The first consideration is to find out the species of swan that is visiting your area as some swans are protected by state and/or federal laws and may not be harassed. Additionally, do you now if they can fly, are they wild or someone's captive swans. If they are wild, then you will need to try and lure them away from your area. If they are captive, then you can contact the owners and see if they can keep better control of their swans. Also, do you only see them when they have cygnets or do they stay in the area year round?

The second consideration is to find out if anyone is feeding the swans in your area so that they want to hang around the dock and swimming area. Take away the free food and the swans will not want to stay in the area. If the swans only hang around your area when there are cygnets, this would mean that they are trying to find a food source to supplement the habitat in order to feed their young.

If you can fence in the swimming area so that there is not enough take-off and landing area for the swans, they will stay on the perimeter of your swimming area. This fencing may only have to be temporary to discourage the swans from accessing so that they get tired of trying and go somewhere else. There is also the chance that they will leave the area once the cygnets are grown and begin chasing the young from the area.

The swans are not aggressive, only defensive. Swans are great parents and will defend their young, nest and family at all costs. They are viewing your area as a great food, shelter, or other habitat resource and this is why they are coming into your area. If you can make this area unfavorable, they should move downstream. You might try feeding them by placing food downstream to see if you can attract them downstream.

Finally, if they are wild swans and not protected, too many complaints can find the state coming in and shooting the whole family. So, if you do not want to see any harm come to the swans, you really need to look at promoting another good area for them to inhabit. The Regal Swan