Brett Richards
Well-known member
I was puzzled by the young Whooper Swan in the first image, taken on 17 December 2019. An apparent 1st-winter with all-white plumage. Today, 31 January 2023, there was a similar bird in a group of 7. This consisted of 2 adults and five immatures, including the white bird in the second photo with a normal-looking 1st-winter. This is not photographic effect, it was the same in all the photos I took. It says in the Collins Bird Guide that Icelandic 1st-winters acquire a whiter look more rapidly than birds from Fenno-Scandia or Russia. Could this be the explanation for my birds? I think this is unlikely. The first bird was at a fairly early date, and the other young with today's bird were pale grey-brown as expected. I wondered if the first bird were a 2nd-winter with a retarded bill, but probably not. Could they be the Whooper equivalent of 'Polish' Mute Swan?
Brett
Brett
