Thankful for swans

From Bettye Maki, West Bloomfield Township:

I would like to make a few points in regards to your comments regarding the mute swans.

You spoke of none or very little outcry from the Wolverine Lake residents. Have you checked to see if these residents were notified?

After reading your article I immediately phoned a friend on this lake, and they knew nothing about a cull.

Have you seen the article in the Muskegon paper regarding the swans on White Lake? After reading about a possible cull on March 21, a person who phoned City Hall was told a public meeting regarding the swans would be announced; however, by the following Sunday, March 28, there were no swans on White Lake. There was no advanced notice. The swans are being killed without public notice.

I recently took a survey of eight West Bloomfield lakes, asking if they practice weed control, if they have a problem with swans being aggressive and how many swans are on their lakes. All of these lakes except two use herbicides or harvesters. Two lakes complained of one aggressive swan on each, and the average number of swans per lake was six. Doesn’t it seem to you that the swans can’t be eating all of the vegetation if weed control is needed?

In the United Kingdom, swans have been a part of daily life for hundreds of years, in all the parks, on estates, etc. This is where our mute swans originated. These are the birds that quill pens were made from. If they were so aggressive, why would they be in abundance in these public places and on farms?

From the information I have researched, the Michigan DNR appears overzealous in culling mute swans. I agree, there should be a better, more humane stewardship plan in place only in areas where it is needed.

We humans have controlled so much that when I am kayaking all there is to see are a few mallards paddling around. Our lakes are too busy for most other duck species. Our geese have been rounded up and killed. I am thankful we still have the swans that have escaped the snapping turtles, raccoons, opossum, and DNR.