Return of The Gamblers!
Faithful Slimbridge swan Croupier has flown in with his mate Dealer for his 23rd winter at Slimbridge! Croupier first learnt the way to the reserve as a cygnet in 1991 after following parents Casino and Punter and is part of the famous ‘Gambling Dynasty’! His mother Casino lived to 27 years old and was very productive bringing 34 cygnets back to Slimbridge with her. This productive trend has continued in the next generation as Croupier and Dealer have brought another two cygnets back with them this winter boosting their cygnet total to 26! It has been interesting to watch them interact with Wager who was a cygnet of theirs in 2009 and who is also back with his own family. Although Bewick’s swans usually gain independence from their parents at the age of one, it’s not uncommon to see blood relations loosely associating with each other in subsequent years. In fact, Croupier associated on and off with his mother for seven years. After witnessing Croupier scare off Wager at this morning’s feed, it looks unlikely that this father-son relationship will follow the same pattern!
A co-ordinated count across the Ouse Washes in Norfolk on 12 November recorded 347 Bewick’s and 5,372 whoopers and many more are likely to have arrived over the past week with the cold weather (WWT/RSPB). In mid-winter, we may find up to 6,000 Bewick’s and even more whoopers in this area so there are still plenty more to come...
