Keeping up the tradition

LONG standing readers may well remember Mr Asbo the vicious swan on the Cam in Cambridge.

He made life hell for anyone or anything that came anywhere near his nesting mate, attacking everything that moved, Alan Tilbury reports.  The picture shows Mr Asbo in action.

Son took up the cudgels

Then his son took up the cudgels when he too had a nesting mate, this time earning himself the name of Mr Asboy for his antics of attacking anything that came anywhere near.  He was particularly vicious, even at one time taking on a cow that came too near!

And now comes the third generation of male swans, well following on the tradition, with his attacks on people earning him the name of Mr Asbaby! 

In lockdown

But there are no targets on the river, it being in lockdown, so he has taken to the towpath!  He stands in the middle hissing at people attempting to pass, and should they do he than chases them away from his nesting mate.

Even dogs are not safe, he squaring up to them as he does with people.

Every right to be there

There have been attempts to get rid of the swans, particularly by the university rowers as he upsets their training as well as punters being attacked, but too many people objected believing the swans are part of the river it being their home and so have every right to be there.