dead swan

[percypineapple]

saw a dead swan on the river bank near my house this morning. phoned the environment agency, they were very polite, but said the avian flu risk had been downgraded, and they only wanted to know if there were ten or more dead swans in one area. so, nine dead swans is o.k, don't phone us????
Percy.

[douglas9401]

Well at least you know how many to save up before you have to phone them again Percy. :)

[gness]

Phone each day for ten days and ask them how you can know if it`s one dead swan ten times or ten dead swans.

[mrs.chappie]

That's sad. I wonder what the poor thing died of. :o(

[percypineapple]

Hi douglas,
Yes, It does say on the ministry of ag and fish, not to touch them without gloves. it also says " only report dead webbed feet birds " so, a flock of dead starlings or pigeons is quite alright. Trouble is, this swan will now decompose slowly, so I will have to take a couple of bin bags and slide down the river bank and get it, and take it to the tip. i had hoped the ministry would do that.
Percy

[percypineapple]

Mrs.chappie,
I now think it died of a broken heart, as we have seen a dead swan by a railway track just half a mile away some weeks ago, and its partner was hanging around ( it was killed by a car on the railway crossing) for several days, and they mate for life, and we have seen this poor swan many times in that area, and we saw a lone swan a few days ago on our part of the river, so assume it was him ( or her) sad, but the good thing this year is that the water board let the water back into the river ( really a very wide drainage channel) early, before the swans started nesting, so they are on high ground, unlike other years when the swans nested, then the water rose and killed the cygnets or washed the eggs and nest away. not good.
Percy.

[mrs.chappie]

So sorry to read that, Percy. I used to rescue birds and there were times when two had bonded, then one died and the other just starved itself to death.

So very sad. Still chokes me up to think about it.