Bewick's Swans back at Slimbridge

The first Bewick's Swans have returned to the WWT's reserve at Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, with 51 birds having turned up during the recent crisp nights. The newly arrived birds join Indri, the first returning swan who appeared following the first cold snap of the season in late October.

Among the returnees is 27-year-old Croupier, a member of one of the biggest Bewick's Swan families ever studied. Sadly he was without his long-term partner, Dealer, who is mother to the 29 cygnets that they've brought back to Slimbridge with them over the years.

A total of 51 Bewick's Swans have returned to Slimbridge over the past few days (Jon Mercer).

Swan Research Assistant Steve Heaven said: "The arrival of lots of Bewick's Swans is a traditional harbinger of cold weather and it feels truly wintry here at WWT Slimbridge with chilly, clear days and more and more migratory birds crowding onto the lake at dusk.

"It's always a fantastic spectacle over the Christmas period. Sadly, there's a serious side and the number of Bewick's Swans in Europe has dropped by over a third. However, everyone who visits us is supporting the conservation of these beautiful wild birds. We'd also like to thank players of People's Postcode Lottery, as their support will allow Indri, Croupier and their friends to rest comfortably at the reserve through the cold months.”

The arrival of Bewick's Swans generally coincides with the onset of winter, as the birds navigate some 4,000 km from Arctic Russia to the UK, seeking ice-free wetlands on which to feed and roost. After mild weather allowed many of the birds to remain in Eastern Europe earlier this month, plenty have crossed during the last few nights. In autumn 2017, a Bewick's known as Trotsky made headlines as one of the latest first arrivals ever recorded in Britain, returning on the late date of 10 November.