Caen Hill Locks

The trip to the Caen Hill flight of locks was an afternoon birthday treat, primarily chosen so that I could catch up on the cygnets. I parked at the bottom of the flight in Marsh Lane and took my time walking up Caen Hill on the grassy path behind the famous side ponds. A couple of these ponds had young swans in them, and I later discovered that these were the previous year's cygnets now establishing their own territory. Contrary to what I had been told by a visitor on a previous visit, all six had survived. According to a lock keeper, they had been under attack from a rogue swan, but he had been removed by Swan Rescue and relocated somewhere far away.

The swan family were in a side pond near the top of the flight and I spent some time watching and photographing them in the sunshine. There were now five of them, three having fallen prey to a visiting mink at the weekend. I had been promising myself cappuccino and cake at Caen Hill Café at the top, but unfortunately it had closed twenty minutes earlier, so I continued to Caen Hill Moorings and crossed over to the towpath for the downhill return.

While I was talking to the lock keeper, the swans came up from the side pond, passing over their nest and onto the bank on the opposite side of the lock, and so I was able to get more shots of this delightful family at close quarters. I was also given the location and best viewing spot of a family of kingfishers nesting a couple of locks further down, but they weren't putting on a show at the time.

I called on  a friend in Calne on the way home for a couple of glasses of celebratory Italian red wine, too.

L.
9.5.2013

Blip #995
Consecutive Blip #009
Day #1155

Alternatives:
Swan and Cygnets
Through The Rushes
Lock 38

A Walk Along The Caen Hill Flight, 23 May 2013 (Flickr set)

Lenses: Pentax 17-70mm, Sigma 70-300mm


Caen Hill series
Canals series
Kennet and Avon Canal series
Swan series

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Will Bradley Trio - Down the road a piece  (recorded 12 August 1940, New York NY)
Will Bradley Trio (members of Will Bradley-Ray McKinley Orchestra): Ray McKinley (vcl, whistling, dr), Freddy Slack (pno), Doc Goldberg (bass)
with Don Raye (intro vcl)
Not enough of these LOTD's have come from the Forties, so the arrival on this day of Mojo, with its cover CD Uncovered - Mojo Presents 15 Tracks As Re-Cut By The Rolling Stones afforded the perfect opportunity to include Down The Road A Piece by members of the Will Bradley/Ray McKinley Orchestra. Will Bradley does not perform on the song, but  the song's writer Don Raye does, sharing vocal duties with Ray McKinley, as referred to in the lyric: "The drummer man's a guy they call Eight Beat Mack". It goes on, "And you remember Doc and ol' Beat Me Daddy Slack," alluding to bass player Doc Goldberg, and pianist Freddie Slack who had recorded Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar earlier in the year. The Rolling Stones learned their version from Chuck Berry, who had recorded it in 1960, with revised lyrics, and it was included on The Rolling Stones No. 2 (UK) and The Rolling Stones, Now! (US).

One year ago: Birthday Celebrations (More swans, at Lechlade)