Photo by Vince Fedoroff
WATERFOWL GALORE – Hundreds of swans and waterfowl are seen Sunday evening at Swan Haven.
Kayakers trigger ‘lengthy displacement’ of swans
Officials with Environment Yukon are reminding Yukoners to stay away from water where migratory birds like swans may be feeding.
Officials with Environment Yukon are reminding Yukoners to stay away from water where migratory birds like swans may be feeding.
Wildlife viewing technician Scott Cameron said in an interview this morning hundreds of birds abruptly left the open water area of Swan Haven, where they feed and rest during their long migration to Alaska, on Saturday afternoon after two kayakers were seen in the area.
As Cameron noted, Swan Haven, located at Marsh Lake, is a popular resting spot for swans migrating north to Alaska.
There, they feed and rest before the next leg of their journey, so it’s important that they be able to get as much food as they can while they’re there.
There were probably more than 1,000 swans in the lake on Saturday, Cameron said, highlighting Friday’s count of the birds.
Hundreds flew away at one time from the open water to ice, where they couldn’t access food.
Staff at Swan Haven had a look to see if they could figure out why they had suddenly taken off. They soon spotted two kayakers in the water.
“Almost certainly, this is what triggered the birds,” Cameron said.
They need the energy they get from feeding at rest points like Swan Haven, he noted.
“It was a lengthy displacement.”
That meant swans spent hours on the ice unable to get food.
The two kayakers were later spotted going to shore and building a campfire. As staff were shutting down the interpretive centre at Swan Haven, Cameron said the two boaters were seen having trouble manoeuvering their kayaks throughout the water, though no one had fallen in.
Out of safety concerns for the boaters dealing with cold water, the staff contacted RCMP, who responded, and were seen speaking with the boaters.
Cameron noted that usually by about the end of April, the critical period for the migratory birds has ended in the Yukon.
He encouraged boaters wanting to get out on the water to find open water that is not home to migratory birds like swans.
This isn’t the first such situation, he said, noting that last year, a powerboat came by, causing significant disturbance for the birds.
“There’s been isolated incidents over the years,” he said.
Officials are hopeful that by getting word out on the issue, boaters will choose to go elsewhere until later in the season.
Meanwhile, Swan Haven was a busy spot over the weekend, with approximately 700 people taking in the family activities held there Saturday and Sunday.
The activities ranged from shore-line mini-golf, and a pre-Easter hunt that also aimed to be a lesson on bird species, along with art activities at the interpretive centre.
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Comments (18)
Up 3 Down 0
ProScience Greenie on Apr 16, 2017 at 9:38 am
700 people? Shore-line mini-golf? Perhaps the hype and promotion of Swan Haven is starting to become part of the problem? Scaling back the whole thing should be considered. Lots of other fine places for people to go to view swans and other waterfowl and shorebirds if they want.
Up 19 Down 11
Groucho d'North on Apr 13, 2017 at 11:08 am
So the impacted birds flew another few hundred yards to a suitable place where they could eat and rest, same as they would have if a fox or two happened by while looking for lunch. This oversensitive conservation reaction is laughable, while a few weeks ago a deer died on the river ice because of a pet dog that was harassing the poor creature.
Nature takes care of itself without the big-hearted help of people with nothing else to do. And yes, some of those magnificent swans will not make it to their nesting grounds because some momma fox has babes to feed who are no less important in the food chain.
Imagine if one of those ill-prepared paddlers up-ended and needed real SAR assistance? What a moral predicament that would have created, save a person's life or disturb the migrating swans? I'm glad it didn't result in such a test of our values. All the same, how do we control our idiots so they don't harm themselves or bother others - Nature included?
Up 21 Down 8
Stanley Miller on Apr 13, 2017 at 10:23 am
Many People Should Just Go Home
Yukon is not anywhere like it used to be. People have changed. It's no longer quiet with all the snow machines and quads running all over the place in town day and night. People taking some weird pleasure in revving their engines making as much noise as they can.
People here now have almost no respect for the environment and their neighbours and they mow down trees and run up and down creeks. Sure we need education like telling people to not bother swans during a spring migration stopover and don't tear up streams with your quads. But we also need more enforcement to protect what we have and we would be better off if many of these people just went home to the south.
Up 19 Down 13
Go Home!! on Apr 12, 2017 at 4:22 pm
Let's be clear, this is NOT a bird Sanctuary with boundaries, rules, regulations, laws etc. This is simply a place that we are lucky enough to see swans take a break. These kayakers were like thousands of other Yukoners out enjoying our wonderful backyard. Each person responding and reading this did something in the last week that upset the environment, an animal, a neighbor. Every day we have an impact. Was it the kayakers intent to scare, shoot, harm the swans- doubt it. The swans are majestic, but the route is not forbidden to enter, it is a courtesy. Signs, signs, everywhere signs, can't do this, cant do that... Sad
Up 32 Down 10
Laws For Idiot Control on Apr 12, 2017 at 3:00 pm
@ Go home, I much preferred the Yukon the way it was back in 1971 and I know my folks preferred it the way it was in 1951. Unfortunately it's completely unrecognizable today compared to any of those eras and it doesn't appear to be improving. It is now a jurisdiction with one of four different levels of government micromanaging every aspect of the lives of our tiny 35,000 population.Unfortunately idiots like these two kayakers give governments even more excuses to pass ever more restrictive rules.
