My Saturday Bird this week is the Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus bewickii) and is a follow up to my Saturday Bird last week, the Whooper Swan. They are both winter visitors to the U.K.
As with the Whooper Swan there is some debate as to whether the Bewick’s Swan is a separate species or a subspecies of Tundra Swan.
Bewick’s Swans are smaller and shorter necked than Whooper Swans and have less yellow on the bill. These birds were photographed at the Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Lancashire, England.
This week my Saturday Bird is the Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) another winter visitor to the U.K.
The bird is the Eurasian counterpart of the Trumpeter Swan found in North America. Some authorities consider them the same species.
This bird was photographed at the Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Lancashire, England. It is wet because it has been dipping it head and neck underwater to feed.
Five Bewick’s Swans at dusk. Photographed at the Martin Mere Wetland Centre in Lancashire, England.
This is my day 18 contribution to Becky’s October Squares challenge on the theme of Kind.
This is my contribution to the final Lens-Artists Photo Challenge Season prompt Winter.
I will be following the rules I set for myself at the start of the Season prompts, one bird photo, one scenic photo and one flora and fauna photo. One from my time in Saskatchewan, Canada, one from when I lived in the U.K. and one photo from Ontario, Canada.
This final season was probably the hardest to select photos for and still follow the rules I set for myself. There were so many favourite winter images I had to ignore.
A Whooper Swan feeding at the Martin Mere Wetland Centre, Lancashire, England. Whooper Swans are one of two species of swans arrive to spend the winter in the U.K.
Chantry Island lighthouse at sunset in the winter. Chantry Island is just off the Lake Huron shoreline in Southampton, Ontario, Canada.
An Eastern Gray Squirrel photographed near Punnichy, Saskatchewan, Canada. One of those days when it doesn’t look as cold as it actually was. I remember it being around -30°C although this squirrel seemed a lot less bothered about the cold than the photographer was.
This is my contribution to the One Word Sunday: Homophone challenge.
Male Common Pheasant in hoarfrost covered grass.
Mail box with a fresh coat of paint.
Male Northern Pintail at sunset.
Mail box in a sandstone wall.
