"There's a swan nearby and I think it's hurt". The calls come at least once a month, and most of them turn out OK. But this latest one had me concerned, and righfully so. Beverly was barely alive, laying in the area of a tee. At 19 years of age, this was not surprising. But Beverly, named after Beverly Stone, was the last progeny of George and Gracie. She had the distinctive angel wing, the only swan to sport one since I adopted a new feeding scheme. She received a burial not far from where she was hatched.
Obvious question that was asked: was she hit by a ball? When I advised two staff members at the Tennis Gardens, they both had been concerned about her health. She was lethargic, not moving much two days prior. Settled. And BTW, It's nice to know that ten years after the death of Gracie, the health and well-being of the swans is still so widely shared.