As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Thursday, 25 January 2018

Swans reunited as missing mate returns to rekindle 19-year romance

Sarah Knapton, science editor 
22 JANUARY 2018 • 6:03PM

A heartbroken swan who flew into Britain alone six weeks ago after losing his mate during the 2,500 mile journey has finally been reunited with his partner.

Wildlife experts at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust feared the worst when 26-year-old Bewick's swan Croupier arrived without Dealer, who is mother to his 29 cygnets.

The pair have been together for 19 years and are part of a lineage of swans which can be traced back decades. 

Bewick's swan numbers have plummeted in the past two decades and it was feared Dealer may have been shot or poisoned on her journey back from Russia. 

But on Monday the Trust in Gloucestershire announced that Dealer has finally arrived after going missing for six weeks.

WWT’s swan expert Julia Newth said: "During the 19 years they were together, Croupier and Dealer reared and brought back to Slimbridge 29 cygnets.




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