A frosty Monday morning brought about the first ‘swanfall’ of 2021 at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
Yesterday, 21 majestic Bewick’s swans arrived at Slimbridge, after completing the final leg of their autumn migration from Arctic Russia. This year’s swanfall included 3 families including the pair ‘Shoon’ and ‘Shone’, with 5 cygnets – a rare size brood.
A second flurry of swans arrived in the afternoon of 22 November and 4 more arrived on 23 November. This brings the total number of Bewick’s swans at Slimbridge to 42, with 14 of them being cygnets. The swanfall was also backed up by the arrival of 57 Russian white-fronted geese at Slimbridge, including 1 pair with 8 goslings – suggesting a possible successful breeding season in the Russian Arctic.
The arrival of the Bewick’s is spurred on by the onset of colder weather on the continent, north-easterly winds, and their need for access to ice-free wetlands.
The appearance of so many swans in one go is called a swanfall, and marks the final stage of their epic 3,500km journey from Arctic Russia to the comparatively warmer weather of the UK. This year’s swanfall came just over 3 weeks after first arrival ‘Allington’ touched down at Slimbridge on 30 October.
The swanfall included the arrival of Piquet and Primero, who were the first Bewick’s to arrive at Slimbridge last season. Primero has been coming to Slimbridge since December 2012 and recorded on site every winter. Another pair included Winkey and Winker; Winkey is at least 26 years old.