Swan news
Swan catching
This week was ‘catch week’. Every winter, we try and catch a number of Bewick’s swans at Slimbridge. Our monitoring is usually very hands off and involves us creeping around in hides in efforts to study the swans’ natural behaviours unbeknown to t
12 January 2018
Winter reflections
As the festive season is upon us, we are still waiting for our annual ‘swan-fall’ here in the UK. On one or two days every winter, we are treated to the mass arrival of Bewick’s swans from the Russian arctic, usually pushed in our direction by persi
22 December 2017
The Gambler is back!
This week, we were very pleased to see the return of Croupier, the oldest living member of the famous Gambling Dynasty. Croupier’s long family lineage commenced in 1969 when his grandparents, Nijinsky and Caroline, were first recorded at Slimbridge by t
14 December 2017
Survival of the swans
Regular readers of this blog will know that the Bewick’s swan is in trouble. A key piece of information that has been missing so far is how the swan’s chances of survival have changed over time.
4 December 2017
Wim's wild swan chase
Winter has finally arrived! Cooler temperatures over the last few days have triggered the onwards movement of Bewick’s swans as they seek warmer climes further west. Seventeen Bewick's have now arrived at Slimbridge and more are set to drop in over the
27 November 2017
Bewick's reach UK shores
Risa The Bewick’s have reached UK shores! Trotsky, named to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, flew into Slimbridge on 8 November. With mild weather and westerly winds stalling migration, this was the latest arrival date sinc
15 November 2017
It's take-off!
Thousands of Bewick’s swans are making their way across Europe as they escape the arctic winter in Russia and search for warmer climes further west. This is part of an impressive annual migration which takes these intrepid adventurers 2,500 miles across
23 October 2017
Spring migration underway
This week, thousands of Bewick’s swans started their 2,500 mile migration back to breeding grounds in the Russian arctic! Many made the most of the fleeting windows of calm and south-westerly winds that appeared in an otherwise stormy week. Here at Slim
3 March 2017
It's a cygnets life
As we glimpse the winter’s end on the horizon, the Bewick’s at Slimbridge are showing signs of pre-migratory behaviour. Many are spending large parts of their day resting in preparation for their tough 2,500 mile journey back to the Russian arctic whi
9 February 2017
Widemouth arrives!
On this cold and frosty morning, we were delighted to see the return of Slimbridge regular Widemouth! Widemouth has wintered at Slimbridge every year since her first visit here in the 1999/2000 winter but she was ominously absent last year. Exactly where
5 January 2017
Old faces
Here at Slimbridge, we record each individual Bewick’s swan by its distinct black and yellow bill pattern as part of a long-term ecological study of the species which was initiated by WWT’s founder Sir Peter Scott more than 50 years ago. Bewick’s sw
22 December 2016
Old Reunions!
This weekend, hundreds of swan enthusiasts will be heading out to wetland sites and other swan hotspots across Europe to take part in an international age census of Bewick’s swans. Their main task, aside from trying to stay warm (!), will be to determin
2 December 2016
The swan season begins!
Our skies are once again filled with migrating swans heralding the start of winter! With snow and hard frosts creeping through the Baltic states, the Bewick’s swans are steadily making their way from the Russian arctic to warmer wintering sites in north
17 November 2016
Back to the breeding grounds
The Bewick’s swans are on the move again! Over the last few days the birds have begun to undertake the long journey to their breeding grounds on th
15 February 2016
Spring migration begins and love is in the air!
The Bewick’s swans have begun their long migration back to the Russian arctic! The lengthening daylight hours have signalled the start of the migratory period and small numbers of swans have been making the most of the south-westerly winds to kick-start
11 February 2016