There are a pair of swans on the pond in my village and every year they have a family of cygnets. The swans are so tame they lead their family up the road to local gardens or to graze bugs on the grass verges.

Sometimes they sit in the middle of the road and traffic has to wait for them to move or for a local to come out (eventually) to gently usher them off the road with a broom. This is perilous if done by anybody apart from those who have watched said swans, year after year, and know them well enough to do it properly. This means keeping a reasonable distance from the family, to come from the adult swan side and not the cygnets and to move slowly and gracefully rather than making any sudden movements so they get the idea of what you want them to do rather than that you are about to attack.

An angry swan protecting their young would could do some serious damage so they should be treated with respect.

The fact they are protected makes everyone more patient and they are an asset to any village or town pond which is safe enough for them to inhabit. Apart from their beauty and grace it’s wonderful to see the little grey gawky cygnets turn gradually into graceful swans. Families love watching them and it is nice, and even calming in this frenetic, fast, instant culture to have to wait on the whim of a swan in the road.