Much has happened over the past couple of years, and i was gutted when the previous Cob died . I had lost heart with the blog but now feel able to continue. After a long absence i intend to revive my postings soon.
Also New Blog page can be viewed at: http://www.simplysuperbswans.blogspot.com/
In memory of the original Cob, I have adopted his photo as my logo.
It may seem strange to some people but I do feel a bond between myself and the wildlife I care for.
The death of the previous Cob touched me so much, I felt compelled to do something to avoid a repeat of the disaster that had struck our swans.
I felt the only way to avoid a repeat was to create an island nesting site on their home territory, as this would be easier for them to defend.
In the summer of 2007 I completed the construction of a new island nest site for the surviving Pen.
In memory of the original Cob, I have adopted his photo as my logo.
It may seem strange to some people but I do feel a bond between myself and the wildlife I care for.
The death of the previous Cob touched me so much, I felt compelled to do something to avoid a repeat of the disaster that had struck our swans.
I felt the only way to avoid a repeat was to create an island nesting site on their home territory, as this would be easier for them to defend.
In the summer of 2007 I completed the construction of a new island nest site for the surviving Pen.
I had hoped she would find a new partner and use the island for future rearing, alas she moved away in october of that year and I only saw her once after that.
A new pair of Swans moved into the river in the autumn, and after checking my photographic records of all the swans I had observed in the river, I realised that this pair had been trying to move in since 2005.
The island seemed an instant hit and they took to it readily, in february of 2008 they mated and started to build a nest. I hoped that I had made the site high enough to avoid the highest spring tides. The pen was laying and I watched with trepidation as the high March spring tide rose ever higher.
On the 10th march 2008, the country experienced the deepest low pressure in 20 years, coinciding with the highest tide of the year and an easterly wind resulting in the nest being flooded for about an hour.
When the tide receded I checked the nest and provided some straw in case the following tide would be just as high.
The cob stood guard over the 6 eggs that had already been laid and I hoped they would survive.
I knew the pen was still laying for she had not yet started to sit permanently on the nest to incubate the eggs. Time would tell what the flooding had done.
On the 19th april 2008 the earliest Cygnets were hatched in the UK !
A new pair of Swans moved into the river in the autumn, and after checking my photographic records of all the swans I had observed in the river, I realised that this pair had been trying to move in since 2005.
The island seemed an instant hit and they took to it readily, in february of 2008 they mated and started to build a nest. I hoped that I had made the site high enough to avoid the highest spring tides. The pen was laying and I watched with trepidation as the high March spring tide rose ever higher.
On the 10th march 2008, the country experienced the deepest low pressure in 20 years, coinciding with the highest tide of the year and an easterly wind resulting in the nest being flooded for about an hour.
When the tide receded I checked the nest and provided some straw in case the following tide would be just as high.
The cob stood guard over the 6 eggs that had already been laid and I hoped they would survive.
I knew the pen was still laying for she had not yet started to sit permanently on the nest to incubate the eggs. Time would tell what the flooding had done.
On the 19th april 2008 the earliest Cygnets were hatched in the UK !
The Saga continues over on my new blog page.
posted by jayteescot1 @ 11:57 pm
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