Swan Feeding

Today we had planned to walk around the reservoirs to the north of Bolton, but upon arrival we discovered the car park was a sheet of ice/compacted snow and thought better of it. So we crossed over the M6 and headed for Martin Mere. We've been here before, but never when the migrating Whooper swans from Iceland were in residence. When we arrived, they were swimming fairly placidly in pairs or family groups, honking gently to each other. A couple of hour later, just before feeding time, they were packed together, noisy and taking swipes at each other.
A fabulous spectacle!
Head over to BE's page for a better blip, of a co-operative pheasant who posed for us on a bank by the Hen Harrier Hide.