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Abbotsbury Swannery is the only managed colony of nesting mute Swans in the world. It is situated near the village of Abbotsbury in Dorset , England, nine miles west of Weymouth on a two acre site around the Fleet lagoon protected from the weather of Lyme Bay by Chesil Beach . The colony can number over 600 swans with around 150 pairs. Written records of the swannery’s existence go back to 1393 but in probability it existed well before that. HISTORY The Fleet lagoon formed at the end of the last Ice Age as melt water flooded behind the already formed Chesil Beach leaving shallow salty water in which weeds grew profusely producing an ideal environment for nesting birds. The Benedictine monastery of St. Peters was established on the site in the eleventh century at the bequest of King Canute and the monks managed the swans as a ready source of meat. The swannery was used by the monks until 1539 when the monastery was dissolved by King Henry VIII , it was then purchased by the Strangways family and has remained in their ownership through fifteen generations up to the present day. THE SWANNERY TODAY Abbotsbury swannery is today a major tourist attraction and the swans have become accustomed to the presence of visitors and allow close but respectful approach even in the nesting season when cygnets are on the nest. Before viewing the swans, visitors can look at the Decoyman’s House which sets the scene for the visit with a display explaining how the colony has been managed over the years and how the present situation has evolved. Apart from the swans, the Fleet and Chesil Beach attracts many species of waterfowl and over 300 different varieties have been recorded leading to the area being designated as a Site Of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protected Area (SPA) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Nesting mute swans are usually intensely territorial so it is unusual to see this many pairs in close proximity to each other, however the closeness of the nests can sometimes lead to problems as newly hatched cygnets can become attached to the wrong parent bird, to overcome this rearing pens are used for a few selected families who need more privacy. Visitors are sometimes allowed to hold the cygnets under supervision from the swanherds. The daily feeding sessions take place at 12 noon and 4pm and are interesting to witness as a large mass of the birds gather round, children are invited to help with the feeding. At the end of July the swans become flightless for around six weeks due to the moulting of their feathers and once every two years the swans are rounded up at this time of year so that they can be examined, weighed and measured and any new birds to the colony ringed. The round up is undertaken by around 50 canoes who start at the eastern end of the lagoon and slowly drive the birds into the swannery bay at Abbotsbury. In the past the round up has resulted in over 900 birds being caught and recorded. SOURCE The visitors handbook “Abbotsbury Swannery and the Fleet” ISBN 0-7117-1512-2 was used in compiling this article. |
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