Mute Swans

[Chocky]

A pair of mute Swans swim under the viaduct where the Exmouth brook meets the Exe Estuary.
Thought it looked rather a nice scene

[Merlin]

I have been trying to think where would be the nearest for you to see Whooper/Bewicks Swans Beryl if you would pardon my ignorance in not knowing the answer to this myself without refering to a map.

Pete.

[Chocky]

We have a whooper living on the river Otter . Been there for about 2 years but I haven't been there yet

[Merlin]

This is interesting Beryl.

The Whooper Swan visits us in the winter and returns to breed in the Arctic Tundra. You say this one 'lives' on the River Otter which makes it sound like a wild bird but probably injured in some way for it not to have returned to the Arctic for about 2 years as you say.

Be interested to see if you can find out a little more about this bird. Perhaps someone somewhere has the explanation re the above.

Pete.

[Chocky]

OK a friend has taken pics of it.
I think it just got left behind and stayed, which is a bit unusual as they need mates.

[Chocky]

Last time my friend went it had gone . So we assume it took up and flew off meeting it's own kind and gone . It was in fact a Whooper swan. Others had seen it too , there was a bit of talk about it last year

[Merlin]

Sounds like a 'happy ending' to me Beryl. Presumably the talk was about it remaining on the River Otter when it should have been a 'few' miles away on it's breeding grounds in the Arctic.

Thanks for the update Beryl.

Pete.

[Chocky]

That's right Pete. It was in the wrong place but has now gone home with it's own kind. They do get lost occasionally. It' wonderful I think when they get back to there own.