Melksham (Monday 25th May 2020)

For my government approved walk I found myself in Melksham, where I knew the resident swan pair to be found at the boathouse were parents to eight cygnets. I parked at the Waitrose car park, but as it was after four on a bank holiday I expected them to be closed. They weren't, and there was no queue. Perhaps everyone else had made the same assumption. So I did a big shop before setting off on the riverside walk beside the River Avon as it winds from Bristol on its way to Lacock and onwards.

I expected to find them near the boathouse but didn't see them and walked on to the next footbridge, leading to Scotland Road. It wasn't until I returned to the boathouse that I caught a glimpse of the pen swan in a little tributary, and when I got to her I could make out the seven surviving cygnets, now quite large, in the shade, obscured by the reeds. The cob swan was a little way further upstream behind some reeds. Eventually the mother led her brood off towards the river, followed by the cob (see Extra) and I was able to get some shots from the first footbridge. Mission accomplished.

So much better resolution in Large (Gallery) view

L.
26.5.2020 (2041 hr)

Blip #3228 (#2978 + 250 archived blips taken 27.8.1960-18.3.2010)
Consecutive Blip #023
Blips/Extras In 2020 #79/265 + #044/100 Extras
Day #3713 (840 gaps from 26.3.2010)
LOTD #2357 (#2198 + 159 in archived blips)

Melksham series
River series
River Avon (Bristol) series
Swan series

Up To The Boathouse, Melksham, 25 May 2020 (Flickr album of 25 photos)

Taken with Nikon Coolpix P900 (24-2000mm equivalent bridge camera)

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Ruth Brown - So long (recorded 25 May 1949, New York NY)
This Russ Morgan song dates from 1940 and was a hit in that year for the Charioteers, but Ruth Brown's is still one of the best known, although there are more recent versions by Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Dr John and others.
This was recorded for Atlantic at her first studio session, on this day in 1949, and she sang on crutches as she was recovering from a road accident nine months earlier. She is backed by Eddie Condon and his TV Dixieland Band.


One year ago:
The Old Forge (That dog rose again)