Hundreds of Whooper Swans swoop on Kilconnell

There has been a mass influx of visitors to a small Galway village over the last couple of weeks, setting up home much to the delight of their neighbours.

Kilconnell may not be the usual stop-off on the West’s tourist trail, but it has proven to be a huge draw for the Whooper Swan.

This particular breed of swan fly here from Iceland on an annual basis – but this time they have specifically settled on Lake Calla in Kilconnell . . . at least for the time being.

Normally, around 20 or 30 of the Whooper Swans would descend on the lake – but clearly the word has spread among their number because the last couple of weeks have seen almost 200 arrive from Northern Europe.

And as local farmer Peter Lynskey explained, it is down to the fact that Lake Calla is one of the few bodies of water in which they feel safe.

It is all attributed to our scorching summer which has seen water levels on the River Shannon and Suck remain at historic lows – which leaves the Whooper Swans feeling vulnerable to attack from the river banks.

According to Peter, that is why they have chosen Lake Calla for their winter holiday.

“Our lake is now a sea of white with the amount of ducks and swans that it has attracted. Never before have we witnessed anything like this.

“Even though our lake is at an all time low – normally it covers an area of around 27 acres but it is now down to 20 acres – but the swans still feel safer there at night,” Peter explained.

The Whooper Swans make the 1,000 mile journey from Iceland – and some even come from Russian Siberia – and their arrival at the end of October has seen the lake become something of a local attraction.

According to Peter, they following the warmer climate at this time of year and during the day time they feed on the grasses at the edge of the lake and then congregate around the middle of the lake at night where they are not vulnerable to attack.

Peter is a local farmer and AI technician but he, along with local resident and former Galway East TD Joe Callanan, keep a close watch on everything that happens on Lough Calla – once home to a Baron who resided on a man-made island on the lake.

“The swans normally arrive on the last week in October or early November and usually there would be a handful but we have never witnessed anything like this.

“There are now people calling to the lake every day to see the number of swans and ducks that have arrived. It is an attraction in itself,” Peter added.

The lake is home to the traditional Mute Swan while a small number of the Bewick Swan often arrive from Eastern Europe but the latest influx has taken locals by complete surprise.