Up 25 Down 6
Anie on Apr 12, 2017 at 2:57 pm
No, it isn't the Yukon I moved to in 1971 either, and mostly it's improved. But I don't think that, even back then, we quietly tolerated people harrassing wildlife for their own amusement.
Up 1 Down 6
MLF on Apr 12, 2017 at 12:01 pm
Where these the same people that needed a ice rescue and no one would help.
Up 22 Down 34
Go home!! on Apr 11, 2017 at 4:18 pm
This is no longer the Yukon I came to in 1991, fell in love with the people, the compassion, the common sense and willingness to talk face to face.
Please go back to your big cities, grid lock, editorials, NIMBY cults, rule creating, so people can enjoy the Yukon.
No one drown, there was no harm or damage to private property, the swans that fly thousands of miles, had to fly 200 more meters-OMG!!
Why didn't the rule monger who saw the kayakers simply go over and talk to them, make them aware of their concern and move on.
No this import decided to take a picture, call authorities, hide behind processes- all for what. Next year there will be signs, rules, regulation etc
PLEASE
Up 57 Down 14
westofbelfast on Apr 11, 2017 at 11:13 am
So why were these two not charged? From what I can gather they had no lifejackets (which is an offence) not to mention at least a couple of violations of the Yukon Wildlife Act and the Federal Migratory Birds Act. We must use what legislation we have in order to deter this kind of stupid...and dangerous, behaviour.
Up 48 Down 14
jc on Apr 11, 2017 at 10:57 am
Its simple, the government has to put a moratorium on this in these areas during the time the swans and geese are here.
Up 23 Down 56
Salar on Apr 11, 2017 at 7:30 am
Oh no.....ban kayakers!
Police should be instructed to shoot on site.....can the Premier order this?
The Dep of Environuts ask that folks not go outdoors while the animals are there.....
Up 58 Down 8
Surly Sue on Apr 10, 2017 at 7:32 pm
Only half of the story.... Before Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn embarked on their McClintock Bay kayak adventure, they trespassed on clearly marked private property, parked their truck, and unloaded their kayaks before walking out on to the lake. These expert kayakers embarked onto their adventure without any life jackets, dry suits or any expertise at any level of kayaking. It was not until eight o`clock that the RCMP were called out to assist the situation. At that time one kayaker was again lodged onto the ice while the other was laying back on the aft portion of his kayak deck. From a distance one can not conclude if the kayaker was inebriated, sleeping or unconscious. That being said, the level of conversation between Tom and Huckleberry was observed as either suffering from hypothermia or being intoxicated. Either condition can be fatal as the setting sun and lowering temperatures settle over any open body water during April, let alone Marsh Lake over this past weekend. The two made it to shore on their own where there were met by EMS and the RCMP to be treated for hypothermia. Although everyone is focused on the disturbance of the swans, this well planned adventure by Tom and Huck could have certainly turned out another way very quickly and given Whitehorse with a more grave outcome. The residents of North/South McClintock are very accustomed to the regular sounds of the migrating Swans and when there is a disturbance .... We all take notice.
Up 51 Down 8
YT Guy on Apr 10, 2017 at 5:40 pm
If this had been someone in a power boat, bet the authorities would have been all over them, but some greenies in a kayak get a break? Swans only know disturbance, greenie or redneck. Charge 'em under the Wildlife Act; harassing wildlife.
Up 44 Down 9
Stanley Miller on Apr 10, 2017 at 5:13 pm
It's time for legislation that prohibits boating in that area in the spring to the end of April.
Up 44 Down 6
Dan Olsen on Apr 10, 2017 at 4:45 pm
Gotta love it when the tree huggers get in trouble too!!! Honestly, these people should be fined and community service to teach them a lesson.
Up 26 Down 16
George Clarke on Apr 10, 2017 at 4:43 pm
For the love of common sense these two should hang their heads in total shame. Let me guess they are part of the 18, 19, 20 yr. old crowd who will do anything for attention. Look at me!
Up 76 Down 7
Adele Sandrock on Apr 10, 2017 at 4:24 pm
Good to know we are never running out of idiots.
Up 41 Down 17
Max Mack on Apr 10, 2017 at 3:31 pm
"Out of safety concerns for the boaters dealing with cold water, the staff contacted RCMP, who responded, and were seen speaking with the boaters."
Out of safety concerns . . . yeah . . . sure . . .