creatures.
I knew that swans were territorial, but not how fiercely territorial they were. Our story will start with the swan couple, who live on the nearest stretch of water to us – along the path walk. Two years ago, they set their nest at the end of the reed bed, within reachable distance to the path walk. Chris and I expressed concern – not to them, of course – the number of dogs walking unrestrained on this path could create a problem, we thought.
They also started nesting later than the couple on the lake, whose nest was also less accessible. In early April, the couple on the lake produced 5 healthy signets – “ours” were still sitting on the eggs. Later, they produced tree signets.
We then traveled to Bulgaria and returned to Colchester in about two months’ time. We went for a walk by the river, impatient to see how much the signets have grown. But, they were not there. After asking around, we discovered that they were eaten by a fox.
On the next day, on our way to town, we saw one of the swans standing behind the fence of one of the houses close to the bridge and the yard was full of feathers. The house owner was just coming out with a bowl of water for the swan. I asked him what was going on. “A great drama – said he – after the nest failed, the female swan left the male and joined another male. This other male came yesterday and chased our swan all over the river, until he sought refuge here. He is extremely distressed and afraid” – said he.
We looked at each other – so swans do not pair for life!?
“Maybe you should ring the RSPCA?” suggested I .
“Believe me, I did. They asked whether the swan was injured and when I said no, they refused to come. Now he is afraid to go back to the water…. – and he looked really terrified.
On the next afternoon, we learned some more of the story. Apparently, yesterday afternoon, the female came to sit with her former husband for an hour or two and left again. Was she saying good-bye? However, on the next morning, the other male came and chased “our” male all the way down the adjacent street, which was now full of feathers. I spoke again to the hapless owner of the house, in which “our” swan had sight refuge, suggesting that he should tell the RSPCA that the swan was injured, so that he could be moved somewhere to recuperate. And then, we went to Bulgaria again.
We returned last autumn to find a couple of swans patrolling the stretch from the bridge to the turn of the river – but was that the old female with the new husband or the old husband with a new wife?! We do not know to this day!
However, spring came and “our “couple set their nest at exactly the same place they did last year! You can imagine the criticisms Chris and I sent in their direction! They were obliviously sitting on the nest, completely ignoring our fury! Once, whoever was on duty over the eggs (male and female take equal responsibility), lifted their bottom and I saw five enormous eggs underneath.
They hatched almost a month later – in mid-May. Two signets hatched, two eggs had disappeared and they stopped bothering about the fifth egg, which also disappeared after time. Chris and I were delighted, especially as they were hatched on the same day that our grand-daughter Esme Morena was born!
The swans on the lake had five healthy signets – again about a month before “ours”. They were quite large by the time we left for Bulgaria, while “ours” were about two weeks old.
We returned in two months’ time to find no trace of our signets – it appears they have been eaten again – I felt so sad, looking at the parents. But, his time tragedy had struck the family on the lake, too! The mother had been killed – either by a dog, or as the park rangers suggested by a large pike. We saw her body in the river (what on earth was she doing there – she was out of her “territory”!), left by the rangers to disintegrate. Also, one of the five signets had gone – eaten. The lonely Dad was looking now after four signets– two boys and two girls (we think – two are white and two are brown feathered).
This autumn, there was a change in the lake – the father had a new partner! A gentleman, who we spoke to, who is constantly observing and photographing the swans, told us the she stayed, with the encouragement of the four signets. It was almost like – our Dad needs some happiness, see how nice he is, and she was sold! Since then another three swans have also joined that family, so there are nine altogether now in the lake. But, we think that they will pair up in the spring for the nesting season sand may be chased from the lake.
With spring approaching, we worry about the future developments! And we sincerely hope there will be less drama in the swan community!