Black Swan ads

[Bill Stent <>]

Hmm, swans aren't aggressive birds (in my experience anyway).  Any bird 
might become agressive if threatened.
A few days ago I was in Kristiansand, southern Norway, and was peering at a 
group of swans at the bottom of the air strip there, trying to make out if 
they were Whooper or Mute.  They were just too far away to tell, as they 
held themselves like Whoopers but I couldn't see yellow bills.  Eventually 
one (a juvenine) separated itself from the group adnd swam closer and closer 
to me (from a distace of about 400 metres - honestly, quite a long way).  It 
struggled up the bank to where I was standing, and together we studied the 
field guide.
We eventually decided he was Mute, based on the black markings on the bill, 
which, being a juvenile, was grey.  The fact that he (or she) wasn't 
terribly forthcoming also suggested he was mute.
Bill (Bergen, Norway)