Four black swans spotted in pond on Cowdray Estate

Visitors to Benbow Pond on the Cowdray Estate have been left mystified after four, rare black swans appeared SUS-200807-162628001

Black swans are a rare sight in the UK, with breeds mainly in Australia.

However, whilst visiting Benbow Pond on Sunday afternoon, Henley residents John and Rosemary Trueman were shocked to see four of the waterbirds sail into sight.

Referencing Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s black swan theory, John said: “The black swan originates in south Australia and has given the name to River Swan in south west Australia.

Visitors to Benbow Pond on the Cowdray Estate have been left mystified after four, rare black swans appeared SUS-200907-103309001

“Black swans were brought over at some point in the 1800s as ornamental birds for large estates and they still are seen at Dawlish and other places but I seem to recall only 19 pairs have recently been recorded as breeding in England.

“We haven’t seen them since the year 2007, the year of the financial crash.

“Is Covid-19 the original black swan event or, as some observers feel, was it entirely predictable?”

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