Asbaby the swan: terrorising Cambridge punters, just like his granddad

Students and tourists are being attacked by a swan on the River Cam where the legendary Mr Asbo – reportedly his forebear – once wreaked havoc

Wed 19 Jun 2019 17.46 BSTLast modified on Thu 20 Jun 2019 10.39 BST

Name: Asbaby.

Age: Unknown, though he has been cropping up in reports of violence since 2015.

Location: The River Cam in Cambridge, which, like the city itself, is full of entitled students and tourists paying a fortune for punts, who find themselves united in the battle between humans and swans.

And so who is Asbaby? A hero or villain – it depends whose side you are on. He is the latest swan to wage war on humans, and was recently photographed attacking students who had jumped into the river after college celebrations.

What do you mean by “the latest”? Asbaby’s “grandfather” – it is far from clear that a familial link has ever been established – was Mr Asbo, a wonderfully combative swan who terrorised rowers and everyone else on the river from 2010 until he was controversially moved to a secret location 60 miles from Cambridge in 2012.

Asbo? Oh come on, you remember, it’s the acronym for anti-social behaviour order – Tony Blair’s big idea that was introduced in 1998 to stop public drunkenness and other loutish behaviour, and which has now gone the way of all his other big ideas, such as economic growth, being on friendly terms with Europe and waging wars in the Middle East.

But back to this battleground ... Well, no sooner had Mr Asbo been carted off to some rural backwater where he could no longer wreak havoc than his supposed son Asboy appeared on the scene, pecking punters, roughing up rowers and scaring students.

So what happened to Asboy? Well, swans do all look pretty similar: could Asboy and Asbaby be the same swan? Or have generations of an entire flock been driven mad by posh students in rowing blazers?

Read more

'Long neck of the law' apprehends swan on A47 near Norwich

26 April 2017

A swan was given a "lift" by the "long neck of the law" after causing chaos during the morning rush hour.

The bird landed on the A47 near Norwich at about 07:00 BST and took a waddle through the traffic.

The swan kept Norfolk Police officers busy for about 40 minutes as they created a rolling roadblock to protect it, before persuading the winged wanderer into the boot of their car.

The beleaguered bird was later released safely into water nearby.



Continued

Police called in to rescue bird seen swanning around on the M25

MICHAEL CLARKE

A swan has caused traffic havoc on the M25 this morning as the police had to escort the bird from the road.

A picture of the swan being followed by a police car appeared on Twitter after lengthy delays on the motorway near junction 13. 

One user posted: "Police 'escorting' a swan on the M25 during morning peak traffic #loveit"

Another Twitter user said: "Swan. Flanked by 2 police officers.simonpegg eat your heart out"

The bird held up traffic between junction 13 and 14 during one of the busiest periods of the day. 

Read on ...

Swan brings Heathrow runway to a standstill

11 November 2014 Last updated at 06:53 GMT

A swan has caused a queue of aircraft at Heathrow, leaving passengers waiting while staff tried to escort it from the runway.

Aviation enthusiast Daniel, who was flying back to his home in Sweden, caught the incident on camera as he waited for his flight at Heathrow Airport.

He told the BBC that he and several other onlookers watched the chase and said that the situation was "handled very well".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29998795

Like father, like swan: Angry bird dubbed Asboy attacks punters in Cambridge just like his dad used to

'Vicious' swan nicknamed 'Asboy' has been terrorising punters on River Cam

Bird is son of 'Mr Asbo' - violent swan which was removed from river in 2012

'Asboy' pecks, hisses and flaps its wings at any boat which gets close to it

Deemed worse than father who was moved 60 miles away due to behaviour

By EMMA GLANFIELD FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 15:35, 13 August 2014 | UPDATED: 19:48, 13 August 2014

A swan dubbed 'Asboy' has become the latest in his family to terrorise punters and kayakers as they try to enjoy a relaxing jaunt on an idyllic Cambridge river.

The feathered fiend, who is the son of 'Mr Asbo', is now causing his own havoc on the River Cam after his father was removed in 2012 after becoming too violent.

'Asboy', who rules the roost by swimming up and down pecking at punters and flying into families on the waterway, has already attacked a canoeist and swimmer.

Read more: 

Swan shot with crossbow in 'horrific' attack in Norfolk

A swan has died after being shot twice with a crossbow in Norfolk, just weeks after a goose was found nearby with a bolt in its back.

The disturbing attacks happened just two miles from each other and the RSPCA fears they could be linked.

Inspector Justin Stubbs said the swan, which was found swimming in a river in Upwell earlier this month, had one bolt in its shoulder and another deeply embedded in its rear.

He said: “I hadn't even seen the second bolt until the swan was examined by vets at the hospital. It was deeply embedded in the flesh and covered by tail feathers.

“Presumably someone must have shot this beautiful bird with this cruel weapon, and then calmly reloaded and shot him a second time.

“This is the most recent in what feels like a sustained attack on the wildlife in this area and I am very anxious to put a stop to it.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/swan-shot-with-crossbow-in-horrific-attack-in-norfolk-9361889.html

Police hunt for man 'who beheaded swan at beauty spot and stuffed it in his bag' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2587952/Police-hunt-man-beheaded-swan-beauty-spot-stuffed-bag.html#ixzz2wvqqjVbU Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

A man is wanted by police for beheading a swan at a lake in Hildenbough, Kent

The man was seen wearing a red jacket as he stuffed the swan into his bag and fled the scene

Kent Police have appealed to members of the public to come forward if they have any further information on the horrific incident

By BELINDA ROBINSON

PUBLISHED: 13:37, 24 March 2014 | UPDATED: 16:14, 24 March 2014

A man is wanted by police on suspicion of beheading a swan and stuffing it in his bag at a picturesque lake.

