Floods push nests further from river as swans set up home near Swan Theatre in Stratford
FEATHERS were ruffled this week when a pair of Stratford’s mute swans decided to set up home in a most inconvenient location.
Perhaps attracted by the name of the neighbourhood, the enterprising duo decided to build their nest in the walled garden on the left of the back of the Swan Theatre.
Usually a riverside spot is favoured – for ease of access with location, location, location being everything – so this pair clearly like to do things differently.
Stratford swan warden Cyril Bennis told the Herald: “Swans will eat grass and fatten themselves up so they can sit on a nest two months before the eggs hatch – both the male and the female do this.
“It’s unusual for them to nest that far away from the river. I really don’t know why they’ve done that because there’ll be lots of trips back and forth to the river with the cygnets. Perhaps it’s something to do with the river flooding so much recently.”
Cyril says there are seven eggs in the nest, and is keen that the swans are left in as much peace as possible. He points out that dog owners should be mindful, keeping canines on a lead, especially as the swans can be very territorial during the breeding season.
“The RSC asked if it was possible to move the nest but there’s no way I would do that,” continued Cyril. “Not least because swans belong to the Crown, so that would be a matter for the King’s Swan Marker, David Barber. There are barriers in place around the nest now to protect it.”
The eggs should hatch after 36 days, and once born the fluffy cygnets are capable of running about in a few hours and will enter the Avon within 24 hours. It’s not certain how long the family will continue to use the breeding nest, although Cyril thinks typically this could be around three weeks.
Potentially this might cause a bit of a headache for the RSC, which plans on erecting the Holloway Garden Theatre in the coming months.
The outdoor theatre would be in the middle of the swans’ route to the river, so given the birds’ royal protection, it might potentially prove to be a show-stopper – quite literally.
With As You Like It due to open on 18th July, things are looking a little tight. The RSC is playing it cool though, and is prioritising the welfare of the theatre’s namesake over programming concerns.
A spokesperson told the Herald: “Once we discovered the swan’s nest in late March we cordoned off the area. We have sought additional advice to make sure that the nest and the swans remain safe and peaceful, which is our main priority.”
Final word to Cyril, who added: “The swans outside the Swan Theatre have chosen a very nice place to be so let’s let nature take its course.”
