Wild Tales | Nature Podcast

Episode: Finding the Tundra Swan

Host: National Trust
Date: March 18, 2026

Episode Overview

In this captivating episode, rangers Rosie Holdsworth and Ajay Tegala embark on a quest through the wetlands of Norfolk, UK, to find the elusive Buick swan, also called the tundra swan. Through immersive storytelling, expert interviews, and evocative descriptions of the British landscape in winter, the episode explores the life, behaviors, migrations, and mounting challenges facing these rare and beautiful birds. The journey is as much about the pursuit as it is about the swans themselves, blending naturalist enthusiasm with conservation insights and local color.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Swans of Britain: A Deep Dive

• Three UK Swan Species:
  • Introduction to the UK’s three native swan species, including the tundra-crossing Buick swan (01:04).
  • Ajay’s annual anticipation of the arrival of Hooper swans over his home (01:38).
• Personal Connection:
  • Ajay recounts his past sighting of Buick swans, its rarity, and his determination to find them again (01:38–02:41).

2. Drawing and Knowing the Swans – An Artist’s Perspective

• Interview with Dafila Scott (Artist & Zoologist, Daughter of Sir Peter Scott):
  • Childhood memories of drawing swans, the origins of individual swan identification, and her father’s rigorous methods (02:41–05:15).
  • The importance of meticulous observation: “You had to get it right. But it was very good practice for looking and then drawing.” – Dafila Scott (04:43).
  • Swans’ unique personalities: “We used to have one called Pussycat, which had her head in the air all the time.” – Dafila (05:25).

3. Searching for Swans at the Wellney Ouse Washes

• Morning on the Fens:
  • The magical winter dawn at Wellney described by Lizzie Bruce, site manager: “You kind of sense their excitement that the day is starting...and if you’re lucky, you’ll pick out the Buick swan.” – Lizzie Bruce (07:01).
• Monitoring and Counting Swans:
  • Wellney’s significance: a global hotspot for Hooper and Buick swans (07:42).
  • Systematic bird monitoring explained: the challenges of counting thousands of swans under tough weather conditions (08:44).
• Telling Species Apart:
  • Lizzie’s analogy for distinguishing swans: “Hooper swans, the yellow extends further along their bill—almost like a wedge of cheese...for the Buick swans...it’s more like a knob of butter.” – Lizzie Bruce (09:34).

4. The Great Migration and Its Perils

• Epic Journeys:
  • Hooper swans migrate from Iceland; Buick (tundra) swans from the Russian tundra, traveling up to 3,500 km (09:52).
• Changing Populations:
  • Buick swan decline: “Last week...68 Buick swans and 14 juveniles. So while Hooper swans are going up, we are sadly seeing the Buick swan population decline.” – Lizzie Bruce (11:18).
  • “The Buick swan population...has actually declined by 56% since 1995.” (11:40).
• Shortstopping:
  • Buick swans are increasingly “short-stopping” due to milder winters, now favoring Germany over the UK (11:55).
• Migration Hazards:
  • Climate change, food availability, illegal hunting, and power line collisions all pose significant risks (12:29–13:40).

5. Conservation, Climate, and Community

• Climate Extremes Affecting Habitats:
  • Discussion of flooding, drought, and habitat management challenges (13:40–15:00).
• Collaboration for Conservation:
  • Partnerships with farmers and utility companies, such as installing ‘swan deflectors’ on power lines (15:15–15:50).
  • “To look after species that migrate, it is about teamwork...different industries getting involved to make a real difference.” – Rosie Holdsworth (15:50).
• Successes with Hooper Swans:
  • Positive trends for Hooper swans due to targeted conservation (16:00).

6. The Search – Beauty and Frustration of Fieldwork

• On the Hunt:
  • The struggle of searching vast fields, often coming up empty: “All that’s in front of me are wedges of cheese and hooping” (19:11).
• Evocative Field Descriptions:
  • Snapshots of winter wheat fields, bright against black peat, and swans glowing in winter sunlight (17:29).
  • The soundscape: “It is a really distinctive call...very goose like. I love that sound.” – Ajay Tegala (17:29).
• The Elusive Buick Swan:
  • Multiple failed attempts, dusk swan feed, and natural beauty despite disappointment (19:51).

7. The Triumph of Patience

• Breakthrough Moment:
  • Final attempt after a cold snap; Ajay finally sights a Buick swan: “It showed its head and I could see...the bill is mostly black with a little knob of butter. And there it is.” – Ajay Tegala (21:27).
  • Renewed excitement and sense of accomplishment for both Ajay and Rosie: “After so much searching, it’s so exciting to finally see a Buick swan.” – Rosie Holdsworth (21:37).
  • “There it is. There it is. Yes.” (21:58–22:00).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On individual identification:
  “He then started to record all the individuals that came that winter...He gave them names because that was easier to remember than numbers.” – Dafila Scott (03:32)
• On drawing as necessity:
  “In those days there weren’t cameras that would focus in on individuals...so you had to look through a telescope or large binoculars and then draw the pattern.” – Dafila Scott (04:35)
• On migration:
  “It’s not a quick migration...it can take about six weeks from their breeding grounds to reach their final wintering grounds here at Wellney or increasingly in Germany.” – Lizzie Bruce (12:29)
• On community and conservation:
  “To look after species that migrate, it is about teamwork, it is about working together and yeah, different industries getting involved.” – Rosie Holdsworth (15:50)
• The triumphant sighting:
  “And there it is. A Buick swan. At last. After so much searching, it’s so exciting to finally see a Buick swan, hey.