Blogger: Jon Reeves, Ouse Washes Site Manager

Due to the unique dry conditions on the Ouse Washes at this time of year. Roosting whooper swans are concentrated on pools of water in front of various hides. Currently the best viewing areas are Grose and Stocktdale’s hides, only 10 minutes walk from the car park. Of the 5000 whooper swans present on the Ouse Washes 700 are roosting in front of these hides as seen in photo below. If you arrive at the hides at about 7.00am you can watch the dawn rise and the awakening of the swans, who’s trumpeting and animated body language gets more intense until the time is right for departure to their daily feeding areas in the surrounding arable fields. Alternatively you could await their return in the evening by being in place in the hides at about 4.00pm.

Photo by Jon Reeves