Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 7th April, 2025)

Where's the swans?If there are large trees round the pond NO Swans will land on it. A few years ago they had to cut trees down at the three sisters lake to make a clear flight path for the swans.On the photo the couple who are sat on the bench seem to be looking at a pond devoid of birds

Sorry to say Mick but this PAD is not as inspiring as the canal pond that Colin posted the other day.
Also I can see on the left the relatively new idea of using brushwood as a barrier to stop people from straying where 'they' don't want you to go, in this case falling into the water. The Woodland Trust do it in the woods here so you keep to the regular pathways & do as you are told.

That’s lovely spot, was there on Friday.

Swans, I see no Swans.
Looks like that ponds filled with red oxide to me, all the trees are dead, they’ve already chopped one down.

The original owners more than likely used it for ornamental purposes and the birds clipped PeterP.

I don't see any swans, but I can see a green dog muck bag and a pigeon in that rather large tree.

You should know because it has been on here before, Mick means the swans in question here are Swan Freshwater Mussels, their Latin name is Anodonta cygnea, the hall owners of the time would have built this pond to take advantage of the freshwater spring that bubbles up and runs in at the top left and drains to the right, it then runs underground again and most likely runs into the Yellow Brook.
There are also other Freshwater Mussels that live in the lakes, rivers and canals, have a read here, fascinating: https://bna-naturalists.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Guide-to-Fresh-Water-Mussels.pdf

If Constable had lived in Wigan he would have painted this scene.

Just short of a rustic cart and a stone cottage..

Slow train , however you like ..

I’ll wait on the bench
the one we both know
I’m sure you’ll find it
as I will
I might be late
so you be as well
I lost my watch
but you know that
I’ve got me another
but not like yours
you gave me that
so it’s special
Wherever it’s gone
some day it will show
and someone will then ask a question
Is it the time that we wear
or with those who we share
that makes it …a nicer ,
more richer , slow train ?

Here's a photo from 2014 when FOHCP were restoring the Swan Pond back to how it was: https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/photoaday.php?photo=2014-06-15

and John Morris quoted that the Swan Mussels tasted foul, but all the Earls and Lords did like eating foul tasting food, like venison or grouse which had to be green before it was considered ready for eating.
Plenty of Red Dogwood looks to be growing there now, and does look good reflecting in the pond.

If it was a Wigan version, there would be no need for anything else. It would get painted as the eye can see.
And the reason it was named Swan Lake was because of the classical ballets the Earl used to enjoy putting on.

Looks like Dave’s been taking poetry lessons from ‘e’ to me .
Well … may as well be the first to say it … Give it up lad … Jeez ! it doesn’t rhyme and it doesn’t scan … ergo… it just ain’t poetry .
There may be a name for it but in my book poetry it ain’t .
Forgive me for pixxing on your parade Dave … just sayin’ .

If Constable had painted this and Mick was around Mick would have trashed it.

He would have included him in the painting Dtease with his bike for prosperity ….
Same as Will Lott’s Cottage…and the cart.