Piracy and pillage on high seas

THE marina where I keep my boat is owned by a pair of magpies. At least, they seem convinced they are the proprietors of the harbour and a certain amount of the surrounding land. They hop confidently on and off the boats and jetties searching along the water’s edge for dead fish or anything else edible.

When parents bring their children down to feed the ducks, and swans, the magpies are in attendance to pick up any dropped crumbs. Of course the swan family – mother, father and five adolescent cygnets – are also convinced they own the marina and a considerable stretch of the river on each side of it. But this doesn’t worry the magpies because the vegetarian swans offer no real competition.

However, it does worry me slightly because when I paddle out in my canoe the male swan attacks me. It has never pressed home an attack and I don’t believe it would – swans are bluffers. But it’s more than capable of capsising my little craft so I don’t like turning my back on it when it’s in an aggressive mood.