mns  2007-07-01 11:45   

In a brief lull in the almost continuous rain, we went down to the River Dee to check on the wildlife, armed with a bag of bread.
The river was swollen and flowing over the promenade. It was brown and faster flowing that usual, and the weir was bereft of the usual hundreds of seagulls that gather on it.
The ducks saw us coming and headed in their dozens towards us, swiftly outflanked by a mob of swans. I use the word ‘mob’ advisedly, because until now I had always seen swans as beautiful and aloof, but this time was different. Eight of them came, hopping on to the land, and then heading towards us, with their enormous webbed feet splashing in the water on the pavement.
What started as a gentle game of throwing bread to the different ducks, swans and pigeons, quickly descended into mob-rule.
One swan grabbed a pigeon. The pigeon, when he managed to free himself, landed on my head. The swan headed for me. I threw bread frantically at him as I tried to dislodge the pigeon which was holding on for dear life. All the swans came running at me, and as fast as I threw the bread they ate it and started grabbing it from my hand.
The pigeon flew off as one swan grabbed me and there was the noise like two blocks of wood being crashed together as this evil brute clamped my fingers and then let go in annoyance as he realised he couldn’t actually eat my fingers.
I retreated very hurriedly up the steps and took photos of J who was now feeding all of them straight from his hand. They seemed to have more respect for him even though one swan stretched right up so that his face was almost at J’s. I have never seen anything like it.

I love birds, and in fact as a birthday present J gave me a day’s falconry which I have been really looking forward to – but I am now not quite so confident about how this will turn out.

It seems that the weather is affecting the bird population just as it affects us. Yesterday evening when I went to put the rubbish out, down came our resident pigeon from his tree and he approached me. This pigeon is completely territorial and chases any bird, pigeon or otherwise, that goes near his tree, and he has never even come into the courtyard before. He hopped around in front of me, clearly hoping for food.

At the front of the building, from the study window, I watch the antics of another pigeon which spends its day patrolling a wooden gate. It is there most of the daylight hours, and again it allows nothing else to land on the gate.
But yesterday things took a turn there too. A slightly smaller pigeon ventured on to the gate, and instead of chasing it away, Mr Pigeon started to dance. He stretched his neck. He preened his chest, he groomed his feathers. The smaller pigeon imitated him down to the last detail as they danced closer and closer. They rubbed chests, their necks met and their heads bobbed up and down against each other.
Foreplay over he hopped on her back, there was a slight fluttering of feathers, and then she flew off.
‘It’ only took about three or four seconds, but I do hope the fence moved for her.