FFS who would do this?

[Beebo]

Animal cruelty is a horrible crime.
But this “prank” would have taken some effort and is particularly cruel.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-56995224

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I'd take issue with it being reported. There will be copycats, sadly.

 

[snorri]

I think it's more likely that the swan was poking its beak in a discarded sock. It's a fairly skilled job to hold a swan in such a manner that the wings are disabled whilst holding the head held firmly enough to pull a sock over it.
It's not unusual for birds to put their heads in to the plastic rings used to sell 6 beer cans, and it is difficult to free the bird from them. I usually pick up these rings when beach combing in the hope of saving a bird.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Im not convinced. They are a powerful bird and you're not going to sneak up on it...

 

[PaulB]

Well here's a song that sums up the stupidity of this ("Careful now that swan could break your arm") in a cycling-related song!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWxUVGbArc8

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I think it's more likely that the swan was poking its beak in a discarded sock. It's a fairly skilled job to hold a swan in such a manner that the wings are disabled whilst holding the head held firmly enough to pull a sock over it.
It's not unusual for birds to put their heads in to the plastic rings used to sell 6 beer cans, and it is difficult to free the bird from them. I usually pick up these rings when beach combing in the hope of saving a bird.

How did the swan pull the tight-fitting sock on its head?

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Im not convinced. They are a powerful bird and you're not going to sneak up on it...

No, you feed it and grab its neck. It's how you catch a swan, at least based on animal rescue programmes, multiple.

 

[HMS_Dave]

No, you feed it and grab its neck. It's how you catch a swan, at least based on animal rescue programmes, multiple.

Ahh gotcha. Then simply place sock over head. Smashing...

 

[Chris S]

There should be plenty of DNA evidence on the sock.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Ahh gotcha. Then simply place sock over head. Smashing...

Here you go. All rather undramatic.

View: https://youtu.be/duh-yf-oTpY

 

[HMS_Dave]

Here you go. All rather undramatic.

View: https://youtu.be/duh-yf-oTpY

I think we have a suspect...

 

[HMS_Dave]

Here you go. All rather undramatic.

View: https://youtu.be/duh-yf-oTpY

In all seriousness. Aren't they typically very aggressive this time of year? It is of course, nesting season...

 

[Drago]

Im not convinced. They are a powerful bird and you're not going to sneak up on it...

Ive done it (in the line of work). All the business about breaking arms etc is guff - they've roughly the same mass as a fair sized dog, and similar strength, with a relatively light and hollow skeletal structure. Theyre3 not up to breaking limbs as the urban myth would suggest.

I walked up to it, albeit slowly so as not to spook it, and picked it up. It was quite passive. I then bravely carried it off the dual carriageway like the hero I am.

I'm no expert stalker and didn't have any great difficulty approaching it or picking it up.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Ive done it (in the line of work). All the business about breaking arms etc is guff - they've roughly the same mass as a fair sized dog, and similar strength, with a relatively light and hollow skeletal structure.

I walked up to it, albeit slowly so as not to spook it, and picked it up. It was quite passive. I then bravely carried it off the dual carriageway like the hero I am.

I'm no expert stalker and didn't have any great difficulty approaching it or picking it up.

Aye, im only glad i didn't mention that they did break arms

I've never tried sneaking up on them, i reserve those antics for midgets.

All im suggesting is that in nesting season, i highly doubt anybody is sneaking up on a swan for any reason...

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Maybe it just didn't want to be recognised?