Trumpeter Swans, Boyton Marshes, Suffolk, 14 Dec 2014

With very little news of anything yesterday it seemed my spare day off today was going to be a flop - that was until news of these little beauties broke and that obviously made my mind up where I was going!

It didn't take me long to drive to Boyton Marshes and luckily I grabbed one of the very limited parking spaces by Banters Barn and hiked out along the seawall. The 2 adult Trumpeter Swans were with a small flock of Mute Swans with the target birds being amongst the closest birds for a change. I wasn't able to see the legs due to the crops they were feeding in but those who have confirm that both birds are unringed. One thing is for certain - the ID is not in question but the birds origins will probably never be known. With no accepted British or WP records it seems unlikely the powers that be will look upon them favourably but I'm a firm believer in 'innocent until proven guilty'. In their favour, they were wary (far more so than the Mutes when walkers passed by on the seawall), the population in the US has been expanding hugely over the last 30 years, there are 2 birds and they are unringed and free-flying. Against them the fact that they are largely a species of the west coast of the US and undertake only medium distance migrations, breeding in Alaska and wintering along the Pacific seabord.

Others items of interest weren't numerous but Stonechat, Little Egret, c80 Curlew, c40Golden Plover, c150 Dunlin, Marsh Harrier, 3 Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawk and then a nice Peregrine on Orford Town Marsh were the pick.

Trumpeter Swans, Boyton Marshes (phone-scoped so excuse the quality!)




  

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