Soiree with the Swans

Soiree with the Swans is on Saturday, January 6 at Schildberg Recreation Area-Lake 4 in Atlantic, Iowa. Staff will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans every half-hour beginning at 11 a.m. with the last one being presented at 2 p.m. There will be time to view the swans through spotting scopes and witness random swan feeding sessions. Hot chocolate, cookies, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted for swan care.

The Schildberg Recreation Area is located on the northwest edge of Atlantic; Lake 4 is on the north side of Highway 83. Atlantic is celebrating 24 winters of the Trumpeter Swans wintering here. This event is not to be missed! If the weather is inclement or the swans are not at the park, the program will be held at the Atlantic Public Library Community Room from 12 to 1 p.m. with hot chocolate, cookies, and other snacks available.

Trumpeter Swans have been endangered since the Federal Endangered Species Act was passed in 1966. The population of these swans was less than 2,000 when they were first placed on the list. From 1850 to 1998, the swans were extirpated from the state. Between zoos and wildlife populations, the swans have been brought back with the help of science. A reintroduction process was started in 1998 and today, the migration flies through Iowa.

This event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.