Swans make themselves at home after fundraising bid '¨in Milngavie for new island

A project to create a new island for swans at a Milngavie pond has been going swimmingly.

Milngavie Community Development Trust (MCDT) was contacted by local woman Fiona Crosbie, who was
 concerned that conditions in the middle of the pond behind the local library were deteriorating for the birds.

She launched a fundraising campaign to raise money to install new nesting platforms to provide a safe environment for the birds. This venture raised almost £1,000.

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The pond is well loved by residents and the swans have been a feature there for some time.

Fiona posted on her justgiving fundraising page this week: “We did it! Thank you!

“The island was successfully installed on Wednesday and the swans immediately showed an interest.

“They have been seen sitting on it and hopefully this is the prelude to nesting.

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“This is only the beginning. We have plans to refurbish and conserve the area around the pond and make it a real community asset.

“We will have a community consultation after the spring break. Look out for us in the village precinct and tell us what you would like to happen next.”

Fiona said she had always enjoyed visiting the pond with her children and then her grandchildren.

She said: “I liked to see the swans nesting on an island in the pond but it became obvious the island was deteriorating and two years ago its moorings gave way. The island was left to drift around the pond.

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“The swans were not using the island and had been forced to nest beside the path on the far side of the water instead.”

Country Rangers at Mugdock helped to install the island and Milngavie Community Development Trust has posted on its Facebook page that donations will continue to be taken at the crowdfunding page until the end of the month.

If you would like to help, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/swanisland

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