lostinjapan
Well-known member
Out and about in the nice weather this afternoon & 2 Swans caught my eye among 60+ Mutes. From a distance they seemed short-necked, quite stubby billed, but oddly the bills seemed all dark on both, just dirty perhaps I thought.
As I got closer though the bills seemed to be genuinely all dark. I couldn't discern any yellow on the bill, although I was viewing into the sun and so I guess some yellow is possible. They appeared to have a pinkish-orange colouration on the underside of the lower mandible, visible when they were feeding.
superficially they appear to resemble two Bewick's with 'colombianus'-like bills or just very dirty bills.
Sadly the photos are quite poor due to dodgy digiscoping, bright sun & distance.
Any thoughts gratefully received.
As I got closer though the bills seemed to be genuinely all dark. I couldn't discern any yellow on the bill, although I was viewing into the sun and so I guess some yellow is possible. They appeared to have a pinkish-orange colouration on the underside of the lower mandible, visible when they were feeding.
superficially they appear to resemble two Bewick's with 'colombianus'-like bills or just very dirty bills.
Sadly the photos are quite poor due to dodgy digiscoping, bright sun & distance.
Any thoughts gratefully received.