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Black Swan at Pennington Flash (photo) (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter David Smith
- Start date
Hi Dave
What a lovely shot you have taken, and it is indeed beautiful and graceful Swan to look at. Stunning animal to look at.
Post more pictures here, as we would love to see them.
The only time I have ever seen Black Swans is on TV on Animal Planet - Wildlife SOS. They are found here in GB with injuries on occasions. It is a good chance to see them up close and personal.
I wonder if there is some colonisation with them, or are they just occasional visitors
Like you, I sure would love to know their history, and how they ended up in Great Britain.
Anyone else give more information here - I would love to know about them in general?.
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skatebirder
Well-known member
Strangely enough, I saw a pair of Black Swans at Pennington today - but Pennington near Lymington in Hampshire! I saw another yesterday on the Lower Test in Southampton. I wonder where they've all escaped from.
David
David
David Smith
Warrington Lancs
I have attached 3 more photos-not brilliant as the sun was directly 'at me'. I don't know anything about them so hopefully someone will provide some detail.
David-seeing this one was amazing, for you to see 2 is more so-can anyone tell us how common they are ?
David-seeing this one was amazing, for you to see 2 is more so-can anyone tell us how common they are ?
David Smith
Warrington Lancs
ianrose82
Well-known member
Nice shots David. Black Swans do seem to appearing regularly....there are two in the Fishers Green area of the Lee Valley Park which I see from time to time....photo here if anyone would like to see it
http://www.iananddot.org/geese/blackswan.htm
http://www.iananddot.org/geese/blackswan.htm
ColinD
Well-known member
To my knowledge they do not breed in Britain, not even as a feral species. They are endemic to Australia, with an introduced population in New Zealand, and are non-migratory. Absolutely no chance of them reaching Britain under their own steam. I suppose it's impossible to be certain of anything, but these birds are as close to certain escapes as it gets.
Black Swan's are on Cat E of the British List. This means that they are introductions or escapes and, although they may breed, the populations are not self sustaining. There are several pairs, up and down the country, that do apparently breed in a feral state.
Graeme.
Graeme.
Thank you for your information. It is very interesting to know how Black Swan's have become part of our life in GB. There is a transient history attached to them after all. Very interesting at that too o
It is great to know that they have been seen in the UK by people on this thread. You are so lucky to have experienced that. :-O
They are still beautiful to look at, and there is nothing I would like to see more than a white and a black Swan side by side to see them together gliding along a river. (though I know it is not possible, as they will be territorial by nature).
Love a camera shot of that vision any day, along with your pictures David.
:-O
Ian Woosey
Active member
Quoting the 2005 Greater Manchester Bird Report ;
`The breeding pair at Wigan Golf Club were relocated to Hereford, and their four cygnets born in 2005 were seperated into two groups of same-sex birds. One of these pairs remains at the golf club and the other pair were relocated to another site nearby, all having been correctly pinnioned.`
Birds are often seen at both Pennington Flash and the Wigan Flashes on and off.
Hope this sheds some light on the situation.
`The breeding pair at Wigan Golf Club were relocated to Hereford, and their four cygnets born in 2005 were seperated into two groups of same-sex birds. One of these pairs remains at the golf club and the other pair were relocated to another site nearby, all having been correctly pinnioned.`
Birds are often seen at both Pennington Flash and the Wigan Flashes on and off.
Hope this sheds some light on the situation.
David Smith
Warrington Lancs
They are still beautiful to look at, and there is nothing I would like to see more than a white and a black Swan side by side to see them together gliding along a river. (though I know it is not possible, as they will be territorial by nature).
That's helpful-As I said I had heard that 1 could be seen around the flashes. Didn't know about the breeding, very interesting.
I hate to tell you but I did get a shot of a black & white together. I didn't think it good enough so "in the bin it went"-please dont shout at me!
Hi David
Really, you have thrown the shot of them together in the bin. :-C
No, I will not shout at you, not at all. It is just how you felt about it at the time. Still, I would have loved to see it. :t:
Do you still have the negative, if that is possible. Just curious?
There has been one at Rutland Water the last couple of times I've been. It hangs around in the vicinity of groups of Mute Swans, but without actually getting too close. Although on Saturday, it seemed to have taken a shine to a mute swan cygnet (more or less adult size but still in the grubby grey plumage) which I guess was the closest to another black swan it could find.
It kept doing some sort of display where it kept extending its neck right out flat along the water before curling it back up to an upright position - which looked rather cool.
Didn't get any pictures with the mute swans though, I'm afraid.
It kept doing some sort of display where it kept extending its neck right out flat along the water before curling it back up to an upright position - which looked rather cool.
Didn't get any pictures with the mute swans though, I'm afraid.
Attachments
Hi Andy
Lovely shots by the way
I am pleased to hear that Black Swans reside at Rutland Water.
Funny that Black Swans think of Cygnets as other Black Swans, must have been quite unusual to watch. :-O
Oh well the pictures can wait now.
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I remember seeing a Black Swan and Mute Swan at Thetford Lakes, Suffolk, May 1996: quite comical as they were just furiously swimming around the lake in circles, the Mute trying to get away from the Black, which had obviously decided this white beauty was the best thing it had ever seen.
By the way we have a number of pinioned Black Swans here on the brook in Dawlish (Devon): they have been here for a hundred years and do breed sometimes. They are on the town's crest.
By the way we have a number of pinioned Black Swans here on the brook in Dawlish (Devon): they have been here for a hundred years and do breed sometimes. They are on the town's crest.
NickPatel92
Well-known member
I saw a pair at Pennington flash last time i went, on one of the fisherman's pools.
Rob Smallwood
Well-known member
When I left Pennington on Sunday evening the Black Swan was on the stones by the car park along with plenty of Mute's - I did take a shot or two but they were actually too close to digi-scope!
From my brief observations on Sunday the two species seem fairly happy to feed together...
From my brief observations on Sunday the two species seem fairly happy to feed together...
