Sorry Sight on the Llangollen Canal (Contains photographs of dead cygnet)

[Doorman]

Languishing on the Llangollen Canal this afternoon and along came this sorry sight!

 

 

The Cygnet has died but its mother still escorts it in the vain hope that there's life.

 

 

Suddenly she takes flight leaving her offspring to the mercy of the elements.

 

Mother nature can be so cruel at times.

 

Edited September 7, 2013 by Doorman

[Cheshire cat]

The big question is why has it died. I have never seen a pair of swans have just one offspring so presumably this was the last of a clutch. Very sad.

[Lady Muck]

So sad, I agree nature is cruel - we had four pairs of coots sit nests on our moorings this year, only one pair has managed to raise any chicks to adulthood.

 

The chicks met the most grisly ends - it's usually pike that get them, but I witnessed seagulls distracting the parents away from the nest then carrying the chicks off, this year, first time I'd seen that.

[pelicanafloat]

very sad

 

Nature is cruel, but then so are we at times .....

[Jerra]

It is always sad to see these things but juvenile mortality in birds needs to be kept in perspective. A pair only needs to raise 2 offspring to maintain a steady population.

 

A Mute Swan typically lives 10 years (the oldest on record was 27 yrs 6 mths 27 d) they start to breed at around 4 years old with clutches of 4 to 7. So in 6 breeding years they only need to raise 2 young from the 24 to 42 young they will have.

 

Coots have clutches of 5 to 7. A typical life span of 5 years ( the oldest on record being 15 yrs 3mths 13 days) and have about 3 breeding years so they need to raise 2 of the 15 to 21 young they will have.

 

Incidentally if you find a ringed bird (particularly large birds such as swans that are noticeable) make a note of details and report to

 

http://blx1.bto.org/euring/lang/pages/rings.jsp?country=EN

[junior]

Don't you just love opening a thread with no warning to see pictures of dead animals.

 

Edit: Many thanks for adding a warning to the thread title.

Edited September 7, 2013 by junior

[Ricco1]

I remember 2 fully grown swans on a lake where I used to go fishing. One day there was only 1, but lots of white feathers by the side of the lake. I can only guess that a fox had it, can't imagine what else would take such a big bird.

[Jerra]

I remember 2 fully grown swans on a lake where I used to go fishing. One day there was only 1, but lots of white feathers by the side of the lake. I can only guess that a fox had it, can't imagine what else would take such a big bird.

Certain of our continental cousins now living in this country are known to take and eat swans. They are after all relatively easy to catch. However you are probably right when guessing at fox.

[Ange]

Don't you just love opening a thread with no warning to see pictures of dead animals.

 

Once you've been on the canals for a while you get very used to dead animals unfortunately. We've seen loads of hedgehogs, rabbits, lambs, sheep and once a deer floating past us.

 

Going back to nature's cruelty, a swan was determinedly attempting to drown two cygnets that presumably belonged to another family that had strayed into his territory. Lots of cries from the bankside to the tune of "we have to do something" but what can you do?

[junior]

Once you've been on the canals for a while you get very used to dead animals unfortunately. We've seen loads of hedgehogs, rabbits, lambs, sheep and once a deer floating past us.

 

Going back to nature's cruelty, a swan was determinedly attempting to drown two cygnets that presumably belonged to another family that had strayed into his territory. Lots of cries from the bankside to the tune of "we have to do something" but what can you do?

 

I'm very used to dead animals, it was more the saddening story that went with the pictures. I do try and avoid stuff like that. I get very annoyed with all the pictures of emaciated animals that people put all over Facebook. I prefer not to see that sort of thing if I can help it.

[magpie patrick]

 

Going back to nature's cruelty, a swan was determinedly attempting to drown two cygnets that presumably belonged to another family that had strayed into his territory. Lots of cries from the bankside to the tune of "we have to do something" but what can you do?

 

Just as likely the cygnets wouldn't leave home: if cygnets don't gradually "grow up" the parents drown one or two to encourage the others

[Doorman]

junior, on 07 Sept 2013 - 11:25 PM, said:junior, on 07 Sept 2013 - 11:25 PM, said:

Don't you just love opening a thread with no warning to see pictures of dead animals.

 

Edit: Many thanks for adding a warning to the thread title.

 

As Ange has quite rightly said Junior, you see many incidents of animal related cruelty and sadness along the cut and seeing that the cygnet was in a state similar to slumber, I couldn't imagine that this would cause distress.

 

The photographs are very tame compared to what you might see on a nature programme screened on daytime TV and were posted simply with a view as an illustration of nature's ways.

 

A local boater reported that the cygnet was quite lively a few days ago and that following its change of demeanour he contacted a Swan rescue centre seeking help. Sadly their response was that they could do very little to assist this young bird.

Edited September 8, 2013 by Doorman

[Lady Muck]

Certain of our continental cousins now living in this country are known to take and eat swans. They are after all relatively easy to catch. However you are probably right when guessing at fox.

Urban myth I reckon, I've seen our 'continental cousins' take plenty of fish over the years as have other boaters I know, but not one of us has ever seen anyone helping themselves to a swan.

[steven wilkinson]

Some people do! Recently there were (I cant remember where) some photos of a swan carcass that had been BBQ'd - but obviously no clue as to the origin of the BBQ-er!

[Doorman]

Lady Muck, on 08 Sept 2013 - 08:50 AM, said:

Urban myth I reckon, I've seen our 'continental cousins' take plenty of fish over the years as have other boaters I know, but not one of us has ever seen anyone helping themselves to a swan.

 

I'm sorry to shatter your illusions but this crime does exist and was witnessed by fisherman on the Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool a couple of years ago.

[mrsmelly]

I'm very used to dead animals, it was more the saddening story that went with the pictures. I do try and avoid stuff like that. I get very annoyed with all the pictures of emaciated animals that people put all over Facebook. I prefer not to see that sort of thing if I can help it.

 

Hi

 

It sounds like you need to stop using " Facebook " I take it you are over 12 years of age?

 

Tim

[Arthur Marshall]

I'm sorry to shatter your illusions but this crime does exist and was witnessed by fisherman on the Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool a couple of years ago.

And probably reported in the Mail, that repository of truth... anyway, I thought he was talking about mink. Nasty little buggers, them.

[junior]

 

Hi

 

It sounds like you need to stop using " Facebook " I take it you are over 12 years of age?

 

Tim

 

Yes. It's also 2013. Life doesn't revolve around knitting and smoking a pipe.

[twbm]

 

Hi

 

It sounds like you need to stop using " Facebook " I take it you are over 12 years of age?

 

Tim

 

Right on cue. Reasuringly predictable in an ever changing world.

 

One day I'll work out why an internet site that supports on line chat indexed by subject is so inherently superior to one that supports on line chat indexed by the authors.

[Ange]

 

Just as likely the cygnets wouldn't leave home: if cygnets don't gradually "grow up" the parents drown one or two to encourage the others

Ah that's true - we've seen that happen as well. It always seems so sad when they've spent months nurturing and fiercely protecting their offspring to suddenly turn on them so violently - but then that's falling into the trap of putting human emotions on wildlife.

[Cheshire cat]

Our cat did that one of her kittens we decided to keep. She used to loiter by the catflap and every time he tried to come back in he took a battering.

[Doorman]

And probably reported in the Mail, that repository of truth... anyway, I thought he was talking about mink. Nasty little buggers, them.

 

The only male that it was reported to was me, the day that it happened, by the adult fishermen who witnessed the crime. They had no reason to distort the truth like the Mail does.