Duchess returns to Polson Park
Duchess will soon be ruling over Polson Park again.
The 25-year-old bird, who has spent her whole life at the park’s pond, was taken to the veterinarian after being discovered injured Monday.
“There was a cut right to the bone,” said Ron Gibson, a City of Vernon worker who looks after Duchess. “She was pretty much out of it.”
Duchess was treated at Central Animal Hospital, where she was kept overnight, and then she was taken to a city manager’s farm to recuperate.
She could possibly be back in Polson Park later today.
“She’s moving around pretty good but she’s not happy about the bandage. She keeps pecking at it,” said Gibson.
It’s still unknown whether it was a dog, coyote or vehicle that may have injured Duchess.
“There was no reason for her to be up there unless she was chased,” said Gibson of the swan being found at the park’s western edge by Highway 97.
Gibson, who is a building maintenance supervisor, first developed a relationship with Duchess when he was a parks worker and she had lost her mate 15 years ago.
It wasn’t uncommon to see them together, and Duchess even went as far as helping Gibson with his landscaping duties.
“She’d grab the trimmings and put them in little piles,” he said.
“When I’d have a coffee break, she’d lie down and have her water. When coffee was over, we’d both get back to work.”
Gibson admits that Duchess has become an important part of his life.
“I’d be heart broken if something ever happened to her,” he said.
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