Author: Wansteadium

New love in Wanstead Park

A male swan which was robbed of its mate in a dog attack in Wanstead Park earlier this month has apparently found new love.

The swan’s former mate, known as Mrs Hannibal, was well known to park regulars who had observed her annual breeding. As we reported last week she was a calm, unaggressive bird who loved families to visit.  She died after a dog entered the Heronry Pond.

The mate left the pond after the attack, but has now returned with a new mate, a regular observer, known as GB, has reported to Wansteadium.

“It’s looking like there may be a happier new turn of events for the male swan who lost his Mrs Hannibal – the male who at first was clearly in a depressed state, flew away but has now returned, with a new female, to Heronry Pond. A tender, tentative courtship is taking place.

“It is good news that our male has not abandoned these ponds – but we need to make sure this female doesn’t meet the same fate as Mrs Hannibal and the male’s previous mate also (also killed in a dog attack plus cygnets, in 2012). Conditions vis a vis dog danger plus low water levels are unchanged, thus these swans and other birds are still vulnerable.”

 

 

 

 

 

Wanstead weekly photo

There’s something about this shot which could almost feel like the 1950s. We like.

To send us a photo for Wanstead Weekly Photo, email us at info@wansteadium.com

R.I.P Mrs Hannibal

Sep.26.2013.MrsHannibalAndCygnet
Regular visitors to Wanstead Park are mourning the death of a female swan – known colloquially as Mrs Hannibal – which was killed by a dog which ran into the middle of Heronry Pond.

Mrs Hannibal, pictured above, had been a familiar sight in the pond for years. After the bird was attacked on 10 March, the Forest Ranger and a swan rescue representative went into the pond to attend to the swan, but it died as it was being taken to the Swan Sanctuary in Middlesex.

One of the regular visitors told Wansteadium: “Mrs Hannibal was a particularly beloved character in the park.

“She was known and loved by Park regulars because she had been the resident female there for so many years, and was a very calm, unaggressive bird who families loved to feed and visit. She produced cygnets every year and everyone loved to come and see the little family every year.

May.22.2012.MrsHannibalNewMate3

“Her previous mate had been named Hannibal because he fiercely defended his territory whenever an alien swan flew in and tried to spend time at the pond. Interestingly he was only aggressive to other swans but not to humans, who love to feed him also. He died of natural causes in 2012. Mrs Hannibal went on to form a new pair with another male who was ‘widowed’ that year also.”

“This male is now a widower again and has even deserted the park, though I hope this is temporary. It was almost time for nesting season for the swans.”

The Wanstead Guardian is reporting that the park authorities are ‘”gathering evidence” that it will use to prosecute the owner’ of a dog following the death of the bird. Swans are protected species and there are also park by-laws against dogs being allowed in the water and being off a lead if they are out of control.

One of the factors the paper cites is the low water level in the ponds in Wanstead Park, which might have contributed to the dog entering the water.

The Heronry Pond has been drained to allow repairs to its concrete lining. The Ornamental Water has not been receiving water via the Perch Pond because of the infestation of floating pennywort which Wansteadium reported last year.

Floating Pennywort in Perch Pond (Pic Robert Pickles)

The infestation is due to be addressed by contractors in the next few months – though complete eradication may be impossible. The Park authorities have applied to the Environment Agency to permission to take water from the River Roding in winter to help fill the Ornamental Water.