Bewick - music from the Tundra

I live in an area of Dutch lowland polders with a lot of grasslands containing much protein. As a green dish for thousands of geese and hundreds of swans every winter, the Alblasserwaard is an important wintering area for much waterfowl. Probably the most elegant appearance is the Tundra or Bewick's Swan Cygnus bewickii. The Netherlands is the most important wintering place for this arctic species with more than 60% of the world population of 15.000 birds. The species has underwent a substantial decline in the past years and is evaluated as vunerable by Birdlife.

Tundra Swans (Cygnus bewickii) - polder Wijngaarden - 25/12/2011  In the center neckband yellow 062E.

Hence, it is important is to gather information about their survival rate and breeding success. Simple observers like me can help by counting juveniles and reading codes on their neckbands. The last two days, I spent some time to count juveniles and search for neckbands. On Saturday, I counted an amount of 18 juveniles amongst 235 adults (n = 253), a percentage of 7,3%. Today I counted 23 juveniles in some flocks with 185 adults (n= 208): 11%. Too low for a stable population and conform the numbers of a recent international sample, coördinated by Wim Tijsen and Jan Beekman (Kleine zwanennieuws 2011-2012 (6)). They collected data from up to 60% of the population (n=8382) and counted a juvenile percentage of 9,2%. 

Tundra Swans (Cygnus bewickii)- polder Ganzenwei, Brabantse Biesbosch - January 2011

But, the swans continue making music. They keep performing lovely ceremonies acommpanied by their jubilant sounds........ I hope they will never surrender. 

Tundra Swan (Cygnus bewickii) - polder Wijngaarden - 30/11/2010

Tundra Swan (Cygnus bewickii) - polder Bleskensgraaf - 17/12/2011