Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2001 18:55:47 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Sherry Peruzzi Subject: More mute swans MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I was very disturbed by an article on the front page of today's Baltimore Sun. The headline in the paper was "There will be swans again." The article can be read online here: http://www.sunspot.net/bal-te.md.swans25aug25.story It seems that the lake in the park in Hagerstown has had swans for many years. The most recent, a pair of mutes purchased from a breeder (people deliberately breed these things?) in 1981, have both died, and Hagerstown wants to replace them because "for what is believed to be the first time in a century, there are no swans for the kids to feed in the carp-filled lakes." "While several types of swans were considered, city officials were leaning toward buying mutes for continuity and because, in contrast with other varieties, no permit is needed for their purchase," the article says. But when they talked to the state DNR, they recommended against them. " 'They said they'll compete with the other wildlife for the vegetation they eat.' " However, "officials expect to buy two new swans at a cost of about $1,000. It's possible they will come from the same Michigan breeder that produced the last two...." In other words, despite the DNR's recommendation, they are going to get two more mutes anyway (although the article says they're at least considering getting two of the same sex so they won't breed). Is there anyone in or near Hagerstown who can inform the city about the Airlie Center and possibly convince the Dept. of Public Works to borrow a couple of swans from them, as Columbia has done for its lakes, rather than having adding to the population of mutes? Sherry Peruzzi Howard County bookworms@home.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================