Caen Hill (Monday 15th May 2017)

I had another search for the mythical cygnet in Devizes on Monday, this time parking east of the Black Horse and exploring the canal between Caen Hill Moorings and Devizes Wharf. A section of the towpath was closed due to improvements being undertaken, but I was able to cover that area nonetheless and can confirm that there were no swans or cygnets there. I found last year's cygnet on the canal up by the Black Horse, reunited with its partner (see Extra) and also this goose family.

Last year an angry cob swan on the Caen Hill flight attacked the Canada geese and killed all but one of the goslings and had to be relocated further down the staircase, but this young pair showed no interest in them. Let's hope it stays that way.

As I haven't been visiting Bowood this year, these are the first goslings I've seen so far, so I thought they should be my Blip. As yet I have no further news on the nesting swans' third clutch.

L.
17.5.2017 (1506 hr)

Blip #2108 (#2358 including 250 archived blips)
Consecutive Blip #000
Blips/Extras In 2017 #161
Day #2608 (515 gaps from 26 March 2010)
LOTD #1343 (#1469 including 126 on archived blips)

A Visit To Caen Hill And Devizes Wharf, 15 May 2017 (Flickr album of 14 images)

Taken with Pentax K-1 and Pentax HD P-D FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6ED DC WR lens

Geese series
Landscape series
Caen Hill series
Devizes series
Canals series
Kennet and Avon Canal series

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Solomon Burke - Stepchild (2002)
This week's choice from the Cerys Matthews Sunday show is this Bob Dylan song that dates from 1978. He performed it on the road many times, as Am I Your Stepchild?, constantly revising the lyric as he went along, but never released a version of the song himself. Solomon Burke's album Don't Give Up On Me was full of original and previously unreleased compositions by top-rank songwriters and put him back into the public eye. His version of Stepchild had an additionally revised lyric and name-checked Dylan himself when he complains about his girlfriend staying out to 'listen to Bob Dylan play all night'. Dylan's sometime producer Daniel Lanois plays guitar on Burke's version.
It turns out I did have this record in my collection but hadn't heard it since it was a new release, when Paul Jones played it on his Radio 2 blues ahow.

One year ago:
Poppy