Cygnets

[altariel]

There was a swan-family on the river today near Trinity Hall: mum, dad, and eight little fuzzy things. After a brief preen near the punt station, they made their way across the breadth of the river in a most determined convoy. Punts had to stop for them. Excessively cute.

Comments

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Awwwh, little fuzzy cygnets! Too bad they eventually grow up into bad-tempered (if beautiful) swans.

Re:

[altariel.livejournal.com]

The swans (and the ducks) round here also work the tourists - they parade their cute baby fuzzies along the river banks to snaffle bits and pieces from picnics. There are a couple of black swans on the river this year as well.

But I keep my distance from them - savage creatures!

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

During my cytopathology fellowship, I lived by a lake that was home to a large flock of Canada geese. Whenever I walked by, they'd come running over to be fed - and then hiss at me once they'd eaten the bread crusts I'd saved for them. Nervy buggers! Absolutely no sense of gratitude...

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

White geese are even worse. One of the colleges where I studied was built round three sides of a square. The fourth side was the lake edge. In nesting season, you couldn't even walk into the square without having white geese rush at you, hissing with wings spread and beaks outstretched. You ran.

Re:

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I got mugged by squirrels once in St James's Park.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

That would be one heck of an epitaph.

Re:

[altariel.livejournal.com]

And it would be just my luck to go that way.

[(Anonymous)]

Katlinel points and does happy dance. Awww.

One day, I'll tell you 'The Tale of the Determined Duckling and the Vanbrugh Paradise Steps'.

Katlinel

PS If you spot any baby moorhens, I will probably fall off my chair with delight. Fuzzy things on stilts!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

baby moorhens...Fuzzy things on stilts!

Awww. And feet at least three sizes too big!

Re:

[altariel.livejournal.com]

There was a mother moorhen nesting - so baby moorhens Real Soon Now?

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

Excited, hopeful squeaks and a crash and a thud.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

*smelling salts*

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Ooooh! I used to love watching them swim up and down the channels either side of the path going towards T.Hall. Haven't been down there for ages, now.

Re:

[altariel.livejournal.com]

She was still on the nest this morning, looking at me with one beady eye, with the other eye on a Gardy's burger box.