The Importance of Corn

With around 100 swans currently undergoing moult in Cardiff Bay, how could we turn our noses up at the opportunity to combine ringing with spot of paddling? Not literally ringing and paddling; that would be somewhat silly (note to self, work out way to paddle and ring birds). So after much discussion this week and one member trying to fobb us off with the old "bad foot" excuse, the Taff Swan Ring Reading Expeditionary Party met at the last minute on the banks of the Taff yesterday evening. The plan was simple paddle out in the kayaks, feed bird corn, birds come close, ringer reads ring. Easy!

Sadly the major flaw in this otherwise obviously flawless plan was that one member of the party, whose initials may be RJF, forgot to bring the corn. Nether the less we paddled optimistically out on to the Taff with hopes of ring numbers galore. Needless to say the minute we touched water, the swans put two primaries up at us and effortlessly evaded out effort-ful, and at times slightly wheezy, approaches. We got fairly close to one, and by close I mean nowhere near close enough to read a ring. Next time corn or bread will be brought – mistakes are just an opportunity to try again!

With the swans giving us the swin-around we decided to call it quits and just enjoy a paddle. We couldn’t fail to do so. It was a gloriously sunny evening and we were surrounded by dozens of swifts, house and sand martins and the odd swallow. Flying low, they were coming within a metre or so of our kayaks. Pure magic!

The biggest bonus of all was that I didn’t drown!

Swan Roll Call

In the interests of keeping track of the 'Cosmeston Cygnus Community' we try to record the rings of swans at the lake edge whenever we are around. Although I am very proud to claim that I've been present for every swan ringing session at Cosmeston, this does come at a cost. The cost is that most of the old birds know my face- and will shift out of my reach when ever I emerge from the car park (I also get a chorus of dissaproving quacks from the ducks). This also means that only the unringed birds are left standing on the lake edge pecking at the corn I have just thrown- probably wondering why everyone else isnt cashing in on the free food from the nice bearded man. Luckily this was the case today.

Needless to say, there are a few more swans that wont be tempted by my handfull of corn again (at least for a while). Todays' grab included the Alpha Cob of the lake- who wasnt particularly pleased about being shown up infront of his peers.

We also got a few ring numbers from some older friends.

Local Woman Caught Hugging a Swan

The Cosmeston Lakes Wardens' Office is asking for help in identifying a woman who was seen hugging one of the Cosmeston Lakes Swans on 08 June 2011.

Local bird ringer and Swan handler James Vafidis stated ‘ She was just sat there hugging it, like an old friend, I couldn’t believe it’.

Investigators said the Swan was one of the more aggressive cobs of the notorious ‘Bread-Eater’ Gang and since the incident has been observed arranging flowers and behaving calmly.

If anyone has information concerning the identity of the suspect in this photographs, they are asked to contact the Cardiff Bird Ringers.

“Put The Swan Down!” – Weekend ringing Shenanigans

Ringing activities over the bank holiday weekend were some what curtailed by the obnoxious weather – too windy or too wet.

We did manage a session at Cosmeston Lakes on Friday which resulted in 16 birds at the site 1 reed bed. With JOV having mentioned that we’ve caught swans in May we decided that a bit of early summer waterfowl catching was in order. So with the nets down, and not having swan rings with us, we headed to the “jetty” with plans to tag some ducks and coot.

Padwan Shewring, Jimmy Boy, and Dr O

It would have come as no surprise to the regulars of the lakes that there was bugger all about on the waterfowl front; a hand full of mallard, coot and even the usually abundant and ever present swans were thin on the ground. As we failed to attract anything quack-esque close enough to catch, we turned our attentions to reading swan rings. Even they weren’t playing ball and it became necessary to switch from the “read in the field” to the “read in the hand” technique.

No sooner had I picked up a swan than “Put The Swan Down!” was bellowed from one of the fluorescent vest clad park attendants. This was recited several times as I tried to explain that we monitoring the birds and had permission to do what we were doing – an explanation that seemed to be met with eventual approval as the attendant nodded and voiced an “OK”. That and the boys in blue didn’t turn up.

Friday evening saw Dr O and me accompanying John Hyde to gift broods of redstart, pied wagtail and swallows with uniquely numbered bracelets. While John busied himself with the latter, I decided to show Dr O a method of catching adult swallows coming out of stables that doesn’t require a 3:30am start. For twenty minutes we ran back and forth the farm yard trying to catch swallows as they exited their stables. We nearly succeeded having two swallows in the net, but sadly they didn’t stick! It usually works, honest.

Speaking of swallows; the first chicks at the stables have been ringed, with the first brood on Saturday and two more yesterday bringing the total to 14. More should follow suit this week. Since 2009 we’ve also looking at the bird’s diet by collecting poo. Last year was the year of constipation, with few broods giving in the name of science. So far this year they have been more than willing to do their bit.