Speaker Meeting - An illustrated talk with author and journalist Dan Keel: Swan: Portrait of a Majestic Bird

Join us for our next Speaker Meeting as nature author, freelance journalist and photographer Dan Keel introduces us to that majestic bird, the swan.

Our meeting takes places on Monday 9 September 2024 at 7pm for 7:30pm, at Fredrick's Hotel, Shoppenhangers Road, Maidenhead. It includes a two course meal and will conclude around 9:30pm.

Dan is a nature author, freelance journalist and photographer who has written the non-fiction book Swan as well as various articles for Birdwatching Magazine and EnviroNews. A birdwatcher since the age of five, Dan volunteers for the Wildlife Trusts and has written for the Guardian, Daily Mail, News Shopper newspaper series and The Richmond & Twickenham Times.

He says the swan is both a lover and a fighter. A graceful angel and a clumsy oaf, immortalized by artists over the ages yet misunderstood and threatened in the present day, the mute swan – with its orange beak and aura of stately silence – is the breed we know best in Britain. 

Dan has been captivated by these birds since boyhood, studying their contrasting qualities over more than three decades. He’s spent countless hours documenting their power, beauty and vulnerability as a journalist, photographer and private pilot.

His talk is sure to be informative, with an eye to humour, and also the tragic story of the swan.

The cost is £25.00. If you wish to attend, please let President Mark Loader know by 10am on Friday 6 September - markloader@hotmail.com.