To show you this swan

[Blackkswann]

I have NEVER seen one of these beautiful black swans until today! AIBU to show you him/her? & to ask do you have many of these where you are? 🦢

I grew up in Western Australia where there are native - I was looking at your photo trying to work out what was different. White swans are less common where I am from. I didn’t realise not that many people have seen a black swan.

They are at Chartwell in Kent too! Beautiful!

Dustyblue, there are six different species of true swans in the world. Four of them are white, one's white with a black head and neck, and one's black. The most common swan in most of the UK is the mute swan. Black swans are native to Australia only, but there are escaped ones living wild in other places, including loads in New Zealand, and a few in the UK.

I've seen them in Australia and I was about to say I saw some white with black necks (in Mauritius) and ask about them but I see someone more knowledgeable has posted already.

Do the ones in the UK not shout then? Or are they just called mute swans? The black ones make a vocal ruckus. I grew up in NZ, where both are common.

I grew up walking round Black Swan Lake which unsurprisingly has some black swans on it so my mind is blown that people didn't know about them

@CallItLoneliness

Do the ones in the UK not shout then? Or are they just called mute swans? The black ones make a vocal ruckus. I grew up in NZ, where both are common.

Yes, mute swans are very quiet (the loudest noise they make is their wings swishing when they fly). However, whooper swans, which come to some parts of the UK in winter, do whoop and they are LOUD.

Wow! I’m glad I’m not the only one who had never seen these before! I was amazed!

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats nope not laleham but very close to there🙂

@GerundTheBehemoth

Dustyblue, there are six different species of true swans in the world. Four of them are white, one's white with a black head and neck, and one's black. The most common swan in most of the UK is the mute swan. Black swans are native to Australia only, but there are escaped ones living wild in other places, including loads in New Zealand, and a few in the UK.

I'd never heard of the Tundra swan, its what is better known as Bewick's swan in the U.K. (pronounced bu -ick). It migrates here in quite large numbers in the winter, and is I think one of the reasons Peter Scott set up the WWT at Slimbridge on the Severn estuary. The other winter migrant we get is the whooper, lots of those at Martin Mere WWT (and other places).

The WWT centres have the other types of swan in their collections but it's good to see the wild ones.

And on noise....there's a reason for the Trumpeter being called that!

ErrolTheDragon - yes, Bewick's is the Eurasian subspecies of tundra swan. Its North American subspecies is sometimes called whistling swan.

We have a black swan on our local lake too, he’s nicknamed Bruce and he’s absolutely gorgeous

@Blackkswann

Wow! I’m glad I’m not the only one who had never seen these before! I was amazed!

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats nope not laleham but very close to there🙂

I knew it! (near Laleham) It's where i met DH :) Many happy lazy afternoons with him on a blanket in the sun with a bottle pick-nick watching the boats

And love the swan pic.
One mugged me for a tomato once!

I used to regularly see two black swans in the pond next to my old work, they're beautiful from a distance but rather creepy looking close up, they had red rings around their eyes which give them a slightly demonic look, also they're evil creatures, they'd attack any car or person who went past. Two white swans in the same pond would happily wonder around & didn't try to attack anyone.

@GerundTheBehemoth

Dustyblue, there are six different species of true swans in the world. Four of them are white, one's white with a black head and neck, and one's black. The most common swan in most of the UK is the mute swan. Black swans are native to Australia only, but there are escaped ones living wild in other places, including loads in New Zealand, and a few in the UK.

Fascinating! DH and I agree we've only seen the 1st two types over here.

@NorthernBirdAtHeart, I am loving Bruce! Your pic follows up my silly theory that the black ones are larger birds (although a quick google suggests that isn't true).

I'm an Adrian Mole fan; this whole thread reminds me of the line 'A Swan Can Break A Man's Arm You Know'

Lovely!

We have hundreds of them here on the Otago Peninsula. Bobbing around asleep like flotillas of...well, black floating blobs. It's nice to see them all heading off in one direction, one behind the other, the chaperone/guard at the back. Then 6 hours later they come back in the other direction. Regular as clockwork.

I live in NZ and hardly ever see a white swan, almost all black here. I am a Brit and had never seen a black swan until I came to NZ.

They are such majestic birds and I love to see them on the lakes and rivers. I walk by a river and there are lots there at the moment, they must be almost up to the sea water.

We have lots of swans in Bewdley and recently saw one lone black swan amongst them. Just beautiful 🤩

Where I live we only have black swans, there are heaps on the lakes around my area.
In fact I don't think I've ever seen a white swan, anywhere!

Oops, should probably mention that I'm in Australia.

Last time I saw one it in the docks in London

We have one on our local river in Bedford. No one knows where it came from, it just appeared one day.

Bit sad as it hasn't got a mate.

Its sea otters native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean that hold hands and are violent not the otters we get in uk they are just called otters even when they are in the sea, 😁🦦