That Girl from Derwent dwells on the value of religion this Christmas.
That Girl from Derwent has learned a few more things about prejudice since moving up North.
That Girl From Derwent reckons if you're going to be offensive, you should find a better reason.
That Girl from Derwent considers why it is that some words have wider implications than others.
Ducks, right? That's all anyone ever thinks about when they think of campus wildlife, apart from the odd goose. But there are other birds on campus, even when you never see them...
I shall start with a creature that few have seen, and even less know exists on campus: Great Crested Grebes. These strange yet beautiful birds hang out near the Health Centre and Goodricke. You may have seen them, and not recognised them. The babies look like little stripy logs, floating on the water showing no signs of life. Then one will lift up its head, and you'll realise that the unassuming log ends in a point, as it were.
These rare creatures are a sight to see, and to see the parent is even rarer, although if they are there then they're hard to miss. They they look like their heads are permanently on fire, with demonic red eyes, long snaky necks and white chests. If you ever get a chance to see their mating dance it might remind you of students on a night out to Ziggy's: first they eye each other, then they begin to undulate to music only they can hear, before the wonderful moment of coupling. My David Attenborough impression is now over.
If you ever get a chance to see their mating dance it might remind you of students on a night out to Ziggy's.
There are other unusual birds on campus, from odd ducks to the rare and slightly menacing looking black swans. These dark birds, the Australian cousins of our native white mute swans, are a common sight on campus. With their red beaks, red eyes, and jet black feathers, they look vaguely sinister to even the most bird-loving students.
Despite appearances, they aren't more evil than any other swan. However, swans can be particularly malevolent birds whatever the breed, as anyone who has encountered an angry one on a towpath or lakeside can testify. It may not be true that a swan's wing can break a man's arm, but it's not through lack of trying. So it may be that the best option when dealing with the back swans is admiration from afar.
I could go on, but as we all know, students have a limited attention span. Next week we will look at the infamous and much-missed Fit Duck!
A swan can only break a man's arm "in exceptional cases. If a wing in full span and velocity were to hit a weak-boned person (such as a child or an elderly person) then it is theoretically possible. In reality it is almost unheard of and is never used as a form of attack as swans are a defensive bird. The only time they become aggressive is when they are protecting their nesting ground or cygnets when they will chase off intruders, be they other swans, geese or humans who get too close."
Looking forward doing a bit of ornithology now! 
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