Bewick's Swan Family at Tyttenhanger

Although still not feeling great this morning, when an email came through from Steve Blake that there was a Bewick's Swan Family at Tyttenhanger that was good enough to get me out the door for a local tick. The fog that enshrouded us at home gave way to bright blue skies as I made my way down there, and on arrival although looking directly into the sun the silhouetted outline of four Bewick's Swans was quite obvious. A wee wander to get the sun behind me produced excellent views of the two adults and two juveniles. One of the adults as can be seen from the photo had been neck ringed with a bright yellow collar with 078E. Later I found out that this was a radio collar, but the radio no longer worked.

I joined Steve and a couple of other birders at the NE viewpoint overlooking the lake before I set off to see what else was around. A wander through the woods failed to produce any Woodcock only a Wren and a calling Buzzard were of any note. Yesterday's bug was taking it's toll and by the time I was back at the car I felt quite drained, but certainly happy to have been out and seen the Bewick's.

An email from Joan Thompson filled in the history of the neck collared 078E Bewick:

The bird was ringed on 28th December 2008 in Texal Netherlands.

It has been resighted in Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Germany, Netherlands and Great Britain

On 7th November 2012 it was in Gudenieki in Latvia and this is the first re-sighting since then. In the UK it has been on the Nene Washes in Jan this year, Welney in Jan 2011, whereas it spent time at Arundel and surrounding areas Feb 2010 though it was still in Holland on 7 January. All the sightings in 2009 Jan/Feb and Oct/Dec where spent mostly in Holland with a Feb sighting in Germany.