Continuing the archive: slow essays and observations from marshes, mangroves, and pondsides around the world.
№ 156 A naturalist's read on swan predation - adult swans have surprisingly few enemies, but cygnets are vulnerable to a long list of predators. Which species hunt swans and at which life stage.
A naturalist's read on swan takeoff mechanics - why most swan species need a long water runway, the rare exceptions on land, and what the takeoff actually looks like.
№ 155 
№ 154 A naturalist's read on whether keeping geese genuinely deters snakes - what the evidence says, which species are deterred, and whether it works as a property-management strategy.
A naturalist's read on what geese actually need for water - a pond is nice but not essential. What works instead, and the bare minimum water access for a small flock.
№ 153 
№ 152 Hawks can take pets under 5 lb but rarely try anything bigger. A naturalist's honest read on real risk versus internet panic.
Ducks build nests on dry ground or in tree cavities. A naturalist's read on why water-laying happens only by accident or distress.
№ 151 
№ 150 Female ducks lay eggs whether a drake is present or not. A naturalist's read on when wild and domestic ducks produce unfertilised eggs, and what to do with them.
Geese are not piscivores - but they will eat a small fish under specific conditions. A naturalist's read on the rare cases where geese take fish, and why it almost never happens.
№ 149 
№ 148 A naturalist's read on the Mallard's diet - the seven food categories that make up a wild Mallard's year, what changes seasonally, and why protein matters most in spring.
A naturalist's read on whether ducks really eat snakes - which species do it most, what size of snake they actually take, and why a duck pond reduces local snake numbers.
№ 147 
№ 146 Beak and bill are the same structure - ornithologists use 'bill' for ducks because of its flat, lamellated shape. A naturalist's read on the duck mouthpart.
Bread is the worst thing you can feed a swan. It causes angel wing, water pollution, and crop impaction. A naturalist's read of why, and what to feed instead.
№ 145