Monday 18 July 2011

Swan Rescue

An RSPCA van turned up at the marina this morning. There’s a family of swans living in and around the marina and one of the four cygnets had got a fishing hook stuck in it’s beak with the line wrapped round it’s neck.  The RSPCA man had a special ‘swan hook’ which was a bit like a shepherd’s crook but 10ft long and while I helped distract the parents with food he tried to hook the cygnet. No such luck. The parents were too clever and kept the injured cygnet well back behind them and the other three youngsters.  As the heavens opened the RSPCA man decided to give up and said that as the cygnet was eating with no difficulty it wasn’t in any immediate danger, so he’d either come back later in the week with a colleague and a boat, or he’d send for someone from the local swan rescue centre.


fishing hook stuck in its beak and line wrapped round its neck

This afternoon we walked the mile and a bit each way into Bidford to the Post Office and then collected Chico and headed off along the River Avon footpath with the intention of walking to Welford on Avon about 3 miles away. After about 2 ½ miles the path became too overgrown to continue. It obviously doesn’t get used very much so we gave up battling with nettles and came back. 7 miles was enough for one day. We haven’t done much walking since before Stratford Festival and boy do I know about it now. My feet are killing me!

The road outside the marina is about 10 feet above the current river level but obviously floods quite regularly, judging by the road signs.



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