Male Swan Killed
Very sadly, the Common’s male swan (the cob) was found dead by a member of the public on the morning of May 4 2018.
Very sadly, the Common’s male swan (the cob) was found dead by a member of the public on the morning of May 4 2018. The swan was clearly attacked by something, but whether fox, dog or person remains unclear.
The female swan (the pen) remains on its nest at the time of writing and, despite concerns, Ann Davies, the local Swan Sanctuary rep, says it is perfectly capable of rearing any cygnets alone. Let’s hope there are some and they survive.
Ann also notes the fairly chequered history of swans on Wandsworth Common which seem more vulnerable than in neighbouring locations, for whatever reason. Two cobs have been killed by dogs in the past five years and another by a person.
The Swan Sanctuary will try to respond to any incident involving injured waterfowl – not just swans.
You can contact Ann on 07984 201854 or the Swan Sanctuary emergency number is 01932 240790. In the meantime, help by keeping dogs away from the island. Remember that according to the bye-laws, dogs must be on a lead by the lake and are not allowed in the water.
Swan + Duck Food Bagging
Our latest session involved seven volunteers and replenished stocks after a busy Easter. Well done everyone.
Our latest session involved six volunteers and replenished stocks after a busy May Day bank holiday
Well done everyone. With demand increasing, we filled 650 bags to get us through to the next session in June.
If you’re interested in joining one of our monthly sessions, send an e-mail to friends@wandsworthcommon.org. Sessions typically last 1-2 hours, but you don’t have to stay the whole time. Any time you can spare is welcome. It's also a good way of catching up.
More information
The swan and duck food project was started by the MAC in 2013 as a way of educating the public into what was appropriate to feed to the wildfowl. Bread sinks to the bottom of the lake where it rots, fouling the water and also attracting rats. Steady sales of the candy-striped bags from Skylark are also a useful source of income for the Common, with all profits going to education and enhancement projects, such as the map and this website.