Often these days when I feed the birds with The Boy, we just get crows. And I can understand why the collective noun is a murder of crows because they go full Mitchell brothers on each other just for a stale crust of bread. Louts.
We have one regular swan who is obviously not very good at shopping because he is always waiting for his mid-morning stale bread. I'm guessing his underwater larder contains only beer. Swan, or A85 as his friends call him, gets about as close as you would wish a beaked arm-breaker to get. I am so far still intact. N4, an Egyptian goose, is also getting quite pally. We had four swans surrounding us this morning, so word is obviously getting out that we have the good shit. Or maybe the pens were all on the nest and just sent the guy swans out for a bit of peace and quiet. As you do.
Highlight of the morning was the first babies of the season. Very small Egyptian geese. These are not they. I have used a stock photo to protect their privacy.
Jane - I really don't want to ingratiate myself with you but yet again, I have to state my admiration of you. I am really quite scared of big birds - swans are very nice from a safe distance. I don't think I'd cope with an affectionate greeting from four of them, not male ones (shades of 'Leda' and never quite bothering to find out more about what actually went on there...) - or perhaps you didn't say the greeting was affectionate, at least not in that sort of a way and perhaps I am giving more away about my own phobias than I should in a comment box....)
ReplyDeleteThe chicks are very cute.
Axxx
They are actually very nice and well-behaved. They get a bit pecky, but I tell them off if they do that too much. And once all the bread is gone, I show them my empty hands and they are quite happy to let us go. Besides, I'm a big girl and would happily take on four swans. :o)
ReplyDeleteStuff of nightmares - wish I didn't have such a graphic imagination...:0)
ReplyDeleteSwans are scary, almost as scary as cows.
ReplyDeleteSwans are lovely. And scary. And should not be fed bread.
ReplyDeletegrains like corn would be much better. They also like greens like spinach or lettuce.
That probably would be better, but I don't carry corn or spinach or lettuce to work - the bread is just stuff my employer is going to throw out. A85 actually nicked two slices off the bench this morning when I was feeding N4.
ReplyDelete