Great white swans @ Fish Hatchery
Any one know why or how those beautiful great white swans ended up at the Fish Hatchery in Hackettstown off Willow Grove Road?
Are you sure they are swans?
I only ask because I saw a TON of Snow Geese in a field off Asbury Bloomsbury road when I was driving back home last Sunday.
They are also solid white (except they have black wingtips visible when they are flying).
I gather they were cruising by and thought our little town was inviting. They eat aquatic vegetation as well as small fish and such. With all of the hatchery basins it's a perfect habitat. They will also graze in all of the grass fields in that area. It really is quite a nice place for them to inhabit. In addition it is nice for the public to view and admire the pair.
I guess we should assign names to the pair. Maybe Athena and Zeus?
I lived in a house on Jefferson Lake and we had swans there....Maybe they decided to change homes although they really don't fly far....They are beautiful and nasty and mate for life.....
Yes, my guess is that they simply flew/landed there.
Mute Swans live in NJ all year (and are actually considered somewhat invasive and destructive to the local environment).
https://www.njherald.com/story/13460753/swans-looks-can-be-deceiving#
https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/lower_capemay/bird-experts-say-south-jersey-may-have-a-swan-problem/article_04934990-201a-11e4-98a8-001a4bcf887a.html
Saw them on NYD when we took the pupsters for a walk. I thought they weren’t real at first. Thankfully, the dogs didn’t notice them in the distance.
Yes, we've been seeing them too, so graceful ! There used to be a pair up at Waterloo Village, was wondering if they might be the same ones. Maybe with all the rain last year, this new habitat became deep enough for them.
Mute swans are an invasive species that has negative effects on other native water birds.
Would the herons leave because of them? Love seeing the herons. The geese aren't really native are they?
indeed there has been a pair of swans recently - saw them again this week - here's a pix of one who gave us a show
The swans have been at the Fish Hatchery for years. My property backs against one of the ponds, and I've watched them year after year.
"Would the herons leave because of them? Love seeing the herons. The geese aren't really native are they?"
The herons and the swans "cohabitate" there all year long without a problem (except for the winter, where they obviously go somewhere, but I'm not sure where)
I’ve been walking the Hatchery for years and have never seen them before ... it’s very unique but I worry about the dogs off their leashes there.
I'm sorry, Nj, I just saw you were talking about the one by Alumni Field. I was referring to the part of the Hatchery near the Mansfield border.
We have a lot of ponds in the West Hatchery empty so I guess they decided to try the East Hatchery for the winter. Not sure if they will fly back in the Spring. They have been here for years, nested multiple times each Spring. Never produce an egg.
Jan '19
4catmom. They still use the ponds there. I run there often and they have one they use with larger fish. They have net that sits near the surface of the water that keeps the birds from getting at the fish.
I was told those larger fish are their "lawn mowers" --eating the greenery and then they are moved on to the next pond. I had a nice chat with one of the fish and game people about it.
Last summer we saw one of the pools in use for bass. The blue heron was standing by picking out his breakfast. I read somewhere, maybe here on HL, that the shallow pools at the East/old hatchery are too warm for trout, but they can still be used for other types of fish.
We were there today and saw just one swan -hoping the other is sitting hidden away on a nest but not sure - Concerned that the one we saw was swimming with one foot while the other was tucked up by the wing - see photo - Any thoughts or other observations?
Thanks
Oh no! You only saw one? I was there last week and saw two.... oh I hope the other one is okay!!
I've written and heard back from Fish and Wildlife and they are passing my concerns on to the hatchery superintendent.............Will post if I find out anything...
Maybe one is nesting. There are a pair of Canada Geese near us that set up shop every year. At some point we only see one out and start to wonder if something happened to it’s mate. Then we see the goslings:)
They are both there now and doing fine. As I walked over to the far basin one swan was floating around looking lovely. As I walked toward the pond he escorted me if you will further back to where his mate is clearly nesting. Cool stuff!
I did not. I will say though as he walked from the basin 20 yards or so into the woods where his mate was, he seemed to be walking gingerly. It could be simply because of the topography there though.
Pretty sure swimming with one foot out of the water is a form of thermoregulation. Do you ever stick one foot out from under the covers if you get too warm at night?
Same thing when a bird on land lifts one foot to tuck into its feathers.
When the air is warmer than the water Sea Lions do it too, float along with one flipper up in the air to warm the blood in that flipper, the warmer blood then circulates to the whole body
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=thermoregulation+in+swans+images&qpvt=thermoregulation+in+swans+images&FORM=IGRE
https://www.bing.com/search?q=sea+lions+thermoregulation+images&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&pq=sea+lions+thermoregulation+images&sc=0-33&sk=&cvid=71C2A3A8C973435691E90547EE41BB64
The hub saw both walking around well today - so hoping for swan babies this year.........
If they are the same pair that have been over in the main hatchery for the last ten years they will nest for the next month plus maybe even build two or three nests, but never lay an egg. Not sure why? Same sex?
Apr '19
I saw them both this morning. It looks like they are going back into the woods now.... I’ll bet they are nesting!!! How exciting!!
I am sad to report that on my walk today at Alumni Field that I found one of the swans dead on the river embankment. Not sure how it happened. I did contact the Hackettstown parks and recreation to let them know. It was so sad the other swan looked so sad and was standing by the body protecting it.
The pictures on here are so beautiful of them together.
Very sad news to report on the Swans, I am heart broken to have to tell you that the female Swan has passed away. I don't know what happened to her, they found her by the river, with the male Swan staying by her side. Very sad for him too.
Oh No! jennymc...that is such sad news. I loved to see the swans and was patiently waiting to see also if the Mother swan had babies this year...
How the hell?!?! You know I’ve seen so many dogs off the leashes!!! I’m so angry, sick and devastated! I knew this would happen down there..... just a matter of time
Nj - Do you have evidence of how the swan died? If not, please don't speculate that a dog killed the swan. Let's hope to hear from Fishmaker1.
Living things die. In the last week I have seen dead deer, raccoon, opossum, coyote, and squirrels. Add the swan to the list. May all the fine creatures on earth who have died rest in piece.
Being angry sick and devastated is a bit over the top and strikes me as silly. Maybe another wild animal killed the swan. Maybe the swan was sick. Maybe the swan was old. Maybe the swan was flying irresponsibly and hit a tree (glad no other swans were injured if that is what has happened). Maybe the swan drowned. Maybe the swan dove into shallow water. Maybe the swan took its own life. Maybe it made a left out of Wawa and was hit and it’s partner dragged it to the river to die in peace. Maybe it was a goat attack.
To jump to the conclusion of a dog attack is funny. I actually laughed. If true, could this be considered a hate crime? What color is the alleged dog?
Nj-go color in your coloring books until the autopsy report is released. I also heard that grief counselors have been deployed to the hatchery for anyone that needs help.
May '19
I was there in late April, the swans looked healthy to me, although I am not an expert. I did not feed them, but when you walked towards the water they came right up to us at the water's edge. First thing I thought was that they were used to being fed and had no fear of humans. They were so graceful. Sorry to hear about the demise.
So sad. I wonder if they were the same pair that lived in the Hackettstown Fish Hatchery ponds behind Lawrence & Mitchell Road. They were there for many years, the female would lay eggs but they never hatched. The pair left the hatchery last year when they started all the dredging of the ponds. There was a lot of activity, diggers and large pieces of equipment.
May '19
Noticed those signs a week or so ago. More the merrier.
Hopefully those signs will remind people they need to obey the laws.
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