Up tails all!

Yes yes I know you pedants, they aren't ducks, they're Mute Swans           ( Cygnus olor ).

A very mixed day weatherwise, lovely when we set out then punctuated with hail and sleet showers.  About an hour before we finally tied up the heavens opened.  While you are allowed to tie up to virtually anywhere on the towpath side, the area we were passing through was not easy for mooring.  We tried a couple of places, but too shallow to get in to the side.  Finally soaking we managed to get a good mooring.

Earlier while the weather was reasonable i.e. fair (thank goodness) we stopped at one of the taps provided by the Canal and River Trust to top up the water tank.  This takes a while, as I sat watching the process I noticed these two spending more time with their heads underwater than above.  While it is common for Mute Swans to reach down for water weed I couldn't believe there was so much, particularly as none showed in their beaks.

Just before we moved off I was finally given the answer.  A man strolled out between the buildings and began feeding the swans.  He was doing as is currently recommended, feeding grain rather than bread.  By its nature grain doesn't float long.  I suspect the swans knew it was near "feeding time" and were picking up any grain they had missed from previous feeds.  There is a condition known as "Angel Wing" which affects birds, particularly waterfowl.  We have seen a number of Canada Geese with the condition this trip.  One theory for the cause of the condition is lack of vitamin E and feeding bread is believed to be a cause.