Swans have surprise baby despite oil spill

2 days ago

David Pittamand

Rebecca Brice,Nottingham

News image — The proud parents have recovered enough from their ordeal to raise a cygnet

BBC Two swans with cygnet in a pond — The proud parents have recovered enough from their ordeal to raise a cygnet

A pair of swans that had to be saved from an oil spill in their pond have delighted their rescuers by having a baby.

The two birds were taken from their home close to the River Trent in Radcliffe-on-Trent, in Nottinghamshire, after they were spotted covered in oil in January.

Lindsay Newell from Linjoy Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue helped the pair recover, but feared they would not have a baby this year because of the disruption.

But she said they had clearly "gone straight to it" after settling back into their home in March, and they have now been spotted swimming with a cygnet.

Chris Swallow Two swans, partly covered with a black substance, near the bank of a river — Nearby residents pictured the swans covered in the oil earlier this year

"Nature's amazing, really," she said. "They do surprise you.

"This kind of job, there's quite a bit of sadness involved in it.

"But then when you see that, it just makes you feel good... especially because that animal wouldn't have been there if they hadn't been rescued.

"That's what you're doing it for, to help them carry on."

Newell said the baby had arrived relatively late in the year, but as an only child would have the attention of both parents.

She added she knew they were the same pair she had rehabilitated because swans are very territorial and would not leave their home.

Martin Bonnello Two swans are strapped into jackets tied with white ribbon resting on the banks of a pond — The swans were released back to their pond after spending two months being rehabilitated

The Environment Agency (EA) previously said officers believed about 10 litres of oil had spilled from a container deposited in the water.

The swans had engine oil soaked into their feathers, which Newell said could eventually have led to them drowning, as it stops them floating.

They spent two months in rehabilitation before being rereleased to their home.

Karen Twine Two swans strapped into a swan carrier in the back sea of a car. One has its face and beak lying across the back of the other swan. — The pair were kept together for their convalescence and driven back to their pond

Nikki Farnsworth, chair of Radcliffe-in-Trent Parish Council's biodiversity and environment working group said: "It's absolutely fantastic news.

"When they came back it was already nesting season.

"So there was that real concern as to whether they'd be able to settle back into their home fast enough.

"The fact they have nested and produced a cygnet is really exciting."

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