‘Whooper’ rescue at Culdaff as kayakers rise with the lark to capture injured swan

An injured whooper swan has been rescued from Culdaff estuary thanks to a local woman and a team of volunteers who got up at the crack of dawn and spent more than two hours on the water to capture the bird.

Michelle Duffy, who regularly walks along the coast at Culdaff, first spotted a group of whooper swans on the estuary on 5 October - four adults and five chicks. When the rest of the flock departed, she noticed that one bird had remained behind. Concerned, she went to investigate and discovered that it had a broken wing.

“I don't know whether it was injured in the storm, but it couldn't take flight with the rest of them,” Michelle explained.

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Determined to help, Michelle contacted a wildlife rescue organisation in Kildare, who put her in touch with an animal sanctuary in Enniskillen. Together, they began making plans to rescue the stranded bird.

“We went out on Sunday to try to catch it, but there were only three of us and we couldn't manage it,” Michelle said. “The bird didn't want to be caught, so we had to round up a few extra people to give us a hand. I organised a group with a dozen volunteers on Wednesday morning, and, after two and a half hours in kayaks on the water, we did catch it.

“It's away to Enniskillen to be treated and, we hope in two or three weeks, it'll either be released back in Culdaff or taken to Inch Lake,” she added.

The rescue group gathered at 7.30am, just before dawn, and launched four kayaks - one with Michelle aboard - into the calm waters of the estuary. The volunteers worked patiently, gently tiring the bird until it could be safely caught and lifted from the water.

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It was Michelle’s first time taking part in a wildlife rescue, but her quick thinking will, she hopes, ensure a good outcome for the injured swan.

Whooper swans are a familiar winter sight on Ireland’s wetlands and estuaries. They migrate from Iceland at this time of year, gathering in large flocks on waterways such as the Swilly and the Foyle, where they feed on the tidal flats and fields before returning north in the spring.

Thanks to the action of local volunteers, the lone swan rescued at Culdaff now has a chance to heal and fly again with its flock before the season ends.