Well it doesn't actually cause the swans pain. But I guess the numbers are to tell them apart. This juvenile trumpeter most likely belongs to the Metro Zoo.
A guy who lives in our building is in the birders association as well as being in charge of
plant life on the shoreline.
I've given the swan's number to him, so he can find out just why this bird is down here.
If this is some hoity toity's idea of an experiment, it's ridiculous. The Mutes will pick on the Trumpeter.
Oh yes - it's legal. In the 90's the conservation authorities were oiling the eggs of Canada Geese because the population of them in Toronto was too high. At the same time, they treated the mute swan eggs too. We see less cygnets each year.
I believe it was 1996 - I put up a big fight about it - published 4 letters in 4 different newspapers, one of them the Toronto Star.
The bird associations want the mutes out - they say the trumpeter is the native bird. Well, it's true - they are native to Canada. The mute was introduced.
And some birders insist that trumpeters once bred in Toronto - they probably did - long before it was a city.
This business with trying to get everything back to native species in
plants and birds is ridiculous, I think. I really think municipalities could find something better to do with the taxpayers money.
I've asked that question in some of my rants . . . ha ha! I mean 'letters' to conservation authority, city hall, etc. What you get is a four page letter that more or less says we'll do what we want to do.
Native species my foot - if we're going to try to get all species that were hear hundreds of years ago, why don't we get a herd of buffalo and let 'em loose on Yonge Street?
Some swans and geese have been hatching clutches -a few do get by. At catfish pond, the people who have houses on the west side will not allow the conservation team to come through their property to get at the nests on their side - good for them!
Oh, I have so many swan pictures.
It started in 93 - the mania for swans. My daughter and I came across a mated pair with two cygnets. They were about 6 weeks old - just starting to take on that ugly duck look.
I was fascinated. I went down to the park the next night to show them to Jeff and there was only one cygnet left.
I phoned around, got books out of the library and informed myself about swans.
Oh, there I go again - I'm ranting on about my swans. I'd better stop - I get carried away with it.