[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: black swan in Charlotte?



Folks,

Several years ago before I became a real birder I had a friend that lived in Cary, NC and we'd walk her dog over to a small lake inside an adjoining development that had a pair of these Black Swans. One of the residents there told me the swans were purchased and placed on the lake with the Mute Swans they had also purchased. I think its very doubtful these Black Swans are anything other than escapees from a local collection.

Randy Emmitt
Nature Photographer, Peace Activist
Rougemont, NC
www.rlephoto.com
http://public.fotki.com/rlephoto/a_call_4_peace/

"The United States goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy. She is a well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all. She is the champion and vindicator only of her own. If the United States took up all foreign affairs, it would become entangled in all the wars of interest and intrigue, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom. She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own soul."

President John Quincy Adams


At 08:27 PM 3/9/2003 -0500, R. O. Bierregaard, Jr. wrote:
Just got the following email from one of my ornithology students. Sounds like anyone with a very loosely defined life list who wants to add Black Swan should mosey on over to the University City Lake.

Rob Bierregaard

PS Does anyone know of a waterfowl collection that this bird might have escaped from?

Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 13:56:45 -0800 (PST)
From: Ken Sopher <kensopher@yahoo.com>
Subject: huge waterbird
To: "R. O. Bierregaard, Jr." <rbierreg@email.uncc.edu>

Dr. B,
  Sorry to email you and bother you during spring
break.  I just wanted to tell you that my wife was
sitting on our deck that overlooks University City
Lake (where we saw the Canvasback), when she shouted,
"Wow, look at that huge bird!".  A huge black bird
with a very long neck landed in the water.  We walked
down to the lake and saw that it was jet black, had a
red bill, and white wing tips.  It had a huge neck
that it held in an "S" except when it was flapping its
wings and showing off.  On the internet, it said that
it was a Black Swan, and that they're native to
Australia!!?  Just thought that maybe you'd find this
interesting.
    Ken Sopher (Ornithology student)