On January 11th, 2013 it was reported on LIbirds that one of the two trumpeter swans which have over-wintered on Upper Lake in Yaphank was shot by a shotgun. Anthony Graves looked into the matter further and has learned that the bird (sex unknown) was brought to a rehabber (in Hampton Bays) and appears to have only suffered a broken wing and is expected to make a full recovery - but not for some time. The other Trumpeter Swan apparently was last seen flying off the lake with a flock of Canada Geese and has not been seen on the lake in several days. It is the optimistic hope that these birds will both end up back at their breeding grounds come spring and once again be re-united.
>From the information that's been retrieved, it appears that police have a good idea of the alleged shooter and there is an open investigation. Of course if anyone has more information on this, please contact the Suffolk County Police Department and or the NYS DEC Environmental Conservation Officers. This incident was brought to the attention of the Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission today at a regular meeting (Peter Scully, head of Region 1 NYSDEC is a member of this board) due to the fact that the birds frequent Yaphank Lake which is part of the Carmans River system and within the Core of the Central Pine Barrens. These birds have been regularly over-wintering at this lake since at least the winter of 2009-2010. For whatever reason it seems these birds get little recognition on this list serve, despite the fact that they are the only trumpeter swans on Long Island year after year and if memory serves me it was the general consensus that these birds are in fact part of a wild population. If anyone is interested in viewing photos I took in 2009 of the birds, feel free to visit this link: http://birdsoflongisland.blogspot.com/2010/01/trumpeter-swans-in-yaphank.html -- - Luke Ormand www.birdsoflongisland.blogspot.com www.wildlongisland.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
