A number of concerns have been expressed recently about the welfare of the swans living in Poole Park. The following information hopefully will help to explain the work, the processes involved, permissions required and timings.
The draining of the lagoon to reduce the water level is essential in order to dredge sediments and create areas of deeper water and to construct the new island features, providing new habitats. At the same time it allows the safe construction of a new bridge over the sluice channel.
The timing for these works has been chosen to take place over the winter for a number of reasons. It is outside of the nesting season so birds are not seeking to use the islands to nest build and to lay eggs; it provides a valuable winter food site for wading birds; it means that insects in the mud are relatively dormant. This last point is important as Poole Park provides a habitat for a rare anemone, and advice from Natural England was to undertake the work through winter when they are relatively dormant.
The works are expected to complete by the end of March, including the creation of new islands, with some planting to follow through April, and this allows the swans time to nest. Advice on the Swan Sanctuary website suggests swans breed in Spring, which is quite subjective and dependant on weather conditions, but we consider this to be after the works have completed.
The swans seem comfortable even when the large machinery is relatively close. The contractors are very experienced in working with and for wildlife and have taken the upmost care when working in the parts of the lagoon favoured by the swans.
Swans prefer to feed on vegetation and seem to like the freshwater inputs near to middle gate car park, along with this being the popular location to be fed by people. Having observed the swans I have not seen any distressed or aggressive behaviour that may come from being short of food. I have also seen some of the swans using other areas of the lagoon and feeding in a normal manner.
Although the lagoon is now quite well drained, there is still a considerable amount of water available to the swans, whether that is to rest instead of walking on the mud, to feed or to take flight from. The lagoon is approximately 50 acres in size, a wide expanse of water and exposed mud which as a proportion we are working in very little of. The swans therefore have plenty of areas to move about in should they wish to.
The ‘reed bed’ near middle gate car park (photo, below) which the swans nested on has been removed for a number of reasons, outlined here. A new island is being formed slightly further away from the lagoon edge which will not have any edge retention, allowing free access for all birds, including the swans.
Finally, we do not want to harm the swans or other birds and are assessing their welfare. The contractors are working in a sensitive way whilst undertaking important improvements works that will improve water quality, increase habitats and biodiversity. Crucially these improvements will also create the opportunity for people to be close to nature and engage with relatively rare species in an urban park environment. The short term nature of the works (starting in January and lasting for up to 15 weeks) is recognised by Natural England as being beneficial in the long term, and has been agreed with them as part of the planning permission process.