Lincoln, 12/10/2023, Whooper swan (1 Viewer)

[Bewick]

Confident this is a whooper swan and so is my dad however the rather short looking neck is causing me to be a little hesitant to report it as one without first getting further opinions- its forehead looks also quite steep. I would expect a Bewick to have much more black on the bill which this bird seems to lack, lighting was bad and I couldn't make much out with my binoculars except from that it was either a whoopers or a Bewick.

Edit- bird was completely alone- the area I bird doesn't have any lakes.

 

[wheatearlp]

I'm seeing a rather rounded yellow bill patch, although the angle isn't great for evaluating this. Agree the neck looks short, so I'd be leaning towards a Bewick's. Not sure there are any in the country yet though?

 

[Owene]

I'm seeing a rather rounded yellow bill patch, although the angle isn't great for evaluating this. Agree the neck looks short, so I'd be leaning towards a Bewick's. Not sure there are any in the country yet though?

Some at slimbridge yesterday

 

[Harrybongo]

Confident this is a whooper swan and so is my dad however the rather short looking neck is causing me to be a little hesitant to report it as one without first getting further opinions- its forehead looks also quite steep. I would expect a Bewick to have much more black on the bill which this bird seems to lack, lighting was bad and I couldn't make much out with my binoculars except from that it was either a whoopers or a Bewick.

Edit- bird was completely alone- the area I bird doesn't have any lakes.

Hi. I agree, looks more like a Bewick's to me. Neck looks short, and the yellow on the bill, looks like it stops before the nostril? and I can just see, the the black around the gape looks more solid..........difficult to tell with the angle/clarity of the pics though......... No offence. ☺

 

[Bewick]

I have to admit that the time of year was also a huge factor in why I'm favouring the whooper option... but looking at the image 1 really does give the impression the end of the bill being completely covered in black- also appears as if the the base of the lower section of the upper mandible also appears to to have slight bit of black on it as well. However- I believe the dark lower mandible in making it seem as if the black on upper mandible I greater then it is- (edit) also just learnt that a whooper swan was seen at a lake about 20 miles above Lincoln- almost directly north from my local patch.

Here's 2 new images-

 

[wheatearlp]

Some at slimbridge yesterday

I meant I wasn't sure about Bewick's being in the country.

 

[Owene]

I meant I wasn't sure about Bewick's being in the country.

That’s what I thought. The Bewicks are back at slimbridge for the winter.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I agree, to me it looks better for Bewicks from these photos...

 

[Bewick]

Well that's more then the majority... small neck, seemingly mostly black bill- also the bird did not look huge- though lighting was poor. My eyes are saying Bewick but that would be quite rare for my area especially this early.

I'll report it as swan sp and provide a picture.

 

[THE_FERN]

Bewick's for me: shape and extent of yellow on bill, bill shape, neck length

 

[dantheman]

It looked better for Bewick's for me initially too ... but the neck does appear longer in some pics (either sp. can look shorter than is, but can't really look longer...).

There looks to be a yellow projection in some pics.

I'm not ruling Whooper out personally.

What do peeps think of the bird here ( flight bird, labelled Whooper) compared to the bird above?

Whooper Swan - British Waterfowl Association

Species account for the Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus.

www.waterfowl.org.uk

 

[Bewick]

It looked better for Bewick's for me too ... but the neck does appear longer in some pics (either sp. can look shorter than is, but can't really look longer...).

There looks to be a yellow projection in some pics.

What do peeps think of the bird here ( flight bird, labelled Whooper) compared to the bird above?

Whooper Swan - British Waterfowl Association

Species account for the Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus.

www.waterfowl.org.uk

Yes… I’m more confident on whooper now. That shot looks almost identical to my ones. I think the yellow below the nostrils is obscure making it seem as if the black extends from that area to the lower mandible. Neck can also appear short based on perspective- also the bird didn’t look huge however I have seen Bewicks before and they are quite petite and I would not describe my bird in such a way- though poor lighting does have an affect on this.

 

[wheatearlp]

That’s what I thought. The Bewicks are back at slimbridge for the winter.

The swans at Slimbridge yesterday were Whoopers.

 

[Harrybongo]

Yes… I’m more confident on whooper now. That shot looks almost identical to my ones. I think the yellow below the nostrils is obscure making it seem as if the black extends from that area to the lower mandible. Neck can also appear short based on perspective- also the bird didn’t look huge however I have seen Bewicks before and they are quite petite and I would not describe my bird in such a way- though poor lighting does have an affect on this.

Hi. After looking at the pic/link from, dantheman, it does look very similar to your pics! As a result, I'm going to 'perch on the fence!' 🤔 🤔 on the id on this one!

 

[Owene]

The swans at Slimbridge yesterday were Whoopers.

Oh ok. They were on BirdGuides as Bewicks

 

[Butty]

the bird didn’t look huge

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable.

 

[Bewick]

Judging the size of a lone bird is notoriously unreliable.

Yes- that's why I haven't, the lighting meant that judging the birds size would even less reliable.

 

[wheatearlp]

Oh ok. They were on BirdGuides as Bewicks

BirdGuides has now corrected the sighting to Whooper 👍

 

[pianoman]

Certainly at first look the neck didn't appear particularly short to me. Bewick's is almost goose-like (well perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration) but shorter than this.

 

[Bewick]

Certainly at first look the neck didn't appear particularly short to me. Bewick's is almost goose-like (well perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration) but shorter than this.

I didn’t think so at first however my dad thought so and with comparing with other photos it did seem smaller then a whooper- but both my dad and I still were quite confident that it was just indeed a whooper and the necks length just being the result of an unfavourable perspective.

I have a lot of experience with whoopers whereas I have only seen Bewicks on one occasion- never in flight. My dad proposed it was a good idea to get some other opinions- did not expect that Bewick would be the option with the most votes- as you can probably ascertain from the description in the initial post.