Bewick's Swans and Bean Geese, Longham Lakes, Dorset, 25/1/13 (Dominic Couzens)

Yeah, I know this isn’t a great picture. The light was poor and these birds were almost on the moon’s surface, they were so distant. But take a look at it and it doesn’t half show up the difference between Bewick’s Swans (left two) and Mute Swans (right three). Notice how much smaller the Bewick’s Swans are in direct comparison, see how they hold their neck straight when the Mutes usually hold theirs in an S-shape, and see how the breasts of the Mute Swans tends to bulge, while those of Bewick’s don’t. And by the way, see how both species, even the Bewick’s are very much larger than the birds in the middle, which happen to be Tundra Bean Geese.

The swans were found by Chris Parnell, stalwart of Longham Lakes.

Bewick's Swans and Bean Geese, Longham Lakes, Dorset, 25/1/2013