Even though the general guideline is to not meddle, since our connection
with nature is continuously changing, sometimes as humans we can't help but
feel compelled to do so. This was the case for one guy who made the decision
to assist a couple of swan parents through the difficulties caused by
natural calamities.
A 42-year-old man from St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, has earned the nickname
"The Swan Man" in the community, and with good cause, as of May 2021. Over
the years, Rob Adamson has developed into something of a protector for these
ducks, keeping an eye out for them.
Adamson has been employed by Jones Boatyard for ten years; he also resides
aboard a boat, which has given him a unique respect for the plants and
animals that he shares the water with. In instance, one pair of swans had
been struggling to hatch and care for their young.
The swans' attempts to birth their young have been repeatedly thwarted by
natural catastrophes and other environmental conditions. These swans had not
yet been successful in reproducing each year, whether it was due to foxes or
flooding that carried the eggs away. Adamson's thoughts thus moved to the
swan pair and their most recent clutch when floods began to rise one recent
evening. They were high and dry but dangerously near to rising floods when
he arrived at the site in the dark to check on them.
Continue reading to find out more about "The Swan Man" and what he has done
to assist a pair of swans that have endured a great deal of suffering and
environmental threats to successfully hatch their eggs.
Adamson stated to BBC:
She is the unluckiest of the swans, therefore I had to ensure their
survival.
Adamson constructed a raft that was attached with a rope in order to aid in
the survival of the baby swans. Adamson ultimately succeeded in hoisting the
nest onto his floating device innovation by adjusting the distance with
rope.
Adamson acknowledged that he was conversing intimately with nature and
said:
"You're not meant to become involved, but they were all going to die at
this point. Knowing that, I couldn't sleep. I was aware that if I didn't try
to save them, I would later kick myself. Although the father was also
present, none of them assaulted me. They may have realized that was their
greatest opportunity.
The Jones Boatyard Facebook page commended Adamson's creative innovation.
The message said:
"A HUGE thank you to Rob who, at 9 o'clock in the evening, discovered that
water was lapping around the swans' nest. The nest, which had a hissing Swan
and nine eggs, was then lifted onto the raft by Rob in the dark. If only the
Queen knew what amazing service he was performing for her feathery
companions!"
The boatyard has informed Newsweek that "most not all" of the eggs have
hatched as a result of Adamson's life-saving efforts.
Adamson has prior experience with birds. A few years earlier, Adamson
gained notoriety for saving and eventually rearing a wounded cygnet. That
swan, Sidney, got attached to Adamson, and even though they tried to set the
bird free, Sidney missed Adamson too much to do so, according to The
Times.
The BBC reported that Adamson said, "After Sid, I've got a special place in
my heart for swans and I have been watching this pair fail for the last 10
years."
Tags:
animals