Beloved Swan Family Mowed Down On Bayview Avenue In Bayville

BAYVILLE, NJ - The little swan family was a familiar fixture in the lagoons and tidal marshes off Bayview Avenue in Bayville.

The mother and father swan kept careful watch over their babies. The swans would glide up to Donna Matusik's lagoon home, where she would feed them. Sometimes they followed other residents who would kayak in the area.

Now only the confused father swan is left, perched at the end of one lagoon, waiting for his family.

The mother and her babies were mowed down by someone who couldn't take the time to let them cross the roadway. Neighbors in the area are heartbroken over the loss of the little family.

Donna Saad Matusik was riding her bike on Bayview Avenue when she came across their bodies.

"I was so upset when I saw them," she said "I had to pull over my bike. All the babies and the mama. I was devastated. So many people are really, really upset."

Bayview Avenue in that section of Bayville is a long stretch of roadway that bisects the wildlife preserve that used to be part of the old AT&T property. Some drivers go way too fast where the speed limit is tops 45 miles per hour in some sections.

The mother swan and her four babies - two white and two tan - must have been killed during the daytime on Sunday or Monday, said Matusik, who saw them every day.

Some neighbors in the area are talking about offering rewards for information leading to whoever killed the swans, Matusik said.

"Whoever did this, I hope we find them," she said. "We are all a mess. It's horrible."

Sadly, some of the contributors on the Bayville....Best Place on Earth Facebook page are making fun of incident.

Photos: Bayville...Best Place on Earth Facebook page.