Going Dutch

 

The Editorial Team at NBBD should like to thank two intrepid women and famed chicken keepers from Cambridgeshire, Nina and Jasminda Cluck, for sending in these two 'trublin' images captured recently in Holland. They very nicely illustrate the duality of swan behaviours. 

"On the one hand (left), we have the self effacing nee hidden personna and on the other (right), we have the 'in your face' nee violent personna. For this reason alone it is always sensible to keep one's distance from swans". - Chris Packham (No not that one)

"It is an unwary individual who turns his or her back on a swan. Very few have survived such lakeland improvidence"! - Wordsworth.(No not that one either)

As 'Low Countries' friend of NBBD, Kurt Westermann, is wont to say ,that is when he bothers to turn up: 

" Swans, nice birds and lethal also! "   

Feathers Day

 

Hi all you international swan observers around the world! This year the NBBD Team have decided to celebrate, for the first time, 'Feathers Day' held each year on the 15th of June. Now, some 'gain-sayers' have said that 'Feathers Day' is a cynical commercial event created and exploited by purveyors of greetings cards, Facebook, vloggers and bloggers. We however, have 'come out' in favour of this day and if he were alive today, we reckon Joe Roberts would have approved too.

We understand that traditional ways of celebrating 'Feathers Day' include:

• Visiting a Wickes DIY store and buying a can of Three-in-One lubricating oil, for those  impromptu just in case scenarios.
• Placing a 'five cross win doubles with tax' bet at Joe Coral .(Having the accumulator is optional.)
• Drinking a small can of Courage light ale, all in one swallow, whilst demonstrating the language and behaviors of one of the usual 'ists' other than pacifist. (See for guidance Daily Mail.)
• Going 'up the Bowls'.
• Investigating facilities for wheelchair users at horse-racing courses located in England (excluding Northern Ireland.)
• Encouraging a complete stranger to ''old the bells'.

There is a very ancient saying attributed to 'Totty Fay' a gypsy soothsayer from Maidstone:

" Turning your back on a swan during 'Feathers Day' will bring to the unwary, seven years of bad luck including a broken arm"

Wise words old woman of Kent!

" A very 'Happy Feathers Day' to all our readers" - Ed