Swan news
Whoopers fly in as Bewick's move closer!
The familiar bugling call and flashes of yellow and black beaks got the pulses racing at Slimbridge this morning but still no Bewick’s to be seen! Two whooper swans touched down on the reserve, intriguingly with two young mute swans. The whooper swan, w
20 October 2011
The swans are on their way!
My inbox has been buzzing with news that the great Bewick’s swan migration is underway and on time! The first birds arrived in Lithuania at the end of September, and since then, nearly a thousand have dropped into the Netherlands! Seeing the swans arriv
18 October 2011
Au revoir!
The last five Bewick's swans left on their spring migration over the weekend, bringing to a close what has been another winter packed with excitement, intrigue, romance and sadness. As soon as the first birds arrived at Slimbridge on 19 October, we were k
15 March 2011
Late-comers drop in for last minute feed!
Only five birds remained at Slimbridge yesterday and so it was a lovely surprise to see 21 rooting around for grasses in the scrapes this morning! Four of these birds had briefly visited us earlier on in the winter and must have joined another flock els
10 March 2011
Swans leave on a still night!
A calm, moonlit evening triggered 89 swans to start their spring migration from Slimbridge last night, leaving just 41 birds on the reserve today! After patiently waiting for conditions to improve, the birds seized their moment and embarked on their 2,50
8 March 2011
Swans stall their migration as cold snap hits!
After the mass exodus of Bewick's swans from UK wintering sites at the weekend, cold north-easterly winds and snow on the continent have stopped many in their tracks! Rather than flying straight on to Germany, large flocks have congregated at sites in Hol
1 March 2011
Russian bound swans start leaving the UK
Over 100 swans made the most of the westerly winds to leave Slimbridge on spring migration over the weekend! The reserve count dropped from 247 birds on Friday to just 142 today, although some of the 'missing' birds may still be lurking in the area. In re
28 February 2011
Time for migration!
The swans are ready! After a week or so of loafing around, the swans are now preparing for migration by stretching their wings and taking short 'practice' flights. This restlessness is thought to be caused by the lengthening days which the swans see as a
23 February 2011
Lost birds reunited for Valentines!
Earlier in the winter, we were sad to see our old friend Gien return without her mate of two years Grenoble. A couple of weeks passed and Gien remained on her own. As swans tend to mate for life, the arrival of a bird without its mate often means that the
14 February 2011
Pre-migratory behaviour accompanies a taste of spring
With the days lengthening and temperatures gradually rising, the swans are edging ever closer to embarking on their 2,500 mile migration back to arctic Russia. In preparation, groups at Slimbridge have been resting up and loafing around on the river, whil
9 February 2011
Arctic blast brings back divorcee Saruni!
The latest blast of cold weather to sweep across the UK has put migration plans back to Russia on hold, and has encouraged more birds to fly into Slimbridge instead! The reserve is the largest wintering site on the western fringes of the Bewick's swan ra
31 January 2011
Swans enjoy the floods!
There have been spectacular views of the swans on the reserve over the past few days as 200 have been making the most of the flooded scrapes on the reserve, alongside over 6,000 wigeon and nearly 600 white-fronted geese! The reserve is a nature lovers par
18 January 2011
Another poor breeding season
A co-ordinated count of adult and juvenile swans across the UK and the continent in mid-December has shown that the Bewick's swans have had another poor breeding season. Only 10.5% of the 7,275 birds aged between 16 and 21 December were youngsters (WWT/W.
7 January 2011
Swans treated to Christmas leftovers!
Over Christmas, our reserve wardens have been busy lacing the lake shore with raw potatoes, carrots and parsnips as an extra tasty treat for the swans. During weeks of sub-zero temperatures, their natural food became increasingly scarce as the grass remai
30 December 2010
More snow, more swans!
The big freeze continues and the swans keep flooding in! This December is set to be the coldest in the UK since records began in 1910, according to the Met Office. Food for the swans is becoming increasingly scarce as wintering sites across Northwest Euro
21 December 2010