Hopeful signs in Arctic for swans

Bewick’s swans could be in for a bumper breeding year, with an impressive number of cygnets being spotted in the Arctic by conservationists.

During their annual 2,000-mile trip, experts from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) sighted 24 cygnets and 10 families of the critically endangered bird.

Having only spotted one cygnet last year, the team were overjoyed to see so many young birds, who were all well-sized and expected to fledge.

The birds generally leave the Arctic to begin their epic journey across Europe during the next four weeks.

It is hoped these cygnets will add to the numbers that will visit the UK over the winter.

Two of the swans seen by the team were already known to visit the WWT Welney Wetland Centre, with a further 58 tagged for future reference. Samantha Herbert