Swans hunt for junk food in Lake District town after tourists told to stop feeding them

Sky News 8 March 2019

Swans have been raiding a Lake District town's bins for junk food after tourists were warned to stop feeding it to them.

The birds have been waddling nearly half a mile from Lake Windermere to Bowness-on-Windermere, where they have been scavenging for scraps outside a Tesco supermarket and fast food outlets.

It comes after signs were erected - by an unknown person - urging visitors against throwing fast food or bread to the birds.

Residents are understood to be concerned that the swans could now be hit by cars or attacked by dogs, and that their large size could be intimidating to pedestrians, particularly small children.

Marian Jones, a ranger for the Lake District National Park Authority, said: "One of the reasons swans and other birds are attracted to Bowness is because they're being fed.

"Unfortunately, this can cause health problems for the birds and make them tame, which can put them at risk from traffic and dogs.

"To protect these birds and reduce the risk of accidents, we advise people to not feed them."

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said swans in public spaces can often suffer from serious vitamin deficiencies due to people feeding them bread.

RSPB spokeswoman Annabel Rushton told Sky News: "Fast food should not be fed to swans. Just like us humans, it is not good for them and its grease can get stuck to their feathers making it difficult for them to preen, which they need to do to keep their feathers waterproof.

Read on

England's only resident golden eagle seeks new partner

England's only resident golden eagle is looking for a new mate - 10 years after his last one disappeared.

The bird has occupied a site at Riggindale Valley, near Haweswater in the Lake District, since 2001.

The bird has been seen "sky dancing" - a series of dives and rises aimed at attracting a mate.

Dave Shackleton, an RSPB warden, said the eagle's best hope of finding a new partner would be a female "drifting down from southern Scotland".

Mr Shackleton added: "He will perch high up in a prominent area in the valley and launch himself and do a series of stoops and rises - a bit like a giant bat.

Continued

Grizedale's Red kites thriving - Have you seen any?

More than 200 sightings of Grizedale Forest's red kites recorded but public's help more important than ever

February 2013. Red kites released in the Forestry Commission's Grizedale Forest appear to be thriving following more than 200 sightings of the birds in England and Scotland - however help from the public is becoming more crucial than ever.

Photo courtesy of Forestry Commission

Wildlife officers from the Forestry Commission released 90 red kites as part of a three-year reintroduction programme to return the species to North West England - with the final release of 30 birds taking place last summer.

Mull to Hastings
Grizedale's red kites have been spotted as far north as the Isle of Mull, and as far south as Hastings. Many sightings have been made in Dumfries and Galloway, North Yorkshire and throughout Cumbria, particularly around Broughton-in-Furness and Kirkby Moor. It is hoped the birds will return to Grizedale Forest to breed and establish a sustainable population.

Orange tags
The birds carry an orange tag on their left wings to show they are from Grizedale, and one on the right to indicate the year of release - blue for 2010, white for 2011 and red for 2012. A selection also carried radio transmitters to allow officers to monitor their progress. However, some of the transmitters attached to birds released in 2010 are reaching the end of their battery-life so it is becoming increasingly important to record kites through visual sightings.

Read more:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/grizedale-kites.html