BITELY, Mich. – Some progress is being made to help a swan that has been stranded on a Newaygo County lake for two weeks.
FOX 17 spoke with Diana and Gordon Velderman Friday morning. They said the swan with the broken wing moved closer to shore overnight and appears to be feeding.
The couple says two swans have been stuck on Pickerel Lake for nearly two weeks. One of the swans has a broken wing and its mate wont leave its side as swans mate for life.
The swans are believed to be Trumpeter or Tundra Swans. A DNR officer has been out there to check things out, but the ice is still too thin, making it too risky to rescue them on the middle of the lake.
Diana and Gordon say they have been trying to think of all different kinds of ideas to try to get food to them. “Little remote control helicopters or something you know, drop some food, potato launcher to shoot something out there,” said Gordon.
The Velderman’s say they just don’t want to give up and they of course only want to find a way to save them in the safest way possible.
The DNR says if the swans move a little closer to the edge they may be able to get them off the ice and a West Michigan Wildlife Rehab Center says they will take them in, if they can be rescued.
The Velderman’s say a DNR officer was back out there on Thursday to see what they could do to try to help.
