Russian Visitors

Just received details of two colour ringed Bewick's Swans which were sighted by Ian Hartley at Thurnham on 4th March.Two of a party of 13 seen that day. Both had been originally ringed on Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Expeditions to Russia, presumably close to the breeding area at a time when they were flightless after breeding.

The first was ringed as a young female on the Hunovey River on the Zavorot Peninsula 68' 35 N 53 '40 E on 8th August 2004. It was reported on five occasions between 20 Feb and 13th March in Friesland in the Netherlands. No further sightings until 29th Febrary2008 in Niedersachen and then Schleswig Holstein Northern Germany until 15th March.In 2009 it was in Groningen in the Netherland on 9th November and in Schleswig Holstein the following early March. In 2010 it was in Flevoland Netherlands on February 11th then from 3rd to 16th March in Northern Germany. In 2011 it was again in Northern Germany from 12th February to 5th March. The only 2012 sighting was the one in our area on 4th March.

The other bird was ringed as an adult female on 16th August at Lake Lovetskuy in Russia 68'21 53'58E. In 2009 it was sighted on 11th January in Cambridgeshie and three days later in Norfolk then on 22February it was in Northern Germany. In January 2010 it returned to Norfolk. But in 2011 it was seen on 29th March and November 5th in Latvia before moving to our area .

According to the BTO Ringing Recoveries Web Site there has only been six previous Bewick's Swan ringed in Russia and found in Britain although there has been 37 reports of British ringed Bewick's reported in Russia.

John