Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 15:20:53 -0700 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Lotis, Harry" Subject: FW: 3 British URLs for sites showing difference between Bewick a nd Whooper Swans MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable > From: Lotis, Harry=20 > Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 10:55 AM > To: Lotis, Harry > Subject: Difference between Bewick and Whooper Swans >=20 IS THIS A TRUE WHOOPER OR A VARIANT AT UPPER MARLBORO POND? > MDOSPREY@HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM >=20 >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > Birds Of Britain - Part of Eastern Counties Network =A91999 =20 > http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/whooper-swan.htm=20 >=20 > http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/bewick-swan.htm >=20 > http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/archive/heading_south/bill.htm >=20 > Mutes don't have much to say, and Whoopers don't shut up.=20 >=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D > =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D > Whooper Swan > Scientific Name Cygnus cygnus > =20 > Status Winter visitor (from Iceland and N. Europe), mainly toIreland,=20 > Scotland and N and E England. > =20 > Habitat Wetland habitats, mainly shallow lakes and coastal flats.Also > feed=20 > in farmland on grain stubble and root crops. > =20 > Description=20 > Larger and longer-necked than Bewick's Swan, and more angular headand > bill.=20 > Yellow on bill is more extensive than Bewick's. > =20 > Size 104 - 165cm (55 - 62")=20 > =20 > =20 > By Michael J. Seago >=20 > For many years whoopers were considered almost exclusively 'hardweather'=20 > arrivals. But in recent winters impressive numbers have favouredNorfolk.=20 > Close to the Thurne Broads the swans are first attracted to cleared=20 > sugarbeet, potato and stubble fields before changing to marsh grassesfrom >=20 > mid-winter onwards. >=20 > A number of these whoopers carry large leg rings. With the aid of a > telescope=20 > numbers may be made out confirming that the birds come from Iceland.Some=20 > individuals putting in return appearances have become old friends! >=20 > To appreciate a swan spectacular on a grand sale, visit the Wildfowland=20 > Wetland Trust's Welney reserve. Here whooper numbers have become of=20 > international importance. It is the largest and most southerly > concentration=20 > in England. Nowhere else can so many visitors enjoy so many whoopersin > such=20 > comfort and with such excellent viewing facilities. And the great > attraction=20 > for birds: dumped potatoes and carrots. It is surprising to recallthat a=20 > dozen or so years ago the Ouse Washes whoopers peaked at less than100. >=20 > In courtship, a pair will face each other, wings quivering in ahalf-open > and=20 > lifted position. The neck of each bird is repeatedly bent and then > extended.=20 > Each performance is accompanied by loud bursts of trumpeting.=20 >=20 > Although Welney reserve offers safe roosting and food, the birds run > serious=20 > risks of collision with overhead wires when moving at dusk or duringfoggy >=20 > spells. >=20 > In the course of the winter, the whoopers move freely between mainhaunts. >=20 > Ringed examples have been found at Caerlaverock on the Solway and at > Martin=20 > Mere in Lancashire. If the winter remains 'open' the majority of the > Bewick's=20 > swans will have left the Fens before the end of next month. Howeverthe=20 > whoopers linger here until mid-march or even later before beginningthe > long=20 > haul back to Iceland. In both spring and autumn Cromarty Firthbecomes an=20 > important staging post. >=20 > Photo shows Whooper Swan (centre) with Mute Swan (left) >=20 > My very first sighting of whooper swans was at the head of BreydonWater.=20 > Ice, which had sealed the estuary for days, was finally breaking.Great > floes=20 > jostled against each other piling up to form miniature icebergs. >=20 >=20 > The scene became complete when a V-formation of whoopers flying veryhigh=20 > arrived from the direction of the sea before planing down onto the = newly=20 > exposed muds. >=20 > A fine selection of ducks, including Norfolk's largest congregationof=20 > pochard - makes a winter visit to Welney memorable. For mostvisitors, the >=20 > swans are the highlight. > > Return to Bird Guide Index >=20 > Illustrations by Dave Nurney from - > The Pocket Guide to the Birds Of Britain and North-West Europe > By Chris Kightley and Steve Madge > =A9 Pica Press and reproduced with kind permission. =20 >=20 >------------------------------------------------------------------------= -- > ---- >=20 > -- > Birds Of Britain - Part of Eastern Counties Network =A91999 =20 > http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/whooper-swan.htm=20 >=20 > http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/bewick-swan.htm >=20 ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================