This is not the news we like to share! My name is Lydia Gillies and I have been asked by Gael Baldock to write a letter to Ponsonby News explaining what I saw and witnessed on Sunday morning at Western Springs regarding a Swan being taken away by a member of the public.
My partner and I were walking around Western Springs taking photos of the birds and wildlife there. We were on the Western Springs Stadium side of the lake; and the man in question was on the far side of the lake on the peninsula not far from where the Royal Spoonbills nest.
A male entered the park from Great North Road entrance in a light green baseball cap, white t-shirt, blue denim shorts and black loafers.
He came down to the waters edge bent over to feed a black swan, the bird came over to the man and he grabbed the black swan by the head pulled it out of the lake. He then hit the bird over the head several times and then shoved the bird into what appeared to be a black sack-like bag and then walked away with the bag.
The attack happened very quickly by the time we worked out what was happening I used my camera to try and get some photos of the individual for authorities to use as evidence. The man appeared to be heading back to the Great North Rd entrance direction. My partner and I started heading over to the other side of the lake where the incident happened to try and apprehend the man. However, the man had gone by the time we managed to get around to that side of the lake.
We have both been going to Western Springs for years and like to chat with the locals and the other bird photographers that go there on the weekends and we have never seen anything like this before.
I was saddened by what I witnessed and was angry at the individual at what he just did to this bird. I felt helpless as it took awhile to get around the lake to where the incident happened.
As the incident unfolded so quickly we were unable to get there to save this poor bird, (and we both feel terrible about that) but we hope that by raising it on social and mainstream media people are made aware of this behaviour and it might just save other birds from the same fate.
Hopefully people will be more aware and keep an eye out for the other birds in the park especially around dawn and dusk when these types of individuals are likely to strike.
I have informed the following authorities: Auckland Council, SPCA, Ministry of Primary Industries, The Auckland/Waikato branch of Fish and Game and the New Zealand Police.
I have been contacted by the following Media outlets: One News, Stuff, New Zealand Herald and by Gael Baldock from Ponsonby News
Lydia Gillies
