For years Joe Telfer and the waterfowl of Nairn were entirely synonymous. The 77-year-old, who passed away after a long illness, was the self-appointed custodian of the River Nairn’s wildlife, earning him the moniker, ‘Swan Man’.
However tireless his commitment to the birds and their habitat, he was equally uncompromising in his stance on dog walking, water use and how his beloved river was looked after, making him one of Nairn’s most beloved – and most polarising – characters.
“He was Marmite,” said Martin Shand, chairman of the River Nairn Swans and Waterfowl Trust, which was founded by Joe.
“Either deeply adored, or otherwise, but you can’t argue with his passion for nature.”
He had an epiphany
Joe – a father and grandfather – first became interested in the natural world when his father brought in trout during rationing after WW2.
“I remember he was president of the local angling club in Lanarkshire during the 1950s. He took me on a fishing trip to the Tay at Aberfeldy. I discovered my first robin’s nest in the root of an upturned tree, with tiny delicate eggs which he made sure I didn’t touch,” wrote Joe in his blog.
At a time when tuberculosis was common, the busload of mainly coal miner anglers he went fishing with, donated half their catch to the local sanatorium on the way home forging forever a link between nature and wellbeing.
In the 1960s Joe worked around the world in the business sector, then as a hunter and fisherman. At which time he said he experienced ‘epiphany moments.’
‘It’s up to us now…’
He developed a passion for nature, the environment and Scotland’s natural beauty.
“With a lifetime of changes – from the milk being delivered by horse and cart to sitting at a computer doing a blog… Familiarity breeds contempt, and the consumerism of society is a major threat to the entire planet,” he wrote.
“As the apex species, I think it’s incumbent on us to protect and conserve other species. I concentrate on what I can do personally to protect what I believe is important.”
And what he could do personally was nurture and protect the wildlife of Nairn River.
Simply Superb Swans
Joe founded the trust around 10 years ago but had been interested in the welfare of the river and its inhabitants much longer.
He was Marmite. Either deeply adored, or otherwise, but you can’t argue with his passion for nature.”
In 2017 he wrote that he had been watching and caring for the resident swans on his local river estuary for 18 years.
Charmed and fascinated by their parental skills and beauty in the water, he named them ‘Simply Superb Swans’ – and titled his blog the same.
Writing about them sometimes multiple times a week, his posts have been viewed more than 600,000 times. His trust also grew, and now has members all over the UK.
During his tenure he acted as treasurer but never stopped being vigilant to what he perceived were the needs of the birds.
Council row
In 2017 when the local authority cut back the grassy banks near bird nests, inadvertently destroying habitat and fruit-bearing plants, Joe demanded the area be replanted.
He also vigilantly monitored the water for pollution.
Joe died on Saturday, September 3 in one of his favourite places.
Police Scotland confirmed a 77-year-old man had become unwell at The Moorings on Harbour Street in Nairn around 11.30am. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Online tributes
Since his passing hundreds of comments have been posted online.
Ian Pollock expressed his sadness.
“Joe will be missed by many. It’s lovely to read so many people have fond memories of him, myself included. He was part of the regular riverside scenery.
“I was lucky to spend some time with Joe on the river, rescuing motherless ducklings from the river this year. Joe took them under his care until they were big enough to be reintroduced to the river.”
He added: “This morning on my regular riverside walk I went past the spot where Joe passed. I saw the mother duck with three golden ducklings and their brown siblings. Joe was feeding three to four times a day to make sure they survived. They were asleep on that spot. Rest easy Joe.”
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