Veteran mute swan sighted in Scotland
REPORTS have been received of herons, great egrets and goosanders on the Lancaster Canal, also an otter south of Stainton, and flocks of fieldfares about to migrate, writes Frank Sanderson.
The news from our local swan ringers, who operate over a wide area, including Lake Windermere, is amazing: “A male cygnet from the very old Crooklands pair (Ringed BAS with HZL), hatched 1997, has been found in Scotland at Loch Maben (halfway between Dumfries and Lockerbie.)
“Repeat 1997; so he is the oldest wild mute swan we have known that will be 24 years of age in May 2021.”
Our local swan ringers must be very proud that he was ringed by them, including his parents and two sets of grandparents.
It would be nice to know his life story of how, why and when he travelled so far, for it is unusual for a mute swan to travel more than about 30 miles.
This highlights the importance of ringing and people reporting all rings of any bird to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).