The Lincolnshire Bird Club

There were two adult whooper swans at the Whisby Garden Centre on 23rd Aug which did not appear wild and I was not sure if they were ringed or free-flying. Possibly some connection with the summer records of a bird at Fiskerton ?

Kev

Kev,

As a regular visitor to the Whisby Garden Centre - mainly to inspect the Tropical fish stock and chat to the staff of Maidenhead Aquatics (highly recommended Tropical/Salt Water fish store) - I've been admiring the 2 Whooper Swans (and the Black Swan) on the lakes at the Centre for many months, including noting how readily they come to bread.

What I always appreciate is the chance to see them from a couple of feet away, to admire their beaks and to listen to their bugling calls at that distance.

I've spoken in the past to the Manager of Maidenhead Aquatics about the Whooper Swans and he reckons he's heard their distinctive bugling call there for well over a year now. He's never seen them in flight.

Freddy

Hi

I have watched the Fiskerton Whooper all summer and to start with it had a dodgy wing but it has got stronger lately and has been flying across the scrapes going further each time, but to my knowledge it is still there on the Scrapes

Malcolm.

Malcolm/Freddy

I can undesrtand the Fiskerton bird lingering down south if it was injured but is it possible that the Whisby two opted out of the annual commute to Iceland in favour of an easy life ?

Cheers

Kev

Kev and others

The Whoopers at Whisby Garden Centre (which borders Whisby NR) are part of a wildfowl collection along with Black Swans, Red-crested Pochard and various other exotics that can (or could) be found there. My guess was that it 'complemented' the adjacent 'childrens farm' although both have been looking somewhat neglected in recent years. The other give away that these Whoopers, unlike mum, have never been to Iceland is that when I last saw them they were both missing their flight feathers on one wing!

Hope this helps

Grahame

Hi Graham

Thanks for info - I did not notice the wing clipping but this would confirm that they are 'owned' - I guess they must have rings too.

Cheers

Kev