Rob Adamson from St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, is known as “the swan man” for a reason close to his heart- the local waterfowl.
The 42-year-old has worked at Jones Boatyard for more than 10 years and lives in a boat on the water that helps keep him close to the swans he cares so much for.
Among them is a particular pair of swans, who haven’t had it easy right from the beginning. He has seen them trying and failing to hatch out and raise their babies. Their eggs being eaten by foxes or swept away by floods, he has seen them really struggle.
One evening when the floodwaters were rising, Adamson’s thoughts were on them, “She is the unluckiest swan; I needed to make sure they survived,” he said. He built a raft tethered with a rope so the distance could be adjusted, and then hoisted the nest onto the flotation device.
Posted by Jones Boatyard on Monday, 17 May 2021
“You’re not supposed to interfere, but it had got to the point where they were all going to die,” he said. “I couldn’t go to bed knowing that. I knew I would regret it if I didn’t do anything to save them.” He added, “The dad was watching too, but neither of them attacked me. I think they knew it was their best chance.”
“It took us all by surprise when the water levels in the lower marina shot up on Saturday night,” the page posted on Monday. “A HUGE thank you to Rob who noticed that the water was lapping around the swans’ nest at 9 pm.”
“Then in the dark, Rob managed to fashion a makeshift raft and lift the nest including hissing Swan and 9 eggs onto the raft. If only the Queen knew what great service he was doing for her feathered friends!” After his life-saving acts, the boatyard said that “most not all” of the eggs have hatched, crediting the swan man for his efforts.
Posted by Jones Boatyard on Monday, 17 May 2021
And this is not the first time Adamson has made it to the news, some years ago, he became famous after rescuing an injured cygnet and raising him. The swan named Sidney grew very attached to him, and even though he was taken away from Adamson, they were again reunited because he missed him so much.
“After Sid, I’ve got a special place in my heart for swans and I have been watching this pair fail for the last 10 years,” Adamson said. “I knocked up a fence to keep the foxes out and I just really want them to make it this time. “This is why I am here, living on the water. I’m in dreamland with all the wildlife. I wouldn’t swap my boat for a £10m house.”
