Black Swan, Walton-on-Thames (1 Viewer)

[mathare]

Walking along the river near Walton-on-Thames yesterday afternoon I saw a Black Swan. This confused me! I don't know of any collections around there it could have escaped from. I seem to recall their being some introductions but I thought they were much further up river. I assume these populations are not self-sustaining so it's not tickable (I assume...) but it was still interesting to see

 

[Dave Harris]

Walking along the river near Walton-on-Thames yesterday afternoon I saw a Black Swan. This confused me! I don't know of any collections around there it could have escaped from. I seem to recall their being some introductions but I thought they were much further up river. I assume these populations are not self-sustaining so it's not tickable (I assume...) but it was still interesting to see

Hi Matt,
I had the same bird (by The Anglers) about a week ago. It's the first one I've had here for a couple of years, although they were more regular prior to this bird.

Cheers
Dave

 

[mathare]

I was a bit further downstream, by Walton Rowing Club. It was mixing with Mute Swans and Canada Geese. Bit of a surprise on an otherwise quiet but pleasant walk

 

[Nutcracker]

Yep, not tickable yet. Probably only a matter of time, though.

 

[mathare]

I'll keep a note and claim my armchair tick later

 

[davercox]

According to the RBBP website, "The next annual review of rare breeding birds, this one covering 2014, will be published in British Birds in September." It'll be interesting to see how this species has spread (if at all). (I have to admit, living in Dawlish gives me a special interest in this bird - it's our town's emblem.)

 

[stevethehydra]

I've seen individual Black Swans at Tring Reservoirs and Willen Lake in Milton Keynes (and have heard that a pair has bred at the latter). I also read a very bizarre Daily Mail story a few years ago (it literally read like a parody of right-wing tabloid stories about immigration!) about Black Swans multiplying and "driving out" Mute Swans somewhere in... I think Cambridge(/shire?). I think there are enough scattered around England, particularly the southeast, that it won't be long before their status is similar to that of Mandarins and Egyptian Geese.

 

[Farnboro John]

According to the RBBP website, "The next annual review of rare breeding birds, this one covering 2014, will be published in British Birds in September." It'll be interesting to see how this species has spread (if at all). (I have to admit, living in Dawlish gives me a special interest in this bird - it's our town's emblem.)

The RBBP deals with species that are rare in the sense of being of conservation concern, not possibly invasive species beginning to colonise as a result of poor husbandry by collections: I think you'll find Black Swan entirely absent from the report.

John

 

[Jos Stratford]

The RBBP deals with species that are rare in the sense of being of conservation concern, not possibly invasive species beginning to colonise as a result of poor husbandry by collections: I think you'll find Black Swan entirely absent from the report.

Not quite, according to their website, they deal with any rare breeding species, including non-natives. Black Swan is on the list.

 

[Nutcracker]

Not quite, according to their website, they deal with any rare breeding species, including non-natives. Black Swan is on the list.

Yep, but the published report in BB only covers native rare breeders; there's a separate less-than-annual report on non-native birds (last one in March 2014 issue).

 

[Jos Stratford]

Yep, but the published report in BB only covers native rare breeders; there's a separate less-than-annual report on non-native birds (last one in March 2014 issue).

Fair enough, guess Dawlish town might have to wait a little while longer to discover the trends of its town emblem.