The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

[Bawbee]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

Hi Bawbee - yes, it's me. The name change (I am Oggy elsewhere) is not a conspiracy, simply that this forum requires six letters in a user name.

I thought so

Sorry, I stand corrected over the name.

Doesn't matter, we all knew what you meant

[hurricaneharold]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

I was a member last year and visited Arundel 6 or 7 times, Slimbridge once,Barnes was the closest so used to go there quite alot. Apart from the Bitterns at Barnes, I did not see much else that I can n ot see in my local area,so have not renewed my membership.

[minime]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

I am going with Bewicks for the Swan...not an easy one as the photo is not quite giving a full side on profile so the bill looks like a full wedge shape (typical of whooper)...but it has too much black on it for a whooper and the yellow is not sharpe enough to a point. Bewicks tend to have a more rounded edge to the yellow and less of it. The are also a lot smaller than a whooper but hard to tell here. I am going along the Bewicks line because of the cygnets to be honest...these two have distinct black tips to there bills (typical of Bewicks) whereas Whooper have darker tips to bill but not black (whooper cygnets also tend to be darker grey on the head and neck). The other swan in this series is of course a Mute swan and the goose is defo Magpie. Hope this helps.

[codachrome]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

The nearest WWT to me is Martin Mere,,but im ashamed to say ive never been...I`ve not done a lot of bird photography..but will try harder, maybe try get there later.

Coda

[colin C]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

I am going with Bewicks for the Swan...

Oh err ............. I think I am about to throw a spanner in the works! This isn't an easy one, but I would err on the side of a Whooper.

It's never an easy call between the two unless one is in front of you, but here is my reasoning:

* The Bewick would normally have a rounded front to the yellow patch, although there is occasionally some fragmentation.
* The yellow patch is further away from the nostrils than the Whooper, where it touches/almost touches the nostrils.
* There is a pronounced dip in the bill of the Bewick, equally pronounced in the juveniles.
* Juveniles of both sub-species have black tips to the bill.
* The bill of juvenile Whoopers are longer than Bewicks.
* The Bewick is altogether smaller than a typical swan and has a noticably shorter, thicker neck.
* The neck in this shot is typical swan, indicating Whooper.

It is very much a judgement call without seeing and hearing them, but my instinct said Whooper, so when you indicated otherwise, I dug out my reference books for some clarification.

Colin

[minime]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

Oh err ............. I think I am about to throw a spanner in the works! This isn't an easy one, but I would err on the side of a Whooper.

It's never an easy call between the two unless one is in front of you, but here is my reasoning:

* The Bewick would normally have a rounded front to the yellow patch, although there is occasionally some fragmentation.
* The yellow patch is further away from the nostrils than the Whooper, where it touches/almost touches the nostrils.
* There is a pronounced dip in the bill of the Bewick, equally pronounced in the juveniles.
* Juveniles of both sub-species have black tips to the bill.
* The bill of juvenile Whoopers are longer than Bewicks.
* The Bewick is altogether smaller than a typical swan and has a noticably shorter, thicker neck.
* The neck in this shot is typical swan, indicating Whooper.

It is very much a judgement call without seeing and hearing them, but my instinct said Whooper, so when you indicated otherwise, I dug out my reference books for some clarification.

Colin

your right colin...not an easy one this...but having watched comparison video and artistry on BWPi and read comparison texts etc i went in the other direction...just visited the arundel website and it seems they have a pair of Bewicks with cygnets as we type so i am guessing if the image was taken there it may well be these birds...i am happier with bewick still. wish the birds profile was more bang on to see the bill and roundness of the head though...you are right about size...bewicks more like goose size...

[Canon-Fodder!]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

Don't you just love these Bewick's vs. Whooper discussions Bird Forum is full of 'em

I have to admit, at the outset, I plumped for Bewick's on balance... but there's no-way I'm arguing with Colin

So, call me a whoos if you will, but I'm gonna sit on the fence

[minime]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

Don't you just love these Bewick's vs. Whooper discussions Bird Forum is full of 'em

I have to admit, at the outset, I plumped for Bewick's on balance... but there's no-way I'm arguing with Colin

So, call me a whoos if you will, but I'm gonna sit on the fence

I am sure we are not arguing are we Colin? Discussing the details of two difficult bifds to split at times...had there been one of each it would have been dead easy to sort it out...unfortunately thats not the case here...

I have only ever gotten a sore bottom sitting on a fence!

[colin C]

Re: The Wetlands Wildlife Trust

He, he. I don't argue and especially this one, which was only ever going to be a judgement call.

Colin