£2,500 fine for feeding the ducks.

"Feeding ducks "in the wrong area" of a Cambridgeshire city could result in a fine of up to £2,500 as a council attempts to clean up its public spaces.

East Cambridgeshire District Council erected a sign on Ely's Riverside saying ducks and geese must only be fed on the water, not on the land.

A spokesman said complaints about "duck mess" were on the increase.

He said officials would "advise" people of the rules but persistent offenders could be fined through the courts".



https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-18645082#:~:text=Feeding%20ducks%20%22in%20the%20wrong%20area%22%20of%20a,fed%20on%20the%20water%2C%20not%20on%20the%20land.

Must be a severe duck/goose "poop" problem. I know ducks and duck ponds are idyllic and peaceful places, but geese in particular can be a problem. We have migratory Canada geese coming through twice a year. It leaves you pointing and demanding, ...did all that come outta you??

Although £2,500 seems rather stiff, when you see the problem flocks of geese leave behind, you understand.

They make a mess, but it can be swilled away by the side of the rivers, lakes and canals where visitors gather.
Feeding the ducks has always been a nice thing to do with kids and grandkids....it's incredibly petty to threaten to fine people.

Incidentally, throwing food into the water, (especially bread, which is not so good for ducks and geese anyway) which is what this council are telling people to do, can pollute the water, making it unhealthy for birds and fish.

Just an update on what to feed the birds. (yes ...I googled)
Apparently, bread is OK for swans, they have a different digestive system to ducks and geese.
Bread in small amounts is OK for all birds, but it can pollute the water so other food stuffs are more advisable.

Incidentally, last time I fed swans one accidentally bit me....they dont have teeth, but it still drew blood.

In the time of Edward III swans were the fare of the day on king's tables. Chickens were still evolving in SE Asia.

Maybe swans are seeking revenge?

Well it picked on the wrong person...I have never ever eaten a swan.

Syl wrote:Just an update on what to feed the birds. (yes ...I googled)
Apparently, bread is OK for swans, they have a different digestive system to ducks and geese.
Bread in small amounts is OK for all birds, but it can pollute the water so other food stuffs are more advisable.

Incidentally, last time I fed swans one accidentally bit me....they dont have teeth, but it still drew blood.

Being attacked by a grumpy swan is bloody scary, I can tell you.

Some years ago I was happily imagining myself to be on a Mediterranean cruise (actually I was sitting in the back of a hire cruiser on the Norfolk Broads day-dreaming over my second G&T while the assistant skipper - ‘er indoors, or rather ‘er on board - navigated to the next pub) when we passed a bit close to a swan’s nest. Not a wise move…the bloody great male took off and came skimming down the water towards the stern like an Exocet missile; said assistant skipper shrieked like a banshee, panicked and headed too close to the bank, taking half a dozen fishing contestants’ lines with her.

I always thought angling to be a gentle and passive sport, designed to engender a feeling of blissful peace and tranquility among its devotees, but judging by some of the roars of displeasure hurled in our direction it may be assumed that they can be just as ungruntled as anyone else whose day has just gone tits up.

The Exocet landed on the water a couple of feet behind the boat (and myself, still clutching my G&T) making some very blood-curdling swan noises as we did the aquatic version of a runner, but the bloody thing gave us a few seconds start - and himself enough distance for another take-off - and launched an even more frightening strafing mission.

He eventually turned round and returned to base, probably for re-fuelling, but not before several more attacks.

I learned two important things that day: Never piss off a swan while its mate is occupied in hatching out the kids, and secondly that the things are big - bloody big- when seen at eye-level from about two feet away.

Fred Moletrousers wrote:

Syl wrote:Just an update on what to feed the birds. (yes ...I googled)
Apparently, bread is OK for swans, they have a different digestive system to ducks and geese.
Bread in small amounts is OK for all birds, but it can pollute the water so other food stuffs are more advisable.

Incidentally, last time I fed swans one accidentally bit me....they dont have teeth, but it still drew blood.

Being attacked by a grumpy swan is bloody scary, I can tell you.

Some years ago I was happily imagining myself to be on a Mediterranean cruise (actually I was sitting in the back of a hire cruiser on the Norfolk Broads  day-dreaming over my second G&T while the assistant skipper - ‘er indoors, or rather ‘er on board - navigated to the next pub) when we passed a bit close to a swan’s nest. Not a wise move…the bloody great male  took off and came skimming down the water towards the stern like an Exocet missile; said assistant skipper shrieked like a banshee, panicked and headed too close to the bank, taking half a dozen fishing contestants’ lines with her.

I always thought angling to be a gentle and passive sport, designed to engender a feeling of blissful peace and tranquility among its devotees, but judging by some of the roars of displeasure  hurled in our direction it may be assumed that they can be just as ungruntled as anyone else whose day has just gone tits up.

The Exocet landed on the water a couple of feet behind the boat (and myself, still clutching my G&T) making some very blood-curdling swan noises as we did the aquatic version of a runner, but the bloody thing gave us a few seconds start - and himself enough distance for another take-off - and launched an even more frightening strafing mission.

He eventually  turned round and returned to base, probably for re-fuelling, but not before several more attacks.

I learned two important things that day: Never piss off a swan while its mate is occupied in hatching out the kids, and secondly that the things are big - bloody big- when seen at eye-level from about two feet away.

They are big, and they can be aggresive when protecting their young, as you found out.

My swan wasn't aggresive, just hungry. He snatched a bit too enthusiastically at the bread i was holding out for him.
Swans dont have teeth, but they have bloody sharp gums.