Whooper

It promised to be a lovely day, so we headed up to Caerlaverock Wetland Centre to see the Whooper Swans. And see them we did – over a 150 of them currently. No matter how many times we go there and watch the swan feeding, it is always a delight.

Whooper Swans migrate the 800 miles from breeding grounds in Iceland and stay here over the winter from October to late March or April. They first make the journey as cygnets and usually return year after year to the same place. Here they mix with Mute Swans and various Geese and Ducks. The patterns on their bills are like fingerprints – unique to each swan. So each one can be identified. They are also tagged and, if a number is seen, it can be looked up and its history found.

They certainly know when it is feeding time (Extra)