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 recent days, local ornithologist Mike Smart has been keeping an eye on a group of 48 Bewick's that have been feeding on oil-seed rape around eight miles away at Upper Dumball whilst returning to Slimbridge later in the evening to roost.
However, many birds have been spotted migrating at various points along the flyway. On Friday afternoon, Wim Tijsen and Henk Schobben counted 293 birds passing over Den Helder and the Waddensea in Holland. What a spectacle that must have been! On Saturday, our reserve warden James was lucky enough to catch sight of a large group of 56 swans leaving Slimbridge at dusk as they embarked on their 2,500 mile journey back to Russia. Swans have also been leaving the Ouse Washes in Norfolk over the past few weeks, with the count dropping from from 4,848 on 18 January to 4,411 on 15 February (WWT/RSPB). More birds will have almost certainly left over this last weekend.
