On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:13:01 -0800 (PST), North Star wrote:

On Dec 19, 9:03*am, Happy JH wrote:
On Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:09:16 -0800 (PST), Tim wrote:
On Dec 18, 7:22*pm, Happy JH wrote:
On Sun, 18 Dec 2011 14:47:13 -0500, X ` Man wrote:

On 12/18/11 2:39 PM, Drifter wrote:
Have studies been completed on how best to deal with the mute swan?

The point, dumbfoch, is not that the swans are deleterious to the Bay.
No one is disputing that. The point is that once again our resident
righties are jumping on the bandwagon of "kill, kill, kill" to get rid
of a problem we created.

Was there ever a time when you boys or your ancestors could think in the
abstract, or is that just anathema to the right wing?

Maybe we should load them on buses, take 'em to the airport, and fly them back to Germany?

Yes, mankind made a boo-boo. Now mankind should fix the boo-boo. I suppose smashing enough eggs
could eventually solve the problem.

Or... you could eat 'em...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Gour...-Meat-Burgers/

All well and good in New Zealand. Here we have folks who think these things should be 'protected',
even though they're destroying, by the many acres, the habitat of species essential to the bay. The
friggin' swans are *not* essential to the bay, except in the heads of a few.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

So.. here we are a few days before Christmas and all you can think
about is slaughtering some of God's creatures because they
inconvenience you?
Just what kind of pseudo Christian do you claim to be?

Donnie, can you read?

Did I say something about 'me' being inconvenienced? Read something for a change before opening your
mouth.

"Why are mute swans considered to be invasive?

A large mute swan population threatens the protection and restoration of underwater bay grasses, a
vital part of the Bay's ecosystem. Mute swans feed almost exclusively on bay grasses: each adult
consumes more than 8 pounds daily and pulls whole plants up by the roots or rhizomes. Bay grass
restoration efforts have been frequently hindered by feeding mute swans.

Mute swans also compete with native Bay species for food and habitat.

Breeding mute swans will vigorously defend their nests from intrusion by other swans, ducks or
geese. They can attack and displace native waterfowl from their breeding areas, and may even kill
the intruding pair or their young.
Because mute swans do not migrate, they continuously feed on bay grasses during the summer
flowering and growing periods. This reduces the amount of grasses available for migratory waterfowl,
including Atlantic brants and redhead, canvasback, American widgeon and black ducks. Populations of
many of these species have declined in the Bay due to a lack of available food.
In Maryland, wintering tundra swans have declined 40 percent in the past five years, coinciding
with the rapid increase in mute swans. Mute swan pairs have been observed driving tundra swans from
foraging areas and protected covers used for wintering shelter.
General Info
News & Press
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Home Bay Pressures Invasive Species Mute Swan
Mute Swan
Mute swan
Mute swans were introduced to North America in the late 1800s as decorations for parks, zoos and
private estates.
See Also:

Mute swan profile
Invasive Species
About birds

The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is an invasive, non-native species that was introduced to the Bay region
for its ornamental value; however, the birds have had an increasingly disruptive effect on the
ecology of the Bay. A large population of mute swans presents major challenges to meeting
restoration and protection goals for the Bay's native aquatic life, including waterfowl and
underwater bay grasses.

How were mute swans introduced to the Bay watershed?

Mute swans were introduced to North America in the late 1800s as decorations for parks, zoos and
private estates. Between 1910 and 1912, over 500 mute swans were imported from Europe and Asia.
However, a small number of these birds escaped into the wild.

The first wild mute swans were seen in the Bay watershed in Pennsylvania in the 1930s. They were
spotted in Maryland in 1954; in Virginia in the mid-1950s; and in Delaware in 1958. Wild populations
became established in Maryland and Virginia in the 1960s, and have increased drastically since 1986.

Why are mute swans considered to be invasive?

A large mute swan population threatens the protection and restoration of underwater bay grasses, a
vital part of the Bay's ecosystem. Mute swans feed almost exclusively on bay grasses: each adult
consumes more than 8 pounds daily and pulls whole plants up by the roots or rhizomes. Bay grass
restoration efforts have been frequently hindered by feeding mute swans.

Mute swans also compete with native Bay species for food and habitat.

Breeding mute swans will vigorously defend their nests from intrusion by other swans, ducks or
geese. They can attack and displace native waterfowl from their breeding areas, and may even kill
the intruding pair or their young.
Because mute swans do not migrate, they continuously feed on bay grasses during the summer
flowering and growing periods. This reduces the amount of grasses available for migratory waterfowl,
including Atlantic brants and redhead, canvasback, American widgeon and black ducks. Populations of
many of these species have declined in the Bay due to a lack of available food.
In Maryland, wintering tundra swans have declined 40 percent in the past five years, coinciding
with the rapid increase in mute swans. Mute swan pairs have been observed driving tundra swans from
foraging areas and protected covers used for wintering shelter.

In addition to their impact on bay grasses, mute swans:

Have the potential to damage crops on agricultural fields if there are not enough bay grasses to
satisfy their appetites.
Can display aggressive territorial behavior toward humans if they approach the birds' nest or
young. A mute swan can have a wingspan of 6 feet and is readily capable of breaking bones and
causing severe injury.
Can contribute to water quality problems in places they are found in large concentrations."

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/muteswa...menuitem=16930

You'll note, if you bother to read and learn something, that my name is mentioned nowhere in the
article.

Here's some more that will help you.

http://tinyurl.com/o42at

Take some time and grow up.