Wednesday 15 February 2012

Whooper and Bewick`s

Whooper

Whooper

Bewick`s
Some close digiscoped shots of some beautiful wild swans at Deeping High Bank. Note the differing colouration on the bill(s).

29 comments:

  1. Hi John,
    Excellent photos, as per usual. Indeed, there is a discernible difference in the colouration of the bills.
    I got a bill, it had red printing on it. Sorry, that was silly :)
    Have a peaceful week, my friend.

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    1. Hi Gary,
      Thank you,too kind!
      I get too many of those type of bills, it`s very annoying!
      Hope your week is full of peace.
      J

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  2. And I still ain't seen either of these beauties yet John lol
    Great shots.

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    1. Oh Keith, that is very naughty of you! ;)
      Thank you.
      J

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  3. Great photos! The close ups are very nice.

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  4. Swans are such beautiful birds. How do you tell the male from the female?

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    1. Hi Wanda,
      They are truly beautiful creatures! I am not sure with these birds, I think it is the size?! With a Mute Swan the cob (male) normally has a huge black knob at the base of the bill, with the pen (female) having a smaller one.
      J

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  5. The differences are fairly subtle. Need close shots to really make it out - which you have done.

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    1. Hi John,
      The differences are subtle, but also the size of the birds is quite marked, with Bewick`s being quite small, almost goose size, with the Whooper being almost as big as a Mute Swan.
      J

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  6. Hi there - great shots of birds I have not seen for a few years!

    Joke: Mum, there's a man at the door with a bill!

    Mum: don’t be silly son; it’s just a swan wearing a jacket and hat!

    Stewart M - Australia

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    1. Hi Stewart,
      Thank you, but I don`t know if I should thank you for the joke! ;)
      J

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  7. Lovely photos, John and so nice to be able compare the two... just in case I should ever see either in my area... :-)

    Don't know how I missed the last post but have just enjoyed it, I have never managed to get very close to Goosanders.

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    1. Hi Jan,
      Thank you, glad to be of some help! ;)
      Glad you enjoyed my previous `sawbill` post too.
      J

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  8. Hello John. Is the black line in front of the eyes of the Whooper the only physical difference. If so, it's surprising that the birds themselves know the difference!
    Click here for Bazza’s Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. Hi bazza,
      No, that line you talk of is unique to that particular bird as it is part of the bill pattern,all Whoopers and Bewick`s have unique bill patterning with the major difference between the two species being the amount of yellow on the bill and how far it extends beyond the nostrils. The size of the two is different as well, with the Whooper being a lot bigger.
      J

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  9. Great photos, and I'm not certain that I would have noticed the bill differences. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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    1. Hi Gary,
      Thank you and I am sure you will look out for that when you next see one!
      J

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  10. Wonderful images John.. I have only seen the Martin Mere birds this winter but was lucky enough to have some Whoopers in a field quite close a year or so ago..

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    1. Hi Andrew,
      Thank you. Yes, I have been lucky in that I have seen good numbers of both birds, although the Bewick`s are more common in our area.
      J

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  11. What a bird! A real `mega` here in Australia., it`s not fair that you get to see them all the time! ;)

    And I mean it would be a mega , mega!

    Very nice pictures - was back in the UK a few winters ago and managed to catch up with some Bewicks - but have not seen a Whooper in many years!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Australia

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    1. Hi Stewart,
      It makes you realise how different the bird species are around the world with `common` birds here being very rare in Australia and vice versa.
      J

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  12. Replies
    1. Thanks Pat, yes they are supremely elegant.
      J

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  13. Great shots John. How did you persuade them to pose the same way?!

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    1. Thanks Jerry! I was just lucky I suppose! ;)
      J

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