Plea to feed Strathclyde Park Loch birds - Hamilton Advertiser

Plea to feed Strathclyde Park Loch birds

Dec 30 2010 by Leona Greenan, Hamilton Advertiser

A LANARKSHIRE couple have asked residents across the county to help them feed wildlife at Strathclyde Park this winter.

Frances and Alan McKnight spend over an hour each day shredding vegetables to feed to the swans, ducks, geese and coots.

The birds are struggling to find food in the extreme winter conditions, which has left much of the park loch frozen over. As a result, they rely heavily on being fed to help them survive.

And the couple, from Motherwell, are urging people to help.

Frances told the Advertiser: “We have been feeding the pond birds in Strathclyde Park for the last two winters due to the freezing conditions. The majority of the loch is frozen over and it is very difficult for the birds to find food.

“Few people venture down the park in this weather and fewer still bring bread to feed the birds so they really are suffering.

“The birds are also mostly at the sandy beach side, opposite the water centre. Very few people venture over there at this time of year, so we would love to see more people help by going along and feeding them as we do.”

So far this year the couple have rescued four swans from the loch, one of whom unfortunately died at the weekend on the way to the RSPCA centre in Hamilton.

Frances continued: “Some of the birds are stranded out on the ice, frozen on to it. Already we have rescued four swans, including signets.

via hamiltonadvertiser.co.uk

This is a story about a couple who have been feeding wildlife at Strachclyde Park this winter and are calling for other people to help too.