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Bewick's Swan - Cambs,UK - Is it? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter JCLynn
- Start date
Jose Gomez Aparicio
Well-known member
Yes, a Bewick´s
Quite tricky, even in a good picture, but I think this is a Bewick's. The yellow doesn't protrude beyond the nostril and is still quite 'blunt ended'. It also gives a short billed and short necked impression, although that might be an effect of the angle of the picture.
Jose Gomez Aparicio
Well-known member
I would not have explain it better (in spanish, my english is quite poor
). I don´t think in the influence of the effect of the angle in this picture.
Wimpy
Well-known member
I think it's a Bewick. The yellow on the bill doesn't come forward enough, on a Whooper it forms a clear triangle. The neck length looks too short for a Whooper.
Found this comparison image. Bewick in the front, Whooper behind.
http://www.gobirding.eu/Images/Swans/Bewicks/Bewick's & Whooper Swans, Stanhoe, 2-Feb-07 (A3) L.JPG
This gives a good comparison of the neck length.
Found this comparison image. Bewick in the front, Whooper behind.
http://www.gobirding.eu/Images/Swans/Bewicks/Bewick's & Whooper Swans, Stanhoe, 2-Feb-07 (A3) L.JPG
This gives a good comparison of the neck length.
SteveClifton
Well-known member
Interesting picture. My first thought was Whooper, then I thought better and went in favour of Bewick's, mainly due to the bird's apparent 'jizz'.
However, now I've looked at a few pictures on the net, I'm having second thoughts again!
This bird has yellow extending to the farthest tip of its nostril, in fact slightly further. I can find many pictures of Whoopers where the yellow is a little less extensive than on this bird (level with the far tip of the nostril) but I can't find a single picture of Bewick's where the yellow is this extensive.
On the Bewick's I have found with most extensive yellow, the farthest tip is above the nostril.
My feeling is that the foreshortening on this photo is more extreme than many of us appreciate, making the head and bill shape (and pattern) look more rounded. Therefore it is a Whooper Swan for me.
Steve
However, now I've looked at a few pictures on the net, I'm having second thoughts again!
This bird has yellow extending to the farthest tip of its nostril, in fact slightly further. I can find many pictures of Whoopers where the yellow is a little less extensive than on this bird (level with the far tip of the nostril) but I can't find a single picture of Bewick's where the yellow is this extensive.
On the Bewick's I have found with most extensive yellow, the farthest tip is above the nostril.
My feeling is that the foreshortening on this photo is more extreme than many of us appreciate, making the head and bill shape (and pattern) look more rounded. Therefore it is a Whooper Swan for me.
Steve
Winterdune
Well-known member
Bewick's for me. Four all. Are we going into extra time?
Sean
Sean
StuartReeves
Local rarity
It looks like a Bewick's to me too. 6 : 4
Terry Townshend
Regular vagrant
On bill pattern alone it's tricky.. but with that neck? Must be a Bewick's. 7-4.. Has the referee stopped it yet?
Well Well! I feel better knowing that I was not the only one in two minds with this bird.
Most of the swans seen today, out of close on a 1000, were Whooper's. There were a few small groups of Bewick's dotted about, and were fairly easy to see as Bewick's, when in small groups on the water, just by their more dainty manner and more compact sizes. Also, when on the ground, it was fairly easy to look at a group of 'bewicks' then scan over a group of 'whooper's' and compare. The one posted, was flying on it's own, and, as I said, it did look shorter in the neck, but I don't mind admitting that I found trying to decide a solo bird like that, as Whooper or Bewick's, very very difficult, size etc, isn't easy to determine when birds are flying.
With the bird in question, I favoured Bewick's based purely on the shorter neck.
Most of the swans seen today, out of close on a 1000, were Whooper's. There were a few small groups of Bewick's dotted about, and were fairly easy to see as Bewick's, when in small groups on the water, just by their more dainty manner and more compact sizes. Also, when on the ground, it was fairly easy to look at a group of 'bewicks' then scan over a group of 'whooper's' and compare. The one posted, was flying on it's own, and, as I said, it did look shorter in the neck, but I don't mind admitting that I found trying to decide a solo bird like that, as Whooper or Bewick's, very very difficult, size etc, isn't easy to determine when birds are flying.
With the bird in question, I favoured Bewick's based purely on the shorter neck.
tittletattler
Well-known member
Agreed. Bewick's
ta brandreth
Well-known member
blunted wedge of yellow,shorter neck - firmly in the Bewicks camp here.....
