A night-time recording close to flooded farmland. Whooper swans and greylag/bean geese migrate north and the wild boars are a bit too close for comfort.
Säva, Uppland. March 6, 2024

Swans, geese... and wild boar!

The droprig less than 3 m from an active beaver nest. This midnight recording almost only contains beavers adding twigs to the nest and restless whooper swans. 
Lillån, Färnebofjärdens National Park. May 14, 2024.

Zoom F6 + AudioTechnica BP4025.

The Beaver and Swan

This is a recording of calls uttered by whooper swans. The whooper is one of two species of swan which visit Britain during the winter, the other being the Bewick's swan. Although similar to the Bewick, the whooper is larger, with a more upright posture and a triangular patch of yellow on the bill. It also has square-ended tail which can be seen when it upends in the water. The whooper swan breeds in Iceland and about three-quarters of the Icelandic population migrate to Britain in winter. When it first arrives in Britain during the October breeding season, it feeds on streams and lakes which are so rich in iron that its head and neck is often stained a rust colour. The whooper, as its name implies, produces a very loud whooping or trumpeting call, which serves to reaffirm bonds between family members, particularly as the young stay with their parents for their entire first year. The winter population is around 10,000 individuals, which are now specially protected. The main threats to the whooper swan are from overhead power lines and poisoning from lead in gun cartridges. Like many other seasonal birds, the estuaries and wetlands which the swan visits on migration and where is roosts during winter, are vitally important and also need protection.

Shelf mark
W1CDR0001380 BD3

Subjects
Birds

Recording date
1960s

Recording locations
OS Grid Reference(641500,323500)

Recordist
Shove, Lawrence

Species
Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus

Image reference https://www.flickr.com/photos/128941223@N02/32097191697 (Caroline Legg)

Whooper Swan calls, United Kingdom, 1960s

This is a recording of calls uttered by whooper swans. The whooper is one of two species of swan which visit Britain during the winter, the other being the Bewick's swan. Although similar to the Bewick, the whooper is larger, with a more upright posture and a triangular patch of yellow on the bill. It also has square-ended tail which can be seen when it upends in the water. The whooper swan breeds in Iceland and about three-quarters of the Icelandic population migrate to Britain in winter. When it first arrives in Britain during the October breeding season, it feeds on streams and lakes which are so rich in iron that its head and neck is often stained a rust colour. The whooper, as its name implies, produces a very loud whooping or trumpeting call, which serves to reaffirm bonds between family members, particularly as the young stay with their parents for their entire first year. The winter population is around 10,000 individuals, which are now specially protected. The main threats to the whooper swan are from overhead power lines and poisoning from lead in gun cartridges. Like many other seasonal birds, the estuaries and wetlands which the swan visits on migration and where is roosts during winter, are vitally important and also need protection.

Shelf mark
W1CDR0001383 BD5

Subjects
Birds

Recording date
1960s

Recording locations
Packington, Leicestershire: OS Grid Reference(436500,314500)

Recordist
Shove, Lawrence

Species
Whooper Swan, Cygnus cygnus

Image reference https://www.flickr.com/photos/128941223@N02/32097191697 (Caroline Legg)

Whooper Swan calls, Leicestershire, England, 1960s

About 50 Whooper Swans calling and "spring-fighting". Singing Skylark and Reed Bunting and calling Hooded Crow (and some others)in the background.

Laulujoutsen, Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus), 20150411, Salo, Finland - Flock Calls

A Whooper Swan visited a nearby lake and returns to the small lake where the cygnets are. Landing triumphantly!

Mälsjön, Uppsala. May 27, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272 as tree ears

Whooper Swan pair with three cygnets

Outside in the field this evening around 21,00
Västra Götaland Sweden

Sångsvan .WAV

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest libraries. We hold over 13 million books, 920,000 journal and newspaper titles, 57 million patents and 6 million sound recordings. Open to everyone, the Library offers events, temporary exhibitions and a Treasures Gallery that displays over 200 items, including Magna Carta, a Gutenberg Bible and lyrics by The Beatles.

I'm a birdwatcher from Finland and started bird recording in autumn 2013. Main focus is in documentary recordings but if I'm lucky I may get some quality recordings too. I have Olympus LS-100, Sennheiser ME67+K6 and Rycote Wind Screen Kit. I use Audacity for editing. Have fun!

Field sound recordist and archivist of vanishing sounds in natural Iandscapes. Highly commended in the Sound of the Year Awards 2024 - Best Natural Sound.

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