Plea for safe home for nesting swans

Volunteers are trying to secure a safe home for a pair of swans who lost their nesting site.

Last year, Bonnie and Bruce nested at Sunderland Marina on a floating structure belonging to charity Groundwork. It was removed earlier this year after storms worsened its condition.

Anna Sheils, part of a Facebook group monitoring the swans, said it had been "heartbreaking" watching Bonnie look for her old home. A petition has called on the marina to take action.

Sunderland Marina Manager John Reeves said the previous platform was offered to the volunteers in November for free if they took care of insurance and management, but Sheils said the offer was not taken up due to the condition of the raft.

Groundwork NE & Cumbria community programme manager Stephen Armstrong said the raft had been installed as temporary environmental pilot project to explore the potential for "greening" the river's edge.

It was decommissioned at the end of February.

Bonnie returned to Sunderland Marina from Roker Park earlier this month and could not find her old nesting place.

Sheils said she now had a new mate called Ash after Bruce had to be taken to a sanctuary in December over vision problems.

She had previously lost two partners to attacks.

"She's swimming everywhere, sleeping in the water, searching for a place," Sheils said.

"It's just heartbreaking watching that.

"She keeps going back to her old raft area, which is empty now."

Sheils said the swans had recently started building a nest on a ramp where Bonnie nested in 2024.

But the volunteer warned this was not "safe at all" as their cygnets had previously been attacked there.

"She only went back because there's absolutely nowhere else after her home was removed," Sheils said.

She added even if the pair settled on the ramp, a raft would still be needed for next year and would be "much safer".

Reeves said his door was "always open" to discuss concerns and how they can help improve the area.

"Last November, along with our charitable partner, we offered the swan volunteers the opportunity to take over ownership of the previous platform, to be moored in a more suitable area, free of charge," he said.

"We only asked that a formal community group be established to take responsibility for its management, liability and insurance. This offer was not pursued.

"I hope we can find a positive and supportive way forward that is beneficial to all involved, not least the swans."

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