Delnor swans back to rule the roost

They are an important part of an idyllic setting for the Delnor Hospital campus. They definitely catch your eye when you're walking or driving past on Randall Road.

But Ricky and Lucy can be more than a little nasty - and that's how their Delnor caretakers need them to be.

The trumpeter swans that appear on the hospital campus pond each spring, carrying the names of the famous comedy couple, are there for one major reason - to keep geese away.

Ricky, weighing about 28 pounds, is quite territorial in protecting Lucy and her baby swans, or cygnets.

"They're actually violent birds," said Ron Daszkiewicz, a plant operations employee who is in charge of the swans. "They have these little knots on their wings that are like hammer heads, so it's definitely a challenge when it is time to bring them back here or take them away for the winter."

Daszkiewicz said it's not a good idea for parents to bring their young kids to the shoreline of the pond.

"These aren't like geese coming to you because they think they are going to be fed," Daszkiewicz explained. "They're coming because they want you to go away."

Each spring, when Ricky and Lucy are brought back to the Delnor pond, Lucy is pregnant and lays at least a half dozen eggs on the "nesting box" in the middle of the pond.

"She lays those eggs, and then Ricky becomes very protective," said Lynne Casey, who wrote about the swans in the hospital newsletter as part of her job with the Delnor marketing department.

Before the winter sets in, Casey said the swans must be retrieved for their trip back to Wisconsin and about six months on a pond that has a bubbler and more than 100 other swans.

"We don't have the bubbler on our lake, so it would get too cold and swans couldn't move around on the ice," Casey said.

A tricky task for Daszkiewicz is helping during the process of clipping the wings of the baby swans so they don't "wander off."

"That's quite an event, actually called 'pinioning' the wings," Daszkiewicz said. "The birds don't like it and you have to catch them to do it."

As the babies go back to Wisconsin to "start their own lives," Delnor's Ricky and Lucy stay "until they aren't doing what they are supposed to do" in keeping geese away, Daszkiewicz said.

"They get a little bored and a little lazy when their babies are gone," he added.

These swans, expected soon, play an important role in keeping the Delnor pond area clean, but they get "paid" well in food. Daszkiewicz estimates that 5,200 pounds of food is needed to get through the hospital's "swan season."

'Munster' house makeover: It's hard to believe it's been nearly three years since the Victorian-style home built in the 1890s at 405 S. Seventh St. in St. Charles was the topic of a historic preservation debate in the city.

The house, known to kids in that neighborhood for decades as the "Eddie Munster House" because of its stunning appearance and "haunted house" overtones during Halloween, basically stood in need of repairs the past couple of years after owner Anne Bowie moved to Ohio.

But those driving by that picturesque house on the city's West side now will notice it has received a new coat of paint and some extensive stone work on its front entrance and the wraparound porch.

Neighbors say a family has purchased the home, and another parcel on that corner is available for sale.

The home needed a buyer to keep it part of that neighborhood's character and history, and one who was willing to give it the makeover it is apparently enjoying.

Running the red: Don't mark me down as a fan of the red-light cameras popping up all over the place. They're like mechanical pickpockets as opposed to Big Brother actually looking out for my safety.

Having said that, however, they were created for a reason. Too many idiots in a hurry run red lights. I saw another glaring example at the red light on Randall and Bricher last weekend. Unfortunately, there's no camera in action at that intersection, because this particular driver needed to have his pockets picked of $100.

Seeking top trivia prize: We haven't been able to capture the first-place prize - at least not yet. But that won't stop my wife and me from entering a team in the April 10 Trivia Night fundraiser for TriCity Family Services.

Any other teams looking to find out how much trivial information is stuck in the brains of its members can sign up for the event by calling (630) 232-1070 or on the Web site at tricityfamilyservices.org.

The action starts at 7 p.m. at the St. Charles VFW, after a social hour to loosen up the brain cells.

For movie lovers: If you enjoy critiquing films - and who doesn't have something to say about what they've seen at a movie theater - you will really enjoy talking to the director after watching a movie.

Geneva does its transformation to Cannes or Sundance starting April 15 when the city's film festival gets rolling with a kickoff event at Wildwood restaurant on Third Street.

Those who attend will get a preview of the festival, which takes place April 16 to 18 at various locations. Take a look at genevafilmfestival.org to get ticket price and film screenings information. Tickets for the kickoff event cost $30, and participants are included in a drawing for merchandise and services.

Lost in the mail?: The invitation to the grand opening of Kane County Forest Preserve's new lodge at Brewster Creek on Route 25, two miles north of Army Trail Road, was tempting.

Problem is, the grand opening was on March 7, and we received our invitation on March 29, so it had to be a case of being lost in the mail.

In any case, we intend to visit sometime soon, as we've heard good things about this new lodge and the preserve itself.

dheun@sbcglobal.net