GERMANY: Swans in German city of Hamburg moved into winter quarters.

Record ID: 736775

  • Title: GERMANY: Swans in German city of Hamburg moved into winter quarters.
  • Date: 27th November 2009
  • Summary: TWO HELPERS STRUGGLING WITH SWAN FLAPPING ITS WINGS SWANS IN WATER SWANS ON BOARD BOATS ONLOOKERS WATCHING SWANS IN BOATS FLOATING ALONG LAKE WHERE THEY WILL SPEND THE WINTER NIESS ON BOAT WITH SWANS SWANS IN BOAT / NIESS RELEASING SWAN INTO LAKE VARIOUS OF SWANS ON LAKE
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Environment / Natural World,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA7DCVIAPCWLNCZEXUS0C7Q2A97
  • Story Text: Hamburg's swans are moved into their winter quarters in a recurring event that attracts plenty of attention.
    Hamburg's swans have been moved into their winter quarters on Monday (November 23) before the river Alster's water freezes and causes the city's mascots to starve.
    The tradition of moving the swans away from the river is said to date back hundreds of years and since 1818, a "swan father" has been charged with the task of catching the birds and transferring them to a nearby lake by boat.
    Every year the Hamburg swan catcher, Olaf Niess looks after the city's swan population during the frosty winter months, just as his father had before him.
    The semi-wild birds are moved from the Outer-Alster river where they stay during warmer months to a nearby lake where they survive the cold.
    "They can still be outside and feed themselves and we keep the water ice-free," Niess said, adding "they have their peace and quiet and we can give them some extra food to make sure they are getting what they In order to escape injury from the birds' beaks or wings, the swan catchers tie their feet together for the short boat journey to the Mill Damn in Eppendorf.
    Here, pumps ensure all winter long that the water won't freeze over.
    To the pleasure of the city's bird fans, the pampered birds will be returned to the Outer-Alster river in the spring.
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