Another swan down

Jonny Bishop picked up another swan on 14th down on Riverside Meadows. It was 'Orange 405' [BTO ring Z95705]. She was originally ringed on the Embankment on 9th September 2001 as a two year old. The following spring, she was still there and was identified as a female. She remained there until after her moult in late summer 2003.

Her next appearance was at the Finger Lakes at Priory in early November of that year. By the end of the winter, she had moved to 'Tescos Pond' on Riverside and was being courted by 'Orange 449' [Z95749]. That summer she hatched off six cygnets from their nest on the island. The habit of the local kids terrorising the swans at this location, fortunately, seemed to have ceased after many years of us wardens pleading with them to leave the swans in peace.


She and 449 nested there every year and produced over 40 cygnets. The possible reason for her death might have been a collision with the overhead electricity cables in the fog. Often the fog lingers here in deep banks between the housing and the river meadows, blown across or up the valley by a gentle breeze.

Who will take her place? Will 449 move away as other lone males have done before? Are we going to have a new pair take over?