Sea Swan

At the age of seventy-five, Elzibah Swan decides to take up swimming, a pastime which enriches her life and one which she shares through letters with her young grandchildren.

Chios: part six of a fast-paced serialised novel set in the turbulent Europe of the fifteenth century. A young Englishman, Tom Swan, finds himself in the midst of the Turkish siege of one of the richest islands in the Genoese Empire. Swan's biggest problem is that he hates the Genoese a good deal more than he hates the Turks. Despite which, he has to catch the spy, steal the ring, kill the traitor and, if possible, rescue the princess. Or maybe just bed her. All in the line of duty, of course. So he can get home to the Cardinal, his boss, and his wife, the most beautiful woman in Italy. Suddenly he's a knight, a man of action, a leader of men. And none of those are roles he asked for. From the Knights of Rhodes to the court of Mehmet II and Pope Pius II, Swan has to use his sword - and his wits - just to stay alive. And married.

This is the first ever monograph on the Whooper Swan. This species is found in the northern Palearctic and is the world's most widely distributed swan. It is a familiar bird in northern Europe and across Asia to the far East, and is particularly noticeable when migrating between breeding and wintering grounds in large, noisy flocks. This migratory behaviour makes it a powerful symbol of seasonal change, and this, together with the bird's beautiful appearance, make it a popular subject of folklore and legend. For much of its range the Whooper Swan is the archetypal 'wild swan', and its voice and appearance is deeply evocative of time and place. This book looks at all aspects of the life and times of this enchanting bird. The book includes chapters on taxonomy, population, range and distribution, diet, breeding biology, behaviour, migratory behaviour and longevity, as well as taking a look at the swan's associations with our own species in history and legend and throughout its geographic range. This book is a brilliantly readable and exhaustively researched monograph. It is illustrated throughout with numerous photographs and line drawings, illustrating various aspects of the species' behaviour and morphology. It will appeal greatly to all those with an interest in birdwatching, especially those who already know something of this wonderful and inspirational bird.