Blog
"Weekly Info", Spring Week 7: That Time of Year
There's nothing serious in this week's blog.
Lately it seems as if my entire working life has been taken over with elections - well, that and having a wisdom tooth out. The advantage of this job is that even now, lying in bed with a not insignificant amount of codeine and ibuprofen coursing through my veins, I can still function as president. With the exception of a couple of university committee meetings that other full-time officers have happily substituted for me in, I can carry on with my job: my brain is working fine, despite the fact I look a bit like a chipmunk and fall over every time I stand up. Ten years ago, that just wouldn't have been possible.
Since I've been posting election updates for most of the week, and committees have been taken by colleagues for the last few days - so there's not much to write about - I thought I'd write this week's blog about something else entirely: wildfowl.
First year students won't have yet experienced a campus springtime. It's my favourite time of year here: the curse of hay fever hasn't kicked in yet, but still flowers start to bud, leaves reappear on trees, and slowly but surely little balls of downy fluff start paddling about the lake behind their feathered parents.
And it's the parents you need to watch out for.
Contrary to popular belief, geese won't generally attack you without provocation: if they hiss at you because you're a bit too near to their offspring, they're just trying to mark their territory. You're unlikely to get a faceful of beak; if you were to stand up to them (not that I'd recommend it) they will almost certainly waddle away. Nevertheless, it's best to stay away from them when they're feisty; "attacked by a goose" is not a good reason to go to A&E.
The swans, on the other hand, you should always steer clear of. While the urban legend that they can break your arm with a single wingbeat is just that - an urban legend - if they do attack, you really don't want to be on the receiving end. Plus, the black swans are also protected: there are less than a dozen breeding pairs in the country according to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and we've got two of those.
One final thing: although there doesn't seem to be any definitive advice on it, it's considered a bad thing to feed bread to ducklings. Some sources say that it expands in their stomachs; others say that the preservatives in modern bread can hurt them. Either way, it's best to let them dabble in the lake on their own.
As I said, nothing serious this week. Enjoy the springtime, everyone.
