Black swans are originally from Australia. However, there are feral birds in Europe as well.
This video is by Aad Niehot from the Netherlands.
Two coots seem a bit apprehensive about the feeding black swan. Maybe it is too close to the coots’ nest?
This video was recorded in the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen nature reserve, end of November 2012.
It shows whooper swans from the north, wintering here amidst ducks and coots in canals. Some of the swans are young (the greyish ones). On the snowy bank, a red fox.
The maker of the video is Alex Molin.
Whooper swans in Germany: here.
This video from England is called Bewick Swans WWT Slimbridge.
Translated from the blog of warden Anke Bruin, on Vlieland island, the Netherlands:
March 4, 2013 by Anke Bruin, Forestry Department
No less than 69 Bewick’s Swans, including 6 first year youngsters (still a little gray) rested in the third Kroon’s polder wetland. Even the Chinook helicopter of the Air Force did not drive them away, they are probably very tired. This morning, colleague Herman Vogel
mentioned the beautiful white birds. Bewick’s Swans have been in Vlieland earlier, but never such a big group. They are migrating from the south to the northern tundra and they are quite right, they just come here to rest and recharge.
A slide show about this is here (scroll down).
Also from Vlieland: this morning the first spoonbills of spring flying.
This video says about itself:
Part of a flock of an estimated 30,000 Barnacle Geese flies over our heads in February 2010.
Filmed in the Netherlands on a weekend tour with Birding Holland.
Translated from the Dutch SOVON ornithologists:
In the first two weekends of December, a total of more than 100,000 geese were counted in the four areas. Leader was the Biesbosch with 41,000 geese, followed by 37,000 geese in the Oostvaardersplassen. The most common species in the two areas was the white-fronted goose, followed by the gray lag goose and barnacle goose. Also in the Wieden the white-fronted goose was most common, with more than 17,000 individuals. In Fochteloërveen the tundra bean goose, with over 3,700 birds, was the top scorer.
Surprising were the Oostvaardersplassen white-fronted geese: they left in considerable groups across the IJsselmeer to North-Holland. Another beautiful phenomenon was the gathering of Bewick’s swans in the Biesbosch with on January 19, more than 1,500 birds. It is estimated that this means about ten percent of the total western flyway of this species. In both areas during the count sea eagles were seen, which caused panic among the geese. The two cranes seen in the Fochteloërveen, presumably local breeding birds, were special as well.
This is a Bewick’s swan video from England.
This weekend, birds are not only counted in gardens in the Netherlands.
Yesterday morning, people counted water birds in the Biesbosch nature reserve in the southern Netherlands.
Their Twitter message says they saw nearly 26,000 geese, over 1500 Bewick’s swans and four whooper swans.
From the BBC:
24 December 2012 Last updated at 00:29
Bewick’s swans: Baby boost for threatened birds
By Michelle Warwicker, BBC Nature
Northwest Europe’s threatened Bewick’s swan population has been boosted by a bumper year for chicks.
Numbers of the bird have declined dramatically since the 1990s.
Up to 7,000 Bewick’s swans usually migrate to the UK, arriving in October and flying back to Russia in March.
But surveys this year show the number of young among these wintering flocks has risen to 17.6%, compared to an average of around 10% over the past 10 years.
Ornithologists have reported an overall average of 14% young swans in flocks across northern Europe, the highest since 2001.
“It really is fantastic to see so many cygnets arriving back. They have certainly been few and far between in recent years,” said Julia Newth from the Wildfowl and Wetlands trust (WWT).
Bewick’s swans travel 2,500 miles (4,000km) from their breeding grounds within the Arctic tundra in Russia to spend the winter in the warmer British Isles and other parts of northern Europe, such as the Netherlands and Germany.
The smallest swan in Europe, Bewick’s swans are distinguishable from fellow migrant whooper swans by their size and small yellow blob on their black beaks, rather than the whooper’s yellow wedge.
Experts are still trying to understand what has caused this year’s bumper breeding session.
“[It's] the golden question that we don’t have the answer to yet,” said Ms Newth.
“Weather is thought to be a big factor, but it is not yet fully clear so we can only speculate at this stage.”
Ornithologists are also still trying to find out why the northwest Europe Bewick’s swan population has been in dramatic decline.
Known dangers to swans include illegal shooting and lead poisoning, according to the WWT.
Swans eat grit to help their digestion. But accidental ingestion of spent lead gunshot on the ground can cause severe poisoning.
Post mortem tests at WWT reserves have found that almost a quarter of dead swans found at the sites had died from lead poisoning, according to the organisation.
Man-made structures such as pylons, wind-turbines and power lines also pose threats to flying swans as the birds’ large size makes them unable to manoeuvre quickly in-flight to avoid danger.
But the higher number of cygnets reported across northern Europe this year “will hopefully boost [the swan's] numbers”, said Ms Newth.
And the arrival of an adult breeding pair of Bewick’s swans with six cygnets in tow at the WWT Slimbridge reserve in Gloucestershire is the largest Bewick’s swan family recorded at the site.
“We still need to find out what is driving down Bewick’s swan numbers,” said Ms Newth.
“But this year’s good breeding season is very welcome news.”
This video from Lancashire in England is called Wigeons – Anas penelope.
The Dutch province Groningen, in the northern Netherlands, has decided that there will be no more mute swan and wigeon hunting.
This video about Japan is called The Coolest Stuff on the Planet- The Whooper Swans of Hokkaido.
From Wildlife Extra:
Record numbers of Whooper swans at WWT Martin Mere
Nearly 2500 whooper swans counted at Martin Mere
December 2012. A count of whooper swans confirmed a record number of 2,480 birds at WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre.
Whooper swans spend the summer in Iceland and winter in the UK. Approximately 7% of the population of whooper swans visit Martin Mere over the winter offering spectacular displays that we call ‘Swan Spectacular’. Everyday, the swans are fed at 10.30am and 3pm from Swan Link hide and at 10.45am and 3.30pm from Raines Observatory. The 3.30pm feed also includes a warden’s talk to learn all about these amazing animals.
Probably more on the way
Centre Manager, Andy Wooldridge, said: “We usually get peak numbers of whooper swans in mid to late December so I still think numbers will continue to rise. The highest previous count was 2,100 in 2010 which also coincided with a cold snap. The recent cold weather has certainly encouraged birds which roost elsewhere to visit Martin Mere allowing us to offer a fantastic spectacle during the swan feeds.”
WWT Martin Mere is open every day from 9.30am to 5pm and parking is free of charge. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston line by train from Burscough Rail Stations.
Yesterday, again to the “Baillon’s crakes’ reserve”.
Near the southern entrance, a reed warbler sings.
A female tufted duck swims.
A reed bunting song.
In the southern lake: shoveler ducks. Egyptian geese. A Canada goose nesting. An oystercatcher. A northern lapwing drives away a magpie.
A common tern. Two black-tailed godwits wading.
A spoonbill lands in the northern lake.
Redshank and greenfinch sounds.
Four swifts fly past.
The water lilies have started flowering.
A domestic duck escapee resting on the dike near the north-south bridge.
A mute swan swimming in the north-south canal, with six cygnets.
Redshanks on northern lake mudflats.
Two barnacle geese. A black swan swimming.
Near the railway, two adult shelducks. Like the last time when I was here, with seven ducklings. They swim past a grey heron on the bank. So, not one little one caught since last time (by a cat, a pike, or a grey heron).
A sedge warbler sings behind the shelduck family, in the reedbeds.
Great crested grebes and coots swim here with youngsters as well.
A hare in the same spot as last time, probably the same individual.
A group of five ring-necked parakeets flies overhead, calling.
Two goldfinches singing in a treetop.
Translated from the Dutch SOVON ornithologists:
10/01/2012 – On January 8 two birders from Wijchen discovered a very old Bewick’s swan. This bird was ringed as a chick in August 1992 by an English research team in Siberia. Near Oss in the past its ring with 309 code had been read already, but the animal is still alive. The Bewick’s swan foraged on a soggy field with corn residues near Landhorst (south of Mill, Noord-Brabant province). This spring, the swan will be 20 years old!
