Susie had been on the nest with seven eggs as hatching time neared. Sully had performed his nest-sharing role very well. But on April 28, I found him in an area of water that had claimed the breeding male Stan. Like Stan, Sully was floating, almost limp. I grabbed him from the water, carried him to my garage, and loaded him into the car for the 40 minute trip to the vet on Laurel Road. When the ER-like efforts produced no lasting effects, it was time to let Sully go...just like Stan.
Cygnets about to hatch, no husband in site, Susie was going to be a single parent....and that does not bode well for the babies. Knowing the basic contributions of the male, I fumbled my way through what I could do and what Susie would allow. The four cygnets were in the water on May 1 and headed north two days later after I was able to clean the nest.