Whooper Swans visit on their Northerly migration.

The Whooper Swans do seem ti be heading North earlier this year Bob, we had a group of 20 birds heading up the coast at Budle Bay in Northumberland last Thursday in very strong winds Back hime in N Yorkshire the local reports say they have been sighted passing through our area

It must be exiteing they past through your area

It is very interesting. Migratory birds are able to map out landmarks. they remember there favourite routes and where they go and how to get there becomes ingrained in there memory. They don’t need a map to find the way there and back. Cause they already have an mental map.
It would be funny if birds had actuall maps to find there way on migration.
Some birds go a long way others not as far. Some Things are bound to happen on the way there and back sometimes.  And some make a stop on the way while others carry on without stoping on long journeys. Each bird has there own storys to tell. I never seen geese or swans fly over except from when I visited Slimbridge one day.

And here they are in their breeding grounds in Iceland. This was back in 2015. Oh, how I miss those days when I was still able to travel.

There very good photos. Iv only seen Bewick and whooper swans at Slimbridge wetland centre. I havnt seen them anywhere else.in the uk but that’s cause there less common than the Mute Swan and your more likely to see mute swan. Exspeacialy if it isnt winter cause they come here in the cold months. I think its the best place to go In Gloucestershire to see them. Iv never been to there breeding grounds before. 

Also did you know that Whooper Swans have a small nesting/breeding population of around 23 pairs nesting/breeding every year in a few area’s in Northern Scotland as I saw a pair of Whooper Swans with young at a local bird reserve on Harris on our week long birdwatching holiday in the Outer Hebrides in May/June 2019. Of course it’s not the same number of nesting pairs every year as it does change from year to year with the number of nesting pairs.

I didn’t know they had some in Scotland. Both whooper and Bewik swans migrate to the uk for the winter but a group of both bewik and whooper swans decided to come to Slimbridge for the winter every year so you can see both there. Since it’s not far away it’s the best place travel wise for short  distances to see either of them if in Gloucestershire.
But talking about the uk as a whole - Since Scotland has some aswell both Slimbridge and Scotland are good places to see the Whooper Swan.
I think whooper swans are interesting though they have a differant coloured beak and markings to the Mute Swan and they have a strange call like a whooping call that’s the best description of its call I can come up with.
Its also a defferant size to the mute Swan aswell. Since they migrate for the cold months it would seem they tolerate much colder temperatures and climate better than the mute swan that is resident here

I’m afraid I don’t think so. Northern Scotland is on the extreme range of where Whooper Swans nest/breed. And at the various breeding/nesting area’s in Northern Scotland only one pair at Whooper Swans nest and breed. There have always been a small annual nesting population of Whooper Swans in Northern Scotland  I can’t see Whooper Swans nesting that far south. Sorry about having to say that.

Lovely pics TJ, thank heavens for our memories I say :-)