Where is Eric?
Eric unexpectedly left the pond on Monday morning 23 June – he was seen flying in an easterly direction just after 10.00am.
He was hale and hearty, and had been fed his usual swan pellets the previous day. An SSPCA officer had attend to check on him, and left him to look after his cygnets. The SSPCA were contacted but had no record of him being removed for treatment.
Despite searches high and low by various swan spotters on the pond and surrounding areas, and the canal between Wester Hailes and Fountainbridge and elsewhere, no sign of Eric was found! This is very disconcerting and worrying, not least for Dotty who is now looking after the six cygnets by herself. She is doing a magnificent job and they continue to thrive. They are quite big now and nearly three months old.
The other waterbirds are all thriving.