Kirsty is one of our swan team in Glasgow.

She hasn’t been too busy this year, although quite a lot of local Facebook pages have her number. If someone reports a swan in trouble Kirsty will often get a call.

She has been out moving swans from busy roads, separating swans from territorial battles and even taking them home for a couple of days to recuperate in her greenhouse.

She must have been disappointed that we weren’t taking swans in to Hessilhead, but we had to put the health of our other residents first.

It wasn’t long ago that Kirsty got a call from Glasgow Vet School. They had a swan in care, and the only reason they could see for blood was the hook in the end of its tongue. The hook was removed, but it kept on bleeding.

The team had to cauterize the wound and eventually the flow of blood stopped. Kirsty suggested that if they could keep the swan safe overnight, she would collect it in the morning.

So next day a maroon coloured swan arrived at Hessilhead.

The swan looked very bright and alert, and we decided it would be safe to put the bird in a separate shed.

We made the shed comfortable with duvets and towels, and left the bird there for the night.

Next day the red was wearing off, and the following day we moved her to an enclosure.

She enjoyed bathing in the pool, and within a few days she was fit to return to Glasgow.