swan drama

[Rick-n-Jo]

 

Returning to the boat this evening, we were enthusiastically greeted by our resident swan family, mum and this years seven nearly grown cygnets, wheep wheeping away.

A couple of hours later I was head down in the stern working on the new propulsion system when hearing a commotion, Jo looked out of the side hatch. Two of the youngsters were tangled and tied together with a horrible mess of fishing line, hook and lure. We grabbed a bath towel and some bread crusts and took to the towpath (Jo in her pajamas) to try and get them close enough to grab. Saul moorings are deep with piling edges, but eventually managed to catch the worst injured by its neck, then get hands under and lift it on to the bank and wrap it in the towel. We then had to haul it's sibling in by the line wrapped tightly around it's leg and body and get that one ashore too.

Swan one was sitting quietly under the towel so we set about untangling swan two with kitchen scissors - and fending off mum and the rest of the family.

With two freed and back in the water we turned to the blood stained number one, still waiting patiently. Under a mass of line, blood and feather it had one of those horrible rubber fish shaped lures with a three pronged barbed hook, two points right through its leg and one hooked around the tendon.

The poor thing was being brave, but we must have been hurting it trying to cut away the mess and remove the hooks. Getting nowhere Jo fetched pliers and cutters from the boat and after a struggle we cut the barbed points off and got the hook out. TCP applied.

Relieved to see it swim vigorously away using both legs, now we just have to hope for no serious infection.

I don't suppose I have to describe our rage at the b****** who left that evil mess in the water. A criminal fish thief, we know the legitimate anglers don't use that kind of tackle.

Dammit, those swans are like friends.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Rick-n-Jo

[Jennifer McM]

WELL DONE! Thank you on behalf of the swans. Problem is the fisherman wont know what pain he's inflicted. 

 

Don't know where you are but perhaps a call to http://www.theswansanctuary.org.uk/ who might send a local rescuer out to keep an eye on the family?

[Rick-n-Jo]

We're not far from the Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge, who we've called on in the past.

 

Mum and five offspring returned to boat just before midnight. Hope that the two casualties were just resting and recovering somewhere.

[Nut]

well done ,great job and good karma ,be proud of  yourselves not an easy task I imagine

[Jo_]

2 minutes ago, Nut said:

well done ,great job and good karma ,be proud of  yourselves not an easy task I imagine

Ditto 

[Boater Sam]

Had the same problem in Poynton with a mallard years ago, same sort of triple hook, horrible things.

 

Our swans are trained on Frosties, they love them.

[Rick-n-Jo]

35 minutes ago, Nut said:

well done ,great job and good karma ,be proud of  yourselves not an easy task I imagine

Didn't think we were going to manage for a while tbh, impressed by how calm they all were though, like they knew we were trying to help.

Ended up covered in blood and swan poop though, they void their bowels when stressed.......

[Jerra]

57 minutes ago, Nut said:

,be proud of  yourselves not an easy task I imagine

I think being proud of themselves should be an easy task!     

 

Seriously very well done.

[Rick-n-Jo]

We were dead chuffed to come home to this sight tonight.

 

Yay!!!