Rescued swan egg is now 'thriving' cygnet
Now six-weeks on the little cygnet, which continues to grow fast, is “feeding well” and is even taking to water, paddling in a bath at the McCabe's garden.
A swan egg rescued and hatched by a Cavan dad and son earlier this year is now said to be “thriving”.
“It's doing well, definitely,” says Declan McCabe from Mountnugent, who along with son Stephen (22) set about hatching the egg after it was brought back by the family's four-year-old Irish Setter Sam following a walk near Lough Sheelin back in May.
Now six-weeks on the little cygnet, which continues to grow fast, is “feeding well” and is even taking to water, paddling in a bath at the McCabe's garden.
While initially called 'Samswan' in honour of the dog that retrieved the egg, the McCabes have now adopted the more gender neutral name of 'Misty' for their recently hatched arrival seeing as it won't be possible to determine the sex of the bird for at least another 18-months.
The family are continuing to look after 'Misty' well, with the bird dining out regularly on a mix of spinach, lettuce, grass and meal-worms. The swan even receives a little chick meal, which is placed near its new nesting place in the McCabe's garage to further assist in encouraging development.
'Misty' has been taken into the McCabe family with open arms - even accepted by the family dog Sam.
But it's with Declan himself that the fledgling has formed the closest bond.
“It thinks I'm its mother, so much so that if it's in the tub and I walk away it'll squeal until I come back over and can see me. Once it sees me again it feels safe and settles.”
Declan also sent the Celt in a video of a family of swans on the lake he believes 'Misty' may belong to. Sadly he reports the family of swans started out with eight little younglings, including the one he has, but is now down to four. “So she's lost three, either down to pine martens, mink or foxes. It could even be pike. A pike would pull a cygnet down, so she is still in danger of losing others if unprotected.”
Declan also hasn't set 'Misty' out with the other swans just yet for fear the bird will be rejected, or worse, even attacked.
“Ours would be bigger than the others but it'd still be in danger letting it out at this stage. The wildlife people I've spoken with recommend maybe October to start introducing it back to the lake, when full size. I'll bring it down to the lake over the next few weeks and introduce it to the shore but I won't let it go far out,” adds Declan, who once the swan is ready, hopes to release the bird back onto Lough Sheelin for good.
READ MORE: https://www.anglocelt.ie/2020/06/03/swan-song-for-cavan-father-and-son/