Friday, June 04, 2010

GOOD NEWS FROM THE HURSTVILLE!     THERE HAS BEEN A POPULATION EXPULSION AT HURSTVILLE.     EIGHT BABY TRUMPETER SWANS (CYGNETS) HAVE HATCHED AT THE HURSTVILLE INTERPRETIVE CENTER JUST NORTH OF MAQUOKETA.    THE CYGNETS AND THEIR PARENTS ARE PART OF THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TRUMPETER SWAN REINTRODUCTION PROGRAM.   THE BABIES HATCHED WEDNESDAY.      VISITORS CAN VIEW THE ACTIVITIES OF THE FAMILY FROM A SPOTTING SCOPE ON THE EAST DECK OF THE CENTER.   VISITORS ARE ASKED NOT TO APPROACH THE FENCE TO VIEW THE  SWANS.    CLOSE APPROACHES WILL AGITATE THE ADULTS AND DISRUPT THE CYGNETS RESTING AND FEEDING TIMES.  THE CYGNETS WILL STAY FOR THE SUMMER LEARNING WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN AND THEN WILL BE RELEASED INTO THE WILD NEXT SPRING.     WHENEVER YOU COME TO VISIT MAQUOKETA, BE SURE YOU VISIT THE HURSTVILLE CENTER AND THE
WILDLIFE AREA SURRONDING IT.    NO ADMISSION.  OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK.   ADULTS AND KIDS CAN SPEND UP TO AN HOUR OR MORE  VIEWING MANY INTERESTING
THINGS ABOUT THE IOWA GREAT OUTDOORS.     BECAUSE OF THE NEW SWAN RESIDENTS, SWAN FEATHERS ARE ON DISPLAY AND A TAPE RECORDING CAN BE HEARD OF SWAN SOUNDS.
DENNIS VOY