Peterborough Bird Club annual report Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus | A | Locally common winter migrant 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Scarce, localised winter migrant. Up to 143 birds were present along the Nene Washes, predominantly at March Farmers, to late February (RSPB). A single bird summered on the Nene Washes. Elsewhere during the first winter period, up to four birds recorded from Baston & Langtoft GP, Borough Fen, Deeping High Bank, Ferry Meadows CP, Prior’s Fen GP and Deeping Lakes NR. The first returning birds of the second winter period were three on the Nene Washes on 7 Oct (RSPB), rising to nine by 31 Oct. Numbers reached 24 during November with 14+ present during December. Elsewhere, the peak count was on 13 birds at Ferry Meadows CP on 17 Dec (DG). Counts of up to eight birds also recorded from Baston & Langtoft GP, Crowland, Deeping High Bank, Farcet Fen, Prior’s Fen GP, Tanholt GP and Deeping Lakes NR.
2002	Scarce, localised winter migrant. For the third winter running, more than 100 wintered on the Nene Washes; this was largely due to waste potatoes being dumped at March Farmers and Garner’s Arable (RSPB). Up to 16 present in January, rising to a peak of 110 on 5 Feb (RSPB). One to two birds recorded there in early April with a single present 2 May to 7 June (RSPB). Birds returned to the Washes in October, rising to a peak of 121 on 9 Dec. Elsewhere, 56 were at Deeping St James on 14 Mar (WB); 15 flew over Helpston and Werrington on 13 Mar (ALi, ES). A herd of 14 were at Ramsey Fen on 24 Nov (RES). Up to eight also seen at Orton BP, Prior’s Fen GP and Deeping Lakes NR. Image © Steve Dudley. Click for a larger version.
2001	Common but localised winter migrant. On the Nene Washes, extensive flooding attracted up to 1,100 during Jan–Feb, with birds often found feeding on sugar beet tops and winter wheat south of the March Farmers area. 836 in Feb included just under 10% immatures. Last report: five at Benwick 25 Feb (RES). The first returning birds were 11 on 21 Oct, increasing to 68 by 28th. With no early winter flooding, numbers on the washes rose to only 252 by mid-Dec (RSPB). The only report away from the Nene Washes was nine at Ramsey Fen 18 Feb (RES). Image © Trevor Williams. Click for a larger version.
2000	Common winter visitor. Typically scarce away from the Nene Washes, with 12 over Ferry Meadows CP 5 Jan, 30 Conington Fen 8 Jan and 188 White Fen 16 Dec. On the washes, however, there were 743 to 1,043 present from 4-10 Jan, declining steadily to 50 by 22 Feb. A late single was noted on 23 Apr and (presumably the same bird) on 12-13 May. The first returning birds were 22 on 27 Oct and ten 4-5 Nov, before an influx of 450 on 13 Nov. Deep flooding then displaced most birds, but up to 423 were on arable land south of the washes in December.
1999	Common winter visitor. Counts at the Nene Washes peaked at only 1,000 on 24 Jan, of which 18% were juveniles. All but one had departed by 13 Mar. On 1 Oct, an early returning flock of 106 (GRH), but typically less than 60 noted to the year's end, though 295 present 28 Nov and 200 in late December.
1998	Scarce winter visitor. Six were on North Bank on 22 Jan (DS) and eight flew north-west over Market Deeping on 6 Nov (TW). One was at Woodwalton Fen NNR on 20th and 30 Apr (CBR). Nene Washes: Nine were present through January, then up to six in Feb/Mar with a spring passage of 21 (1 Apr). Four arrived on 18 Oct then there were 11 from 26 Oct-8 Nov and three on 31 Dec.
	report home | species index | introduction | next species | contributors | contact