Re: Belated Swan

Thinking that animals do not migrate due to we humans putting out food and
water is an old wives tale.  Back in the day people used to pull their
feeders in as the cold weather came for fear that the birds would not
migrate south for the winter.  No amount of food or water can change is so
deeply programmed into animals that migrate.

I'm seeing swans up in the Massachusetts area (cape cod) still - so there
are more to go south as well.

LeeAnne

"Malcolm Ogilvie" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Franklin Cacciutto
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
> >I am worried. There is a female swan remaining in the canals and salt
> >marshes here on the south shore of Long Island. This afternoon it helped
> >itself to some fresh water I made available to it in a pail hung from my
> >floating dock at inches above water level. Shouldn't it have migrated
> >south by now?
> >
> If you are worried by the fact that it hasn't migrated, aren't you
> making this even less likely by, e.g., providing a pail of fresh water?
> It is more likely to migrate if it fails to find what it needs in the
> way of food, water, etc.
>
> On the other hand, if it is a Mute Swan, rather than a Tundra Swan, then
> it may not migrate at all.
>
> -- 
> Malcolm Ogilvie