Concur with Dave and Fritzie but I would be more sanguine if I knew that NYSDEC had first investigated other attempts at controlling Mutes and built their program on that knowledge. Rhode Island had what's best described as an infestation in the late 60s/early 70s. By 1976 they had a long term plan in place and were oiling/addling eggs. I've never seen any results or other data on the project; have no idea if it continued. Ditto for the Chesapeake Bay region which has a more recent problem with Mutes. Coupled with Snow Geese, Mutes have eaten the eel grass and wild rice in Bay feeder rivers to near extirpation. John -- John and Sue Gregoire Field Ornithologists Kestrel Haven Avian Migration Observatory 5373 Fitzgerald Road Burdett,NY 14818-9626 Website: http://www.empacc.net/~kestrelhaven/ "Conserve and Create Habitat"
On Sat, January 25, 2014 21:59, John and Fritzie Blizzard wrote: > I agree with Dave Nutter. I saw the petition. Wouldn't sign it. EVER. > > Remember that snow geese were more or less protected for yrs.. They are far > more > wary than Canadas so the extra hunting season for them doesn't do much to > diminish > their numbers. Now they are an absolute plague, esp. to rice farmers in the > south, > to say nothing of the irreparable damage to the fragile Arctic tundra which > will not > renew in the lifetime of our grandchildren if no snows ever return there. It > is > there that many other waterbirds, perhaps in the millions, some on endangered > lists, > return to breed & raise their young .... hoping to find enough food & shelter > not > eaten or destroyed by the snows. > > Hunters now have an extended season to take snows, until 15 April ... the > bag limit > is 25 a day with no possession limit. With over a million snows just in our > Atlantic > flyway I see no hope of lowering their numbers which back about 20 yrs. ago > were a > more manageable 50,000 birds. > > The mute swans are doing similar damage to ponds, lakes & waterways where > other > creatures depend on what the mutes are destroying. Look at the map of NY & > see the > mute density areas. Other states are having the same big problems with mutes. > They > don't have to be teased or aggravated to be mean & aggressive. Since they have > killed grown men think what they can do to a child with those large, strong > wings as > well as with their powerful bills. There is also concern now about what > diseases > they are carrying that are harmful to other forms of wildlife. > > I, too, think they are beautiful, just as these petition pushers do. The > problem is > that they are like the protectors of rattlesnakes. They have never considered > or > encountered the bad side. My rant! > > Fritzie > > > Dave Nutter wrote on 1/25/2014: I trust the managers on this one. > > On Jan 25, 2014, at 08:12 AM, Eric Banford <brew_b...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > So the plan is to eradicate the Mute Swan in NY? I know it is invasive, but > that > seems a bit harsh. I just got this petition against this plan, in case anyone > is > interested: > > > > https://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-state-department-of-environmental-conservation-stop-new-york-state-s-swan-killing-plan > > > > Thanks, > Eric > > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
