Beddington Park is one of our many local parks. It has football pitches, an outdoor gym, a play area, a great cafe and a huge area to walk around. Within this huge area is a lake, populated by ducks, geese and swans. Recently, this note appeared.
We decided to have a walk around there. Despite living so close to the park I’d never spent a lot of time around that part of it. We had some bread and it made sense to try and do what we could.
When we arrived at the park it was cold. The kind of cold where if you keep walking you warm up, but a hats and gloves kind of cold where you need to wrap up well. H was on her scooter, she had wanted to cycle around the park but having been ill the previous week I suggested she should take it easy!
Shaun was horrified as we drove there… but it made sense parking near the Pavilion Cafe so we could have some lunch there afterwards. This gave us plenty of time to stretch our legs, feed the swans and try and find some cygnets.
There’s a big bridge which goes over the lake, ideal for looking for cygnets. Unfortunately we couldn’t see any. There were swans, so we fed them, hoping that it was enough.
It was good to get outdoors again. H had three days stuck inside as she had a temperature that wasn’t shifting. I’d worked from home for two of those days, and Shaun did one day. We needed to breathe again, but not go too far. There’s so much to do at Beddington Park – even if it’s walking around, scooting around, playing or having a quick spot of lunch there. There are even BBQ’s dotted around the park which you can use (although I wouldn’t fancy it in this weather).
The full text of the letter in Beddington Park :
HELP NEEDED PLEASE
The swans on the pond are struggling as they are so hungry. The adults are coming and going as they are quicker to realise there is little natural food for them. The cygnets are still learning.
Having sought guidance from the Swan Sanctuary please feel free to feed them bread despite what you have been told.
To share fairly I take a full loaf and skim the slices individually across the water. Someone will no doubt say to you that bread is no good for them. They’ve got little else at the moment so let’s help by at least feeding them.
Rita Mullins
Chairman
Friends of Beddington Park
Sorry to hear you had a poorly one in the week, I am forever telling people kids grow out of it and catch less as they get older, however we have been struck this week, as in all 7 of us with a really nasty cold thing with temperature. A little fresh air is often the answer and finding somewhere close to home like this sounds perfect. I’ve never seen a notice to help with feeding birds before, things must be quite serious, I’m sure they were glad of your supplies and a lovely thing for you to do too. The park does look beautiful, one to enjoy any time of the year.
Thank you for sharing with me on #CountryKids
Oh no – all seven of you! That must have been horrible – that sounds like what H had, the temperature threw me as she generally doesn’t get ill that much.
I think we might have to try and head out there again today as long as it doesn’t rain too much (my knees are being all clicky) – hopefully the swans are managing!
What an interesting post. I had thought that bread was bad for swans but now I know differently. #countrykids
Thank you – I thought it was too. Apparently it’s bad for ducks and not ideal for swans but the swans can deal with it better than ducks. If that makes any sense at all 🙂
What an important message I will share this on twitter for you. It’s good that advice has been sought and it makes you wonder how many other swans are in the same position… Stopping by from #countrykids
Thank you for sharing. Hopefully it’s just a problem with Beddington Park I hope and not a more widespread problem. It would be scary if it is though…