Should swans have air traffic controllers?

[betty swollocks]

Took a walk along the towpath into town and was able to observe the antics of the myriad swans.
It was like Heathrow with all their comings and going, but with considerably more (I hope) near misses both in flight and taxiing. They're full of spring shenanigans I suppose.
Such a splendid sight though, a v-formation of them coming in to land, kissing the water in unison with their webbed feet and then water skiing to lose momentum, before finally settling with a wag of tail feathers.

 

[Yellow Fang]

It takes them quite a while to reach take off velocity. It looks like really hard work, all that flapping and running on water. Quite at odds with their usual serene selves.

 

[betty swollocks]

It takes them quite a while to reach take off velocity. It looks like really hard work

You're quite right: it looks like a major expenditure of energy

 

[TVC]

They don't climb very fast, and given that they have very poor eyesight, take offs are often very interesting.

Whilst walking by a reservoir on saturday we watched a pair lumber in to the air and head straight for a line of trees. "They're not going to make it!" - "Oh No! I cant watch" - "There will be feathers and snot everywhere".

Scraping their arses on the upper most twigs they just got over. I could swear I heard one turn to the other and say "That was a close one Dave".

 

[Yellow Fang]

That reminded me of that Dambusters scene where the Lancaster bomber had to pull round sharply to avoid crashing into the mountain side after letting go of their bouncing bomb.

 

[marinyork]

There are a lot of immature youngsters around at this time of year too. They might not have had too much practice flying.

 

[fossyant]

I've got some cracking photo's taken in early Spring of Ducks / Geese etc landing

 

[Wobbly John]

You should go to Welney Washes at feeding time - hundreds of swans fly overhead like squadrons of bommers in those old war films, and come in to land. They can be organised if they want to. I think the ones you saw were just pratting around.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

They don't climb very fast, and given that they have very poor eyesight, take offs are often very interesting.

Whilst walking by a reservoir on saturday we watched a pair lumber in to the air and head straight for a line of trees. "They're not going to make it!" - "Oh No! I cant watch" - "There will be feathers and snot everywhere".

Scraping their arses on the upper most twigs they just got over. I could swear I heard one turn to the other and say "That was a close one Dave".

Hang on......if their eyesight is so bad, how did it know which swan was next to it?

 

[Bman]

Hang on......if their eyesight is so bad, how did it know which swan was next to it?

I think they're all called Dave.

 

[02GF74]

You should go to Welney Washes at feeding time - hundreds of swans fly overhead like squadrons of bommers in those old war films, and come in to land. They can be organised if they want to. I think the ones you saw were just pratting around.

been there , think it was stpinrg or summer and not a swan in sight.

apparently best time is november when the Bewick (sp?) swans migrate to russia or something like that, whiohc would explain me not seeing any.

 

[betty swollocks]

I've got some cracking photo's taken in early Spring of Ducks / Geese etc landing

Would you care to share one or two with us?

 

[Dayvo]

I think he's talking about their upstairs at home!