Learn about swans - Today is Z4V
Z4V is an unnamed male who was ringed at Martin Mere in 2005. He has a yellow darvic on his right leg and he is paired with AXN, a lady who has a red darvic on her left leg, although she has only been AXN since August as she was originally ringed H4L but she managed to loose her darvic ring in 2009.
They arrived together at Martin Mere on 27 October with 2 cygnets. The whole family were caught in Iceland in August which allowed the 2 cygnets to be fitted with a ring and for us to determine that one is a boy and one is a girl. The male has ring number AXK (red darvic on his right leg) and the female is ring number AXL (red darvic on her left leg).
As far as we know, this is the first year that Z4V has cygnets as we do not have any recordings of any since 2005. Fingers crossed they will now return every year with a new family. If you come along to Martin Mere over the next couple of months, see if you can spot their family.
