First signs of spring migration!
Spring migration has officially started with groups of Bewick’s seen making their way across the Netherlands! Ornithologist Martin Jansen sent this news from Holland:
‘Yesterday morning and also this morning I have seen many Bewick’s flying north-east. Every year it is the same pattern in the second half of February, under good migrating conditions many swans are passing the borderlakes. Most of the birds take a short stop only for drinking, after ten minutes they fly further. It is very nice to see, even when they are swimming they keep going in a north-easterly direction. In some years it can be very impressive, for example 22 February 2008 I saw a total of 523 birds passing in only two hours!’
There are also signs that some swans have left the Ouse Washes where numbers have dropped by around 1,000 in recent weeks leaving 1,961 birds (WeBS) although a number of those may have flown to the neighbouring Nene Washes (C. Kitchin).
The lengthening days trigger the onset of the migratory season but precise departure date is determined by the weather. The brief run of south-westerly winds and clear skies helpful for migration to Russia have ground to a halt and as we return to cold easterly air streams, many of the swans will also be staying put for a while longer.....
