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Swanning around Greencastle
15.04.10
by Linda McGrory
A LOVELY new visitor has been swanning around
Greencastle Harbour in recent days. The serene swan
arrived about ten days ago to swim and feed around
the boats inside the harbour.
And it didn't seem in the least bit fazed by the
comings and goings of the Lough Foyle Ferry, much to
the amusement of onlooking passengers.
Swans in Greencastle Harbour are quite a rare sight,
says local harbourmaster, John McClenaghan. He said
the last time swans took up residence was the
mid-1980s.
"We had swans here in the 1980s when it was a much
busier harbour than it is now. It was a family of
about four swans and they stayed around for a good
number of years but then they suddenly disappeared. |
"This latest swan is
the first since then, as far as I know. They are
normally in pairs so maybe something happened its
mate and it was a bit lost." He said everyone
noticed and welcomed the new arrival.
"People seem to like swans. They're nice to look at
and this one was very quiet and didn't bother
anyone."
Swans are almost entirely herbivorous but a tiny
amount of small aquatic animals may supplement their
diet. The Greencastle swan was certainly not in
breach of any EU quotas during its visit as it
appeared to feast on marine vegetation. |
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Foyle Fishermen's Co-Op
manager John O'Kane said he too was surprised when
he saw the new arrival. "I'm here a good while and I
never saw a swan in the harbour," he said. |
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The elegant visitor was
nowhere to be seen yesterday, however, prompting
belief it may have sailed on to ruffle a few
feathers elsewhere. |
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