Ringed swans at Welney
With so many swans taking a liking to the 'potato soup' on the main lagoon we've had a recent glut of leg ring sightings. The floodlit feeds are also a great time to see some of the Welney regulars!
U5S - (yellow ring) a female ringed at WWT Welney in 2008 and a regular to us in the winters since. U5S is a well known Welney swan as her partner, U5B, is Baldur. They have been a very successful pair over the last five winters bringing a total of 31 cygnets to the UK. However, this year she doesn't appear to be associating with any other swans and does not appear to have a family with her so it appears that something has happened to Baldur whilst they have been away.
79S - (yellow ring) a female ringed in Iceland in 2005 , visited Welney that winter and then has wintered at WWT Martin Mere.
X3P - (yellow ring) a female ringed at WWT Welney in 2009 has wintered at WWT Welney and WWT Martin Mere since then.
55F - (yellow ring) a female ringed at WWT Martin Mere in 2003 andhas wintered there and at WWT Welney since then.
DF4 - (yellow ring) a female ringed at WWT Martin Mere in 2007 and this is the first time it has been sighted since then.
6HD - (yellow ring) a female ringed in Iceland in 1996 and was a regular to us in the winters but hadn't been seen since 2001 until now.
L5C - (yellow ring) a female ringed at WWT Welney in 2008 and seen in Iceland the following Spring, but reported again until now.
E4L - Aurelie (yellow ring) a female ringed at WWT Welney in 2009 and a regular to us in the winters since.
L6Z - (yellow ring) a male ringed at WWT Welney in 2008 and a regular to us in the winters since.
N3E - Skyfall (yellow ring) a male ringed at WWT Welney in 2010 and a regular to us in the winters since.
L67 - (yellow ring) a female ringed in Iceland in 2005 and this is the first time she has been reported in the UK.
U55 - (yellow ring) a male ringed at WWT Caerlaverock in 2004 and a regular to Scotland until 2010 when it was reported in Norfolk for the first time.
We do also have a small group of resident whoopers who are often at the swan feeds a few of these are DH9, DH6, DF9 (Julietta) and X3C (Bjork)