The first whooper swans of the season have arrived at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Burscough. With approximately 40 birds now gathering on the water, it’s a sure sign that winter is on its way, and just in time for the centre's annual North West Bird Watching Festival on the 17 & 18 October, with a line-up of guest speakers, exhibitors, and wildlife activities sponsored by Sony.
The arrival marks the beginning of one of the UK’s most spectacular seasonal wildlife events, as hundreds of whooper swans make their annual journey south from Iceland in search of milder conditions.
Every year, these impressive migratory birds leave their breeding grounds in Iceland as the days shorten and temperatures begin to drop. They make the long 870 mile journey across the North Atlantic, arriving at wetlands and other important sites across the UK where they spend the colder months.
WWT Martin Mere is one of the key destinations for whooper swans, providing an important refuge where they can safely rest, feed and conserve energy throughout the winter.
The journey south is a family affair, with adult whooper swans travelling alongside their young. Juvenile birds can be identified by their greyer feathers and bills, and for these youngsters, the journey to Martin Mere marks their very first migration to the wetland centre.
With their striking yellow-and-black bills, long necks and distinctive trumpeting calls, whooper swans are a much-loved winter visitor to the wetland centre. Their arrival provides an exciting opportunity for visitors to witness this remarkable migration and see these graceful birds gathering on the reserve.
The first arrivals are just the beginning. As winter progresses, numbers are expected to increase as more whooper swans make their way south from Iceland.
Visitors will be treated to close-up views of the whooper swans from the centre’s Discovery Hide, during daily wild bird feeding that resumes from 17 October as part of the North West Bird Watching Festival.
