Two weeks ago we were surprised when a lady turned up at Hessilhead with a swan tucked under her arm.

We guided the lady away from reception and set up a shed for the cygnet.

We have been worried about taking in water birds. Swans are especially susceptible to Bird Flu. One of the problems is that swans don’t show symptoms.

They may be under the weather and easily caught, but while in care they behave quite normally.

This particular swan was very subdued. We left a bowl of food in the shed, and by morning it had eaten. It didn’t take him long to finish a second helping.

After a week we decided that the swan was fine. It came out into the run, walked around and seemed as if he wanted to go further.

We tucked him up in a swan bag and headed back to Castle Semple. He took a few steps and sat down. That was a bit worrying. We watched for a while.

A few more steps; then decided that life on the water might be a good option. Nothing we could do about it then.

No phone calls for the next week. Then it came, the RSPB staff reporting a swan at the roadside outside their car park.

Off we went, and sure enough the swan was comfortably feeding on the grass verge. He didn’t look perturbed when I walked up to him.

I lifted him into the car and he is back at Hessilhead for Christmas.