Sign of a cold northern winter: Siberian swans arrive early

The first migrating Siberian swans have arrived in England. Weather watchers are saying this is not a good sign, but a sign of an icy cold or snowy winter with the first snows as early as this week.

The ‘icy omen’ – as weather forecasters call it – is the arrival of about 300 Siberian swans. Their arrival traditionally marks the end of summer. The Siberian swans fly south due to the cold Arctic winds and usually arrive in England in November where they spend the winter (Telegraph, October 13, 2015). They fly 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) from their breeding grounds in Russia to ‘warmer’ British areas to escape minus 25C temperatures and Arctic winds.

Their dawn touchdown signals an early cold winter. Britain may face its coldest winter in 50 years, say the meteorologists. It may even herald a white festive season.

The photograph above is by Russian photographer Alexander Tyryshkin, shown in the Siberian Times (January 14, 2013).

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