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Black (Out) Swan
22.10.12
Migrating birds cause power cuts in Burt
YOU’VE heard of the Black Swan – now meet Blackout
Swan. Migrating swans are causing power cuts in Co
Donegal as they fly into overhead cables en route to
their favourite winter feeding grounds.
The whooper swans are flocking daily in their
hundreds to Inch Lake and surrounding fields near
Burt after their long flight from Iceland.
As they come into land, some of the exhausted birds
are hitting the electricity cables in surrounding
townlands.
Pensioner Margaret Burke's cottage in Carrowen,
Burt, lies directly under the birds' flight path.
She can hear the birds whooshing past her home, just
inches from her chimney, day and night.
"We all love to see the swans arriving in the autumn
and it is a spectacular sight to see them as they
fly in, in their V-formation. But it is an absolute
nightmare for us when the power cuts start.
"Recently, we were without power twice in one week
and we go to bed wondering if we'll have heat and
light in the morning," said the 74-year old.
"My husband and I depend on our range for heat and
we can't put the fire on during a power cut because
the boiler pump runs on electric." |
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A flock of whooper swans arriving
from Iceland to their winter feeding grounds at Inch
Lake and surrounding townlands in Burt. Photo:
Christine Cassidy. |
The worst-affected
families live in the townlands of Carrowen, Mullaney
and Ballymoney. The problem has been going on for
years and the community is now appealing to the ESB
to try and make the power lines swan-safe for good.
"We would love the ESB to find a solution to the
problem that is safe for the birds and means we
don't have to dread them coming every year. In this
day and age of technology, surely some solution can
be found," added Ms Burke.
While there have been no swan fatalities so far this
year, birds have previously had their swan-song by
flying into power lines in the area. It is
understood that by the time they see the cables, it
is too late for the birds to avoid them.
Some countries have begun attaching 'swan diverters'
to cables which act as aerial buoys and give the
birds a visual warning of danger ahead.
Ireland, north and south, supports just over half
the world population of migrating Icelandic whooper
swans at important waterways and wetlands such as
Lough Swilly, Lough Foyle, Lough Neagh and the
Shannon Callows.
Birdwatch Ireland says such sites are
"internationally important" feeding grounds for
whooper swans as well as Greenland white-fronted
geese, greylag geese and light-bellied brent geese. |
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