The unnamed man seen wearing a red jacket, was seen stuffing the lifeless body of a swan into his red and black rucksack at 18-acre Bennett’s Lake in Hildenborough, Kent.

It's not known why the man took the swan, but some locals have speculated that he may have wanted it for his dinner.

The amateur photographer who took the picture of the man allegedly stealing the swan last week, passed it onto his friend, wildlife lover Steve Robinson - who immediately handed it in to Kent Police for further investigation.

Mr Robinson said: 'This b****** is killing swans in the Tonbridge area, here he is after putting one in his bag.'

Mr Robinson said his friend was fishing at the popular lake when he spotted the man apparently attack the swan on March 18, at around 4pm, cutting its head off at the bottom of the neck so it would fit into his rucksack.

The onlooker rushed over to tell the man to stop, but it was too late and the swan had already been decapitated and slung into the rucksack.

The man then ran off when he realised that someone had spotted him.

Kent Police have launched an investigation, but said no arrests have been made.

A spokesman told Mail Online: 'Kent Police is investigating a report that a man decapitated a swan in Tonbridge.

Read more: 

Swanning across the road: Bird gets lost and halts morning traffic on The Mall

A lone swan which wandered on to The Mall caused delays for morning commuters today.

The bird was pictured on the busy central London road outside the Cabinet Office after it blocked cars heading southbound.

It was later rescued and taken back to a nearby park.

The image was posted on an official Transport for London (TfL) Twitter account with the caption: "Supervisor to the rescue, here's the swan from The Mall. Good news is that he's been moved back into the park now."

Continued

Queen's Swan Found Cooked Near Windsor Castle

A swan owned by the Queen has been found barbecued on the banks of the Thames in the shadow of Windsor Castle.

The Royal bird was found on Baths Island, in the middle of a picnic area popular with children and tourists.

It had been cooked with its feathers still attached, and meat had been stripped from its carcass.

Park wardens made the gruesome discovery in Windsor, Berkshire, at 3pm on Sunday, and called Swan Lifeline, which cares for sick or injured birds along the Thames.

Wendy Hermon, treatment centre co-ordinator for Swan Lifeline, told Sky News Online: "They were in the middle of their walkabout when they phoned us to say we've found what looks like the remains of a cooked swan.

"It's absolutely disgusting doing something like that. We've heard for years that sort of thing goes on; we've never actually seen it.

Continued

Swan shot with cross bow reunited with mate

A swan shot with a cross bow in Lynemouth, Northumberland has been released back into the wild where her mate was still waiting for her after nine days apart.

The female swan had been in the care of Robson & Prescott veterinary centre in Morpeth since Monday, 15 July. She was taken there by us after being rescued from the River Lyne.

RSPCA Inspector Trevor Walker said:

“We got a call from a member of the public that a swan had a cross bow bolt through her neck and I went out to try and find her.

It took a couple of visits before I spotted her and her mate. She was on the water so I requested the help of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, who were outstanding.”

Released back to the wild

Officers from Green Watch at Pegswood fire station came to the swan’s aid and were there again to witness her being returned to the wild.

Steve Richards, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Northumberland Fire and Rescue service, said:

“Our crews are equipped and trained to respond to a variety of emergency situations. However the assistance given to the RSPCA in the rescue of the swan was somewhat out of the ordinary and assisted in a positive outcome on this occasion.”

Continued

Swan’s ‘arrest’ kicks up row

The city police ‘arrested a swan’ as the bird was pecking passers-by in a colony. The police action against the bird came under sharp criticism from animal welfare activists.

According to sources, a woman lodged a complaint with the Nunna police a few days ago, alleging that a swan (khajana bathu) pecked her five-year-old daughter while she was playing in front of her house in Sugali Colony. She alleged that the swan was chasing the public and creating nuisance. Acting on the complaint, the police detained the bird and tied it on the station premises.

The police informed the Forest Department authorities of the matter, who said that the case did not come under their purview. Nunna police personnel released the swan on Tuesday, when the higher officials pulled them up in the case.

‘Petty case’

Central Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) D.V. Nageswara Rao said that the Blue Colts police brought the swan to the station and booked a ‘petty case’. “An inquiry will be conducted into the incident,” said the ACP.

Speaking to The Hindu, Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife) G. Anand clarified that a domesticated swan does not come under the wildlife category. “We will enquire whether the bird was subjected to cruelty or not,” said the DFO.

A.P. State Cow Protection and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in-charge Hastimal C. Jain said that the police could take action against the custodian of the swan in the case, but not against the bird. It is learnt that the police tied the swan on the station premises and did not provide it with proper food and water.

“Police acted cruelly against the bird. We demand an inquiry into the incident and feel a case should be booked against the staff responsible under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” Mr. Jain said.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/swans-arrest-kicks-up-row/article4808189.ece

Lone mother swan struggling to bring up her flock

Mute swan single mother bringing up the kids on her own

June 2013.  Mute swans are reasonably common and widespread across the UK, but we have not had one on our local pond since we have been here (10 years) until 2013. Earlier this year, a pair took up residence, and duly produced a clutch of eggs amongst the vegetation on the small island. 

Tragically, shortly after the eggs were laid, the male (Cob) swan flew into some overhead cables and was killed, leaving the mother (Pen) to look after her eggs and then to bring up the cygnets by herself. 

EARLY MAY, SITTING ON THE EGGS - A

 JOB SHE HAS HAD TO ALONE FOR NEARLY 6 WEEKS

 

So far, the pen has proved an exemplary mother, hatching all 8 eggs (on about 17th May) and managing to keep all of her cygnets alive for the first 2 weeks.

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/swan-cygnets.html