Ollie And The Swans

~ beetleypete

In 2016, I posted about Ollie’s rather tense encounter with three swans.

Ollie’s Mexican standoff.

Earlier today, something similar happened again.

Although it is 10C cooler today that it was yesterday, (18C instead of 28C) the air is very humid after heavy rain last night, with thunderstorms forecast for later. So after a couple of tours around Beetley Meadows, by the time we got over onto Hoe Rough, Ollie was panting, and ready for a drink and a dip.

He waited until we got to his favourite spot, where he can slide under the wire of the fencing, and slip into the river. There were two swans already there, a large male and smaller female. (Yes, I know they are called a Cob and Pen, but this is easier.) For all I know, they could well be the same pair from 2016, as they have been on the river every year I have lived here, and they do mate for life.

Ollie ignored them, and plopped into the rain-swollen water, which came up to the base of his tail. The large male swan flared out its tail feathers, and the female moved away slightly, protected behind her mate. When Ollie had drunk his fill, and presumably cooled off sufficiently, he decided to turn and investigate the nearby waterfowl. At this, the male swan raised its wings, and the female swam away, making for the safety of the next bend in the river, and deeper water.

With the swan making no noise, but threatening with his strong wings, Ollie continued to move through the water in his direction, breaking into a dog-trot. At that point, I whistled Ollie to come back out onto the bank.

One of them, or both of them, would undoubtedly have been hurt.

55 thoughts on “Ollie And The Swans”

  6. It’s good that Ollie responds to you,Pete as swans, geese or a cockerel to that matter are not ones to pick a fight with they have strong wings and vicious claws in the case of the cockerels. 🙂 x

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    1. Most chickens around here are kept in runs in gardens, so he hasn’t encountered a cockerel. This is only his second time of confronting swans too. But he came out of the water when told to, as I guessed he would.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

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  9. Do you think he remembered that other encounter with swans, years back — and would he have recognized the male‘s scent after such a long time, if it really had been the same swan(s)?

    Either way, better for both parties that there wasn‘t another „Mexican standoff“ … or (almost) worse, like last time!

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    1. He usually ignores swans unless he is in the river at the same time as they appear. But he might well have sensed that the large male was wary of him, and potentially aggressive, Themis.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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