Pelsall Heath End Pool

I have been contacted in the last few days over recent local press articles regarding Heath End pool.

The management of the Pelsall Commons (and its pools)

Heath end Pool - photo taken May 2009

is a matter that comes under close scrutiny – and rightly so – by people who care about preserving these lovely assets we are so lucky to enjoy so close to home. People travel from other parts of Walsall, and beyond, to come to Pelsall because of our Commons and we should do everything we can to preserve and improve them. This is a view that is strongly shared by my colleagues Cllrs Oliver Bennett and Garry Perry.

While it is the case that many people do what they can to support Pelsall Commons, and indeed officers of the local authority do as well, a special mention should go to the extremely hard working Chairman of the Friends of Pelsall Commons, Maureen Payton.

Maureen published an article in the Village Voice and I am publishing this in full below because, well meaning as local press articles may have been recently, the article is more detailed and informed in a way that small press articles might otherwise be:

OUR SWANS,   BETTER NEWS !

When I wrote the article about the rapidly deteriorating condition of our Pen on Friday August 26th, we really had no idea what had caused her to be so ill. Various suggestions were made but we were clutching at straws. It has not been a particularly good year for local swans for some reason, with fewer cygnets surviving than normal, and we were concerned that there was a chance that other birds were going to be similarly affected. When the Pen and her mate and cygnet arrived at the Sanctuary, she was so weak they did not even want to give her a blood test which would have added to the stress from any vital treatment she required. Jan had looked after 65 swans with lead poisoning this year already so she was pretty sure what the problem was. The cygnet was put with other young birds and the Cob was looked after separately for a few days.

Eventually tests were possible and proved that the Pen was suffering from lead poisoning. All it needed was a small lead weight to lodge in her gizzard and, without the excellent care from Jan and her team, she would have died. Because swans have long necks it means they can graze on the bottom of a pool where smaller birds cannot reach. The lead could have been there for years as fishing is not allowed at Heath End Pool and fishermen elsewhere do not use lead now because of the risks to wild life. After two weeks there were small signs that she might be improving and so the Cygnet and Cob were brought to the stable where “mum” was being nursed and they could be a family again. After three weeks she managed to stand and eventually attempt to fly.

So what next ?  After such a traumatic experience it was not felt the Pen was robust enough to return to Pelsall and it transpires that a family who have a stately home with lake have taken over their care. So, sad for us but best for the swans. You never know, they may come back but in the meantime it is gratifying to know that there are places like the Wychbold Sanctuary who do such an amazing job looking after sick and damaged swans. Several people have sent donations to the Sanctuary already and if you wish to contribute the address is :-  Jan Harrigan,  Wychbold Swan  Rescue, Walk Mills Farm, Wychbold Nr. Droitwich Worcs  WR9 ODH                              ………………Maureen………..Friends of Pelsall Commons

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