#1 0f 16: *** Our Cygnet is fine but had a harrowing, dangerous, life-threatening experience last Saturday. The photos in the series # 2-16 are not easy to take, so I just wanted to give everyone a heads-up to either look or not. I have thought long and hard about posting these photos. I hope that I gave enough fair warning. *** #1 of 16: I’m purposely posting my 1st photo (which was taken today) to head up the rest of the series which was taken Saturday for two reasons: 1. - to show how swans reach up for food. 2. To give you a jumping-off spot to choose not to continue. In this 1st photo, the cygnet reaches up to eat some weeping birch leaves as the tree hangs over the pond. It is a favorite spot for the swan family to eat. It is normal for swans to reach up and eat from the bank or low-hanging trees. Here goes; While I was photographing the Swan Family (they were in the middle of the pond) it appeared that the cygnet was playing in the water. Every once in a while, cygnets splash around and even dive a bit under water. The parents, if there was something under water would react toward the threat and last Saturday they did not. That caused me to feel that the cygnet was playing. It wasnt until well into the cygnets behavior (which lasted 1 minute 6 seconds) did they begin to show concern. As I photographed, although I tend to get a little nervous when a cygnet plays, I just thought that parents had had enough of play and wished to get their little one back to eating. The heart-sickening reality occurred to me when I got home and downloaded my photos. I was so crazed to see that for that 1 minute and 6 seconds, the cygnet was actually snagged by fish line that was attached to a tree and extended down into the water and somehow hooked on something under water to create a tight diagonal line from tree to submersion. I suppose that the cygnet thought it was a food source and got immediately snagged. The little one fought and fought as the fish line quickly became wrapped twice around the poor cygnets neck. It was just a fortunate turn of events that the cygnets turned in the correct direction to unwrap his/herself and become free. She almost died. The only way to get to the line, and get it the hell out of the water, is by boat. I was able to get one of our town park employees to do just that. So, the fish line is gone and our cygnet is fine. Our cygnets have so many natural predators that to think that some selfish person who cast a line that got hooked in the tree, which then caused the cygnet to almost be killed, is just beyond anything that I can comprehend, There is a No Fishing rule that some ignore. - - Just like the No Dogs rule. If you feel so moved, please either call the Town of Huntington or send an email with your concerns. Here is an attached link to the Town’s officials who may be able to help: huntingtonny.gov/content/13865/19034.aspx
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 02:47:40 +0000
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