“Almost immediately a pair of swans appeared from nowhere and chased them.”
The swans were transported in bags(Image: John Queen )
A single-mum and her swan babies have been moved to a new home after coming into conflict with another family.
The adult and her four cygnets were packed up and moved from Alexandra Park, Dennistoun, after locals raised concerns that a dispute with another breeding pair could lead to a less than positive outcome.
Issues had arisen as the family of swans from another pond had began coming into the single-mum’s bigger pond in an attempt to take over the space so their own cygnets could learn to fly.
Locals had become increasingly concerned that the fighting could lead to injury or deaths and the decision was made for the mum and her kids to be moved to Hogganfield Loch.
However, a post on social media reveals that there were a couple of teething problems with their new home. One of the rescuers wrote: “On arrival at Huggy we went up the loch a little to the beach area as we figured it would be less stressful for the swans than being released directly into a throng. The cygnets’ only experience of other swans had been negative.
The swans being moved
“We released all five simultaneously from their IKEA bags and swan wrappers and they leapt into the water and paddled off. Almost immediately a pair of swans appeared from nowhere and chased them. Mum flew off down the loch leaving the cygnets being chased.
“They went the other way up the channel around the island where they met another aggressive pair and were chased into the shallows so we caught them again, wrapped them and went to release them down beside the main throng. They headed towards the throng but were intercepted by yet another swan, maybe two, who chased them away from the crowd and unbelievably back towards the beach area where they met up with angry pair No 1 again.
“This time they took refuge in the reeds on the island but two must have broken cover as we found them on the path at the far side. Those two were taken to Hessilhead but that left two on the loose and in potential danger and a missing mum.
“I was terribly upset at the way this worked out as we have released scores/hundreds of swans and cygnets at Huggy without incident. Consequently I had no sleep for worrying about them. This morning we went again and there were the two cygnets bright as buttons in with the others.
“We were unable to identify mum in the crowd. Those wee clever guys had hidden from danger then found their way to safely. We might arrange for the other two to go back in with them but as a four they are unlikely to stay together for long anyway.”