Seward, Alaska
On September 5, I observed
the fabulous resident TRUMPETER SWAN family flying in formation between their
Nash Road nesting site and the head of the bay. The 3 ½ month-old cygnets have
progressed splendidly, now the same size as their parents.
On September 8, I refound
them napping in the sun on the east side of the Nash Road wetlands. It was hard
to count them, partially hidden in the vegetation, but I believe I saw all
seven cygnets with their watchful parents.
On September 10, another
beautiful sunny day, there they were, feeding peacefully at the pond at the
head of the bay. I automatically counted, and then recounted. Only five
cygnets? Only five.
Four fed near what I am
calling mom, and “daddy’s girl” fed near the other. Whichever the gender, one
cygnet has always been very close to one parent and can always be found nearby.
It’s very sweet.
I immediately flashed on
their recent foray to the east side of the Nash Road wetlands, on the other
side of the main transmission lines. I drove over to the wetlands and within
minutes, found a limp, dead cygnet in the shallow water under the wires. I did
not find the other, but assume it too, hit the unseen wires, lost its balance,
and fell to its death. Perhaps a predator hauled it off, or a human. There is
no way that an uninjured cygnet would not be with the rest of the family.
As I was out of town on
September 9, I do not know exactly when this tragedy occurred, but it was
between September 8 and 10.
Trumpeter Swans are protected
by federal law under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Utilities, including cable
companies, can be prosecuted and fined for causing deaths. To date, two of the
four cygnets from the first family of 2014 died on January 4 and 6, and two of
the six cygnets from the 2015 family died on October 2, all at the Lagoon. Six
cygnets have now died from collisions with the wires.
The Lagoon distribution lines
and cable lines are slated to be buried underground in 2017 which is very good
news for the swans, eagles, herons, and other birds that just can’t see the
wires, especially in low-light situations.
The Alaska Sealife Center
responded to my call and picked up the dead cygnet. The required report was
filed with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration with the Seward
Electric Department.
These power lines are high voltage
transmission lines and thus cannot be buried. They need specially designed diverters
to protect the resident swan family.
P&R Tech makes a
glow-in-the-dark SpanGuard Bird Diverter for high voltage lines. < https://pr-tech.com/product/spanguard-bird-diverter>
As with the four swan cygnet
deaths in 2015, it would really help to contact the City Manager and Seward
Electric Department and ask them to install markers on these power lines
ASAP before any more swans die. It is way past time!
City
Manager Jim Hunt, 907 224-4047, jhunt@cityofseward.net
Carol Griswold, Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
No comments:
Post a Comment