Mute Swan mayhem!

Recently on the lake at Holmebrook Valley there have been 5 Mute Swans. Two 3s (born this year), one 5 (born last year) and 2 adults including a davic ringed male 089 from Treeton Dyke.

All 6 Swan on 23/10/18

One of the cygnets went missing around the 6th of November and I assumed it had been killed by either a dog or a Mink that I had seen round the lake. Today I found what really happened. Unfortunately it got lead poisoning and was taken in by the RSPCA. They have looked after he/she but I am unsure if they are going to return it back on the lake anytime soon.

All three of this years cygnets with there mum on 16/10/18

Yesterday morning someone reported 8 Mute Swans on the lake. They consisted of the normal Swans, two new adults and there cygnet. As you can imagine, our pair would not be happy with this and I presume the male 089 would have been very aggressive and they all got driven off. Later on they were found in the estate below the park on the road. The RSPCA were soon called. The male Swan was apparently covered in blood but this later was found to have come from a small cut which I presume 089 did while protecting his territory on the lake. This bird was taken first into care and will probably be released at Poolsbrook CP in Staveley. The cygnet and other adult bird flew off south later before the RSPCA came back and were not seen again.

This morning (17th) when I went to the park I noticed that the adult female had disappeared which is quite concerning. I checked the nearby Walton Dam but only the resident female "Polish" Mute Swan 462Y was there. I will update if I get anymore information and hopefully she will return.

"Polish" Mute Swan 462Y at Walton Dam

I would like to say thanks to my Aunty for all the information and keeping an eye on the female and cygnet to make sure they didn't get hit by any buses and cars. Also thanks to the RSPCA for helping and looking after the Swans.

Walton Dam Mute Swans 27/03/18

Last Tuesday I cycled along Walton Dam in Chesterfield with a friend to look for some ringed Mute Swans that are present there. We found two Mute Swans easily near the dam. The birds were 460Y and 462Y. These birds were ringed at Walton Dam back in September 2016 with a 3rd bird 461Y which was not there today.

460Y

462Y

The swan 462Y has pale legs instead of black legs which means its a "Polish" Mute Swan which is a morph which causes them to have light legs and white cygnets instead of the normal dark cygnets. Also present on the lake were a couple of Canada Geese and with it was a Hybrid Goose which has been seen at Linacre Reservoirs since 2006.

Hybrid goose at Walton Dam

Hybrid Duck at Linacre Res March 2013

Photo by Peter Stoppard

It was nice to relocate the Hybrid Goose. Now I just have to wait till it turns up at Holmebrook Valley.