Baby swans take first steps on Longboat Key

Six new swans hatched on Longboat Key for the first time in four years, according to David Novak.

Novak has been the swan keeper on the Key for 17 years. He welcomed the six cygnets as they hatched from their eggs on May 3 near their pond across from the CVS on Bay Isles Road. The cygnets were the offspring of the swan pairing of Chuck and Lydia.

On the morning of May 4, Novak guided the new hatchlings for their first dip in the water.

“This is the start of developing this routine for them,” said Novak. “By getting the father Chuck to lead them towards the water, they will start to prefer the water because they are safer there. Then I will destroy the nest so that they never come back because the smell of the eggs hatching makes them prone to predators.”

Image courtesy of Lou Newman

Swans inhabited Longboat Key in 1995 when Novak’s neighbor brought them to the island. Novak took over the swan keeping of the island from him in 2007. 

Through years of experience, experimentation, and advice from other swan keepers, Novak believes he has perfected a routine for keeping the swans in the best health that he can. He will feed them once a day with specific food pellets and knows how to guide the cygnets in the best way for their well-being.

Novak said he names the swans after important Longboat Key residents or his favorite pop culture references. Chuck was named after Longboat resident Charles Barancik who died in a car crash in 2019. Lydia was named after the song by John Prine, “Donald and Lydia.” 

Along with making a website and a Facebook page, Novak developed a foundation so Longboat residents can donate for the well-being of swans. He also petitioned the Longboat Key Club to add a patch of grass to the CVS pond. The grass now serves as a ramp for the swans to easily enter the water. 

Novak shared that he loves that swan-keeping is apart of his daily routine and is a very rewarding pastime.