Rye Beach NH  Swans at Eel Pond

If you live anywhere near the coast you’ve probably happened upon the Swans at Eel Pond in Rye NH. They are beautiful, graceful and wild.

While they are not “native” to the area, they have been at home in Eel Pond for many years.  The Beautiful Swans are awesome to see but they can be aggressive.  They are actually Mute Swans and were imported at the turn of the century by wealthy New York land owners and officials in attempts to decorate ponds and parks. Over time some “escaped” to the East Coast and settled in on the marsh lands along the coast.  There is a lot of controversy about the swans manly due to their aggressive nature towards the natural habitat and even people.  The Swans, contrary to what one might think, are not welcomed everywhere. In fact in NH, they are being somewhat controlled albeit they live in the wild. So while they are very beautiful and interesting to watch as a swim about Eel Pond you should stay back and enjoy them from a little bit of a distance …they’ve been known to chase people.

 Swans at Eel Pond Rye Beach NH

video by Monika McGillicuddy March 2012

Swans Rye Beach NH

video recorded by Monika McGillicuddy in 2008