Sunday 22 November 2009

Whooper to Watermead!

Many thanks to Julie at Watermead County park in Leicestershire for getting in touch with Steve, regarding one of our ringed Whooper Swans.

Whooper Swan - ZY0349 - was ringed at Bowness on Windermere on 25/05/2009 and was seen pretty much throughout the summer there. However on the 11/11/2009 it turned up at Watermead Countrypark in Leics at total of 222kms away from Bowness.

Not surprisingly the bird was in a flock of Mute Swans - just as he was when ringed at Bowness on Windermere!

Even though ZY0349 was ringed in the UK in spring - when it should have really been back in Iceland - it just goes to show these birds are not loafing around on the same pond all the time - waiting for the next handful of bread!!

Thanks to Julie for the above photo.

4 comments:

  1. Hi Kane

    I'd be interested in getting a bit more info on this bird. Before it turned up at Watermead in Leicestershire, it was present at Kingsmill Reservoir near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire between 30th October and 3rd November, details at www.freewebs.com/kingsmill-birding/kmr2009sightings.htm (scroll down to 3rd Nov).

    Was it tame when it was rung? Did it arrive as a wild bird? Was it injured etc. I'd like to include this info (and anything else you know about the bird) in the KMR 2009 report which i am currently working on.

    If you can offer any info, please email me via the "report sightings" link on the KMR website.

    Many thanks

    Mike Feely

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  2. Great stuff. I was wondering where he had come from. I have a video of him on my blog. www.wildlifepilgrim.blogspot.com

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  3. Hi David,

    Many thanks - that's great! Great blog! He was ringed at Bowness on Windermere in the Lake District in May of this year.

    Mike - I replied to you off the KMR website.

    Cheers Kane.

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  4. Hi David,

    That's great, many thanks! Great blog too! He was ringed at Bowness on Windermere in the Lake District in May 09.

    Mike - I replied to you off the KMR website.

    Cheers Kane

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