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A Sad Farewell to Our Swans - 2001

It is not the same in Caldy Nature Park without our swans. Our newsletter in November 1993 reported that a cob and pen had arrived in the park. David Cummings told us that the female pen had been ringed 2BY on Christleton pond in 1989. We were thrilled when they first nested in 1997 but very disappointed when the eggs exploded. She had sat on those eggs from April to June and seemed very weak when she finally gave up.

This sad story was repeated in the next three years and several theories were put forward for the pair's infertility. 2BY was an old swan and maybe past her fertile years, perhaps the habitat in the park was not right for the breeding of swans. David has suggested that as 2BY had a history of breeding successfully, perhaps the cob was to blame.

At the start of this year, the cob began to get restless and flew off several times. He certainly was not around when the pen was attacked by a dog on 12th March. She was badly injured and the RSPCA responded very quickly to requests for help. She was taken to Stapely Grange near Northwich where she was put on a drip immediately, she was given antibiotics and painkillers. She seemed to be doing quite well but on 28th March, the RSPCA decided that she had internal injuries, her liver was damaged and the kindest thing to do was to put her to sleep. We are grateful to the RSPCA for the care they gave her and we are all very sorry that she has died. She was 15 years old, a good age for a swan although they can live to 25. The Committee have made a donation to the RSPCA.

The cob did not have a ring on his leg - it is possible he has gone to join a group of unmarked males on the Dee. David keeps tracks of the swans and tells me that they can fly vast distances, hundreds of miles. In 1989, there were 14 breeding pairs of swans in Cheshire, the ban on lead weights was introduced and we now have 150 breeding pairs in Cheshire. This increase is very evident if you go down to the Groves and see how many swans are around.

Dave Woods, the Dog Warden employed by Chester City Council has written to the lady who was in charge of the dog who attacked the swan. You can be sure that this particular dog will not be seen again in the valley.

The root of the problem was that she was not in control of the dog, who slipped his leash to attack the swan in the water. Dog owners know their own dogs and their behaviour and if there is any doubt, they should be kept on a lead.

Dave Woods has found that with the closing of footpaths because of foot and mouth there has been a lot more fouling of footpaths. Certainly a lot more people have been using the park to exercise their digs. No problem here provided they keep their dogs under control and pick up any mess their dogs make.

Chester City Council are very committed to helping with this problem and we have 7 dog bins around the park. At present these are being emptied three times a week due to foot and mouth. Five of the plastic liners to the bins were burnt a week or so ago so Dave Woods will try to replace them with metal liners- which cost £12 each. As always, there is a good side and a bad side to every problem.

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