I saw a Black Swan today (1 Viewer)

[woodchip]

Just joined here today as I saw some Black Swans in Lymington, Hampshire. Are they common around here?

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

They are escapes, sometimes occurring in small flocks. They have been recorded as breeding in the wild but I don't think they are self-sustaining anywhere in Britain.

Stephen.

 

[salty]

hello, welcome to bird forum!

 

[robinm]

Hi woodchip,

A warm welcome to BirdForum from all the Moderators and Admin. I think Stephen has answered you question.

 

[David Bryant]

They are escapes, sometimes occurring in small flocks. They have been recorded as breeding in the wild but I don't think they are self-sustaining anywhere in Britain.

Stephen.

WRONG!!!!!!! They are self-sustaining in Broadland, as are Muscoveys!

 

[Stephen Dunstan]

WRONG!!!!!!! They are self-sustaining in Broadland, as are Muscoveys!

I was giving the position as I understood it and as generally recognised, you may wish to notify the powers that be if you know better.

THE BLOCK CAPITALS ARE A LITTLE OTT, AS ARE THE EXCLAMATION MARKS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[David Bryant]

LOL!
The capitals were for emphasis! I know there USED to be a convention online that caps = shouting, but that was a) an American convention and b) not universally adopted! No offence intended!
But the OTHER convention (about self-sustaining populations) seems to have been somewhat liberally interpreted with some species (Golden Pheasant, Bobwhite, Mandarin, Lady Ams etc ) but not others (Black Swan, Chinese Pheasant, Wood Duck etc) There used to be ywo places in Norfolk where Budgies bred in the wild! (And on Scillies, I believe!)

 

[Katy Penland]

LOL!
The capitals were for emphasis! I know there USED to be a convention online that caps = shouting, but that was a) an American convention and b) not universally adopted!

Sorry, Dave, this is most definitely an international convention as Usenet, where the notion of CAPS = shouting originated, is the largest decentralized information utility on the planet and has been since 1979 when it was developed. Okay, it may have been born in the USA (Duke U) but it grew up to encompass the world.

Was all this shouting and the exclamation points really necessary in a new member's "Say Hello" thread?

 

[David Bryant]

Sorry, Dave, this is most definitely an international convention as Usenet, where the notion of CAPS = shouting originated, is the largest decentralized information utility on the planet and has been since 1979 when it was developed. Okay, it may have been born in the USA (Duke U) but it grew up to encompass the world.

Was all this shouting and the exclamation points really necessary in a new member's "Say Hello" thread?

1) My name is DAVID, not Dave!
2) Yes, we all know the Americans invented EVERYTHING (or at least they think they did!)
3) I already said sorry to the poster (not that he seemed as bothered as you!)
4) We have a MUCH older convention here in little old Britain that capitals signify emphasis

 

[Grousemore]

1) My name is DAVID, not Dave!
2) Yes, we all know the Americans invented EVERYTHING (or at least they think they did!)
3) I already said sorry to the poster (not that he seemed as bothered as you!)
4) We have a MUCH older convention here in little old Britain that capitals signify emphasis

You don't by any chance teach in a charm school, Dave?

 

[David Bryant]

You don't by any chance teach in a charm school, Dave?

Who rattled YOUR cage, TREV?

 

[James Lowther]

BOBWHITES AREN'T ON THE BRITISH LIST!!!!!!!!!!!


are they?..........

James

 

[level seven]

Just joined here today as I saw some Black Swans in Lymington, Hampshire. Are they common around here?

Hi woodchip - I saw a Black Swan myself last year in Yorkshire. Maybe they can't be classed as genuine wild birds here but they're certainly good-looking ones. I didn't know they caused such strong feelings! I'm pretty new myself, but it's not always like this round here. Don't be put off.

 

[David Bryant]

Strikes me that there a few people on this forum who consider themselves a cut above the rest of us! My initial posting was to encourage discussion about what constitutes a true member of the British avifauna. But yet again (as happens with monotonous regularity!) the majority of replies have been from moderators and their chums telling us 'normals' WHAT to post and HOW to post it! No-one: not ANYONE seems to have addressed the birding issues implicit in my two posts and that of the thread's originator! Charm school? Far from it! I teach in a tough dockland region of the UK, but even the street-wise, disenfranchised kids I work with are never as complacent and self-opinionated as some of you 'thought police'! And I repeat: my name is DAVID, NOT Dave! To use the latter form of my name is a transparent mechanism used by police etc in an attempt to gain some form of rhetorical high ground! And it's bloody rude too!

 

[David Bryant]

BOBWHITES AREN'T ON THE BRITISH LIST!!!!!!!!!!!


are they?..........

James

They nearly made it a few years back! They were not uncommon around Cley and Blakeney and had a lot of support from some of the local listers / members of the BBRC. They were / are (I believe) on the German list. They're in H,F & P's field guide, too!

 

[brianfm]

Hi Woodchip

Welcome to Birdforum. I joined the forum earlier in the year, as like yourself I had a query I wanted answering. I have had many answered since and found members to be very friendly and helpful. Hope you find the same.

 

[RockyRacoon]

I see Black Swans sometimes on the local river, they are quite often seen popping up unexpectedly, and can be found anywhere!

 

[Konstantinos]

Dear Woodchip:

Welcome to the Bird Forum!

Best regards,