Black swan flies in to feed at Dundrum beauty spot

Black swan flies in to feed at Dundrum beauty spot

3 December 2014

A RARE black swan has been spotted at Dundrum Bay.

The native Australian bird was spotted among a flock of white swans by a local amateur photographer.

Dundrum man Wilfred Swain had heard the swan was in the area and was delighted to catch a glimpse of it while out with his camera this week.

He said he was fortunate to be able to capture an image of the swan thanks to a long lens that meant he could remain a good distance away from the shy bird.

Despite his distance, however, he said the swan flew away from him as he took the photograph. As it took flight, he said its undercarriage seemed speckled with white feathers.

Mr. Swain said he was delighted by the unusual sighting.

Although black swans are rare in Britain, their population is growing and experts estimate there may be as many with around 37-50 pairs nesting wild. This population will have grown as a result of the exotic looking birds escaping from private collections after being imported from Australia where there is a healthy population across the country.

Black swans are also thought to be more aggressive to humans than other species.