As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Rescuers come to aid of ailing trumpeter swan on St. Croix River

By Andy Rathbun, St. Paul Pioneer Press on Feb 18, 2015 at 12:53 p.m.

HUDSON, Wis. -- A trumpeter swan was seen on Valentine’s Day helping free a sick swan from ice on the St. Croix River near Hudson. Days later, it was a group of humans’ turn to help the bird in need.

Several people arrived on the bank of the St. Croix on Tuesday afternoon with nets, kayaks and a plan to catch a young swan that appeared to be suffering from lead poisoning.

The cygnet was among Wisconsin’s largest wintering flock of swans, but it had isolated itself from others and displayed other signs of lead poisoning — a common problem for trumpeter swans when they eat lead shot and sinkers from river and lake bottoms.

No comments:

Post a Comment