A Swan named Lucky

From the desk of Mr. Soul

My Friends,

Today I am gifting one of the stories from Mr Soul’s journal that he has passed on to me.

People only care when they know how much you care!

Jim and Norma saw how much I loved and cared about the Trumpeter Swans, this is why Jim entrusted me with stories of their Labour of Love having swans live on their land.

A setup of an important aspect to note before I share the story, which is Jim and Norma watched and waited 15 long years before any cygnets were born to the Bonded Swans they were given to tend and care for. Retelling this story of a junior swan named Lucky is underneath a story of perseverance to finally arrive and live.

At the end of this Article I will add Mr. Souls Chronicles of the years with the Swans and when they had broods and the years they didn’t. I am forever grateful they were volunteers to help repopulate the Trumpeter Swans back to their Native Land.

You are about to read, just one of many crazy adventures and problem-solving they had with the Trumpeters’.

Swan named Lucky

It was a dull, dreary day in the depths of winter. Arctic winds whipped white crystals across the exposed patio and partially obscured the ice-bound pond. Giant cedar trees trembled in terror as they clawed for support on the frozen turf.

A good afternoon to stay inside, stoke the stove, and catch up on some reading. Heading to the kitchen for a coffee refill, I happened to glance outside. Through the blizzard’s blur, mounds of white feathers could be seen, huddled around a patch of partially opened pond water.

Even though the outside temperature was approaching 30 below and the wind chill was just short of ridiculous, the swans would be all right. With their feet and heads tucked up under their wings, they could wait at the store storm looking like little feathered igloos.

Not to worry, but wait! Our trumpeter swan family consists of five members, two adults, and three cygnets, but I can only count for white lumps on the ice. We were short one! This had to be checked out. I summoned Her Highness (Norma) and we layered up in heavy snow gear and reluctantly headed out into the storm.

Heads down and faces sheltered from the wintry blasts, we trudged towards the pond. There, our worst concerns were confirmed, we were one cygnet short. He was out there somewhere in that wicked weather, lost and alone.

Norma trudged south, heading towards the bush while I followed the fence line north and our rescue mission was mounted. After mere minutes, through the howl of the storm, I thought I heard a shout. Looking up, I spotted Norma frantically waving and pointing to the ground and yelling, “Over here, over here there's a faint footprints in the snow!”

Not convinced I hustled over to check it out. Sure enough, partially dented in the drifting snow were faint web and wing impressions. The cygnet must have taken flight, misjudged overshot the pond area, and landed outside the protection of the fence.

Locating a white bird in a snowstorm would be nearly impossible but he had to be found before he froze or became lunch! During a shouted communication through the howl of the wind, I thought I detected another sound, faint but familiar. Listening intently I heard it again! Could that be our missing member? “Junior where are you?”

I roared, “Talk to me!” A faint garbled squawk seemed to emanate from a clump of dense brush farther along the fence line. Talking and walking I ducked and dodged through the underbrush, breaking back the branches as I crashed my way towards the sounds. The squawking seemed to get more frantic and I could hear the futile apping of wings. Norma, hearing the commotion headed in my direction. Junior was found and still very much alive.

In trying to get back home, he had followed the fence line, hit in the underbrush outside, and then tried to push his way back through the wire fence. Unfortunately, his head penetrated the wire but his body was too big to follow. Unable to pull his head back, all he could do was squawk, stamp the snow and frantically flap his wings.

Junior was securely stuck. When we arrived on the scene he greeted us with a frightened squawk of recognition and continued trying to push his way back home through the woven wire fence.

Pinning his flapping wings to his feathery fifty-pound body, I picked him up to relieve pressure on his neck while Norma carefully untangled his head from the wire.

Newly-renamed Lucky, the frightened cygnet was deposited on the snow inside the fenced compound. Free at last, he turned towards us, uttered a final squawk of thanks, and hustled home to his waiting family.

Crisis averted, we hurried inside to stoke the stove and try to warm up.

Hopefully, Lucky's next adventure will wait for warmer weather.

Chronicles - The swans Comeback journey.

(When Jim says junior’s chased off, its was the proverbial momma kicking the babies out of the nest. Except in this case it was mainly Jacob)

1993 - Jacob and Emily history -No eggs laid.

1996 - Emily died that winter, Vet’s necropsy showed lead poisoning, and original vet didn't get all lead pellets out when it was shot. Jacob ew back to Wye Marsh.

1997 - Jacob returned with a new mate they named Rachael they were with us for three years, no eggs, Jacob died, the female ew back to Wye Marsh.

2005 - summer new bonded two-year-old Jacob and Rachael. Wild birds C6 and C7 Caledon, socialized ate from hands, accepted the Pond as home. Built a floating raft for them to nest.

2008 **first time they nested 3 eggs laid, none survived

2009 - Seven eggs, 6 cygnets raised, banded parents chased off

2010 - Four eggs, 1 Signet survived banded and chased off

2011- Two eggs, 2 cygnets, banded chased off

2012 - Three cygnets 1 banded 2 with paddling chased off

2013 - no eggs hatched

2014 - Four eggs, 3 hatched, banded chased off

2015 - Three eggs, 3 hatched, banded chased off

2016- four eggs broke perhaps from a turtle 2nd clutch laid, didn't hatch

2017 - Three Cygnet, not banded by Ministry.

Rachel died April 7th ,Jacob and the cygnets honked for three days looking for her and family in mourning, 3 days later a new female from the neighbor's Pond joined the family Jacob courted her, she settled in becoming socialized, and became a surrogate mother to three cygnets she is number A10 from Alton.

2019

My update - April 2019 Mr and Mrs Soul sold their home, moved to a retirement building and the swans flew off on their own before the new owners moved in!!!! They sensed something was up!!

Thank you for being on this journey of discovery and sacred connections.

I suspect this will be the only story from the desk of Mr.Soul I give publically. I will save one or two stories specifically for the memoir and the rest will be for the wonderful paid subscribers who are supporting my work.

If you love the swan stories and would like to see this book in print, please consider being a monthly member for $10.00 that’s as little as .33 cents a day. Your support will help with the self-publishing journey.

Blessings,

Margarita