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MOORLAND - For area residents who regularly drive by the Moorland Swan Pond, trying to catch a glimpse of the trumpeter swans and their brood of cygnets has, since they hatched earlier this summer, been a pleasant part of the journey.

But in the last few days, there's been less to see.

Four of the five cygnets - or young swans - have died.

According to Pat Shehan, a park ranger with Webster County Conservation who manages the swan project, two of the cygnets died from unknown causes and the other two accidentally got their feet caught in material used to hold reeds in place on the breeding island.

"Something had to have spooked them," he said.

He explained that there is no flaw in the island design; something or someone scared the birds and that's what made them try to leave the island through the reeds, he said.

The other two who died had looked healthy, but they were found dead just days later. Shehan suspects they may have succumbed to a mold to which young birds are particularly susceptible. He theorizes that below-average temperatures, combined with higher-than-normal rainfall, encouraged mold to grow earlier in the season.

Birds will often not show signs of being ill until it's too late to treat, making it difficult to monitor them, he said.

Shehan is disappointed with the loss.

"They finally reproduce - then we have this mortality," he said, "It's a step forward, then a step backward."

Shehan is keeping his fingers crossed for the remaining cygnet; the bird is old enough now to enjoy a higher chance of survival.

"Hopefully we can get the one left to adulthood," he said.

While the breeding site hasn't had much luck since 2005, cygnets that were hatched prior to that survived to adulthood and are thriving. Some of those birds have been spotted in both Oklahoma and Minnesota.

Shehan explained that in spite of the loss the effort to help the birds has been fruitful.

"Overall, it's been a great success," he said.

The birds have established themselves in stopping areas and their numbers are up, overall.

The Trumpeter Swan Recovery Project was started in 1998 by Webster County Conservation Naturalist Karen Hansen, Pat Shehan took over the project in 2004.

Contact Hans Madsen at (515) 573-2141 or hmadsen@messengernews.net