PHOTOS: Nesting Swans Take Up Residence at Avalon Park

A pair of nesting swans are protecting eight eggs in what park staff have described as a very large nest at in Stony Brook off of part of the trail.

"We definitely encourage people to come down. It’s an incredible thing for people to see," said Rebecca Kassay, STATE program coordinator for the park.

Due to its proximity to the trail, the nest is now securely enclosed in a pen for protection – both to protect the swans from harm, and to protect people who may be harmed if the swans perceive danger and decide to attack.

Explaining the staff's decision to erect a pen around the nest, Kassay said, "It wasn’t the best place for the swan to nest, but it’s nature and you can’t really control it. ... We wanted to prevent anything from happening that we’d feel bad about."

The eggs were first discovered about a month and a half ago, and may hatch within the next couple of weeks, Kassay said.