Bewick’s Swan

Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus columbianus) is the smallest of the swans and a real wild swan compared to the commonly seen Mute Swan.  It is recognisable by the yellow on its beak which is shorter than the yellow patch on Whooper Swans.  It grazes on grass, crops and in ploughed fields and, less often, in water.  It breeds in Siberia and moves to lowland Europe in winter.  It is an unusual sighting in my area and I couldn’t believe it when the two swans that flew over my head turned out to be Bewick’s Swans !

Fortunately, I managed a quick photo of the two together and enlarged each one to see them more clearly.