WWT staff save black-necked swans eggs in wild winter weather

Arnie and Lara, the black-necked swan pair at WWT Arundel Wetland Centre, produced 6 eggs during the weeks of snow, rain and ice at WWT Arundel Wetland Centre in January.  The first snowfall at Arundel Wetland Centre was January 14, the day the female swan laid her first egg.  These South American Swans usually begin to nest mid-winter. By the time heavy snow hit on January 18 she had 4 eggs.  WWT staff gave the swans straw to insulate their nest. The swan family came through the snow intact – then the rains began.

By January 21^st most of the pens in the collection areas of the wetland reserve were flooded. The nest now contained 6 eggs. As water crept towards the black-necked swan nest WWT grounds staff got inventive and stacked wooden pallets and gel sandbags, covering them with straw to build the bottom of a ‘super nest’. To place the existing nest on top the team had to distract the male swan away. Arnie, the protective cob (male swan)  acted like his namesake Schwarzenegger the Terminator by trying to nip staff and beat them with his wings while they lured him away to move the nest. The female hen Lara, after heroine Lara Croft, was more co-operative and now sits atop a high, indestructible ‘super nest’.

“While we had the swans away from the nest we checked the eggs” said supervisor Sam Halpin of the grounds team. “The shells are too thick to candle so we weighed them all to find that four of the eggs appear viable.”  WWT staff looks forward to the cygnets making an appearance in mid-March. Last year Arnie and Lara raised three cygnets, regularly carrying the fluffy grey youngsters around on their backs.