Royal swans

Yeadon Tarn is home to a number of waterbirds, and seems a favourite place for swans. Such powerful and beautiful birds, they have a proud history. At one time they were considered a valuable commodity, traded and eaten as a delicacy on special occasions. Unmarked mute swans are still, in theory, the property of the Queen, though I don't think she exercises her right these days, except on the Thames (See HERE) where a Royal Swan Keeper is still maintained. The annual tradition of swan-upping still continues on the Thames, when young cygnets are rounded up and marked. These days it is mainly a conservation exercise, a way of checking the population and condition of the birds. 

The only tradition that continues locally is feeding them! Plenty of people still give them bread but there are other foods better for them. Someone had scattered corn and peas at the edge of the Tarn. 

Swans (apparently) mate for life. Out in the middle of the lake, a pair were doing a courtship routine, bobbing heads and thrashing the water, circling round each other. One of them was quite a young one, judging by its brown feathers, and they did seem a bit amateur and fumbling compared to some pairs I've watched! 

Further along, a pair of mandarin ducks proved frustratingly camera-shy. I should have picked up a handful of corn and tried to tempt them nearer! 

A turn around the tarn

I've never been anywhere where the fishermen have such huge tents as they do at Yeadon Tarn (or Tarnfield Dam, as it seems now to be called). Park one of these by the side of the canal and it would take up the entire towpath! I suspect it is simply an excuse for getting out of the house and finding some peace and quiet, mini-camping for the day. Although with the number of visitors strolling around the Tarn's circular path, it's not actually that peaceful. 

It's a pleasant walk, quieter than usual at the moment as there are no water sports and few aeroplanes coming and going from Leeds-Bradford Airport's main runway, which lies right at the end of the lake. 

 

Yeadon Tarn

On my way home from strawberry picking I decided to call at Yeadon Tarn for a walk. It looks really peaceful in my photo though in fact it's a popular spot. It has a wide tarmac path all the way round, making it a favoured destination for families and dog-owners. It's also a fishing lake so there were several anglers stationed around its perimeter, all taking it really seriously with masses of gear, tents and large trolleys for hauling everything back to their cars. 

The main runway for Leeds-Bradford airport lies at the far end of the lake. The pandemic has led to a huge reduction in air traffic so there were fewer jets taking off than you'd usually see. 

Given all the people out and about enjoying the warm day, you might have thought there would be some public toilets open and I was rather disconcerted to find the block was shuttered. It's one of the things that is beginning to frustrate me about the current situation. The lack of facilities anywhere means one has to be really thoughtful when planning trips out. I don't want to have to go into a pub (or book in a restaurant) with all that that now entails (leaving contact details etc) just in order to use the loos, but it does mean you can't plan on going far or staying out for hours. It looks like being an ongoing problem, since the virus isn't disappearing anytime soon. I do understand there are issues about keeping public facilities clean and hygienic but... (perhaps that's why all the fishermen had tents!!) Anyway, suffice to say my walk was taken at twice the speed I would usually have chosen and I didn't stop anywhere else before heading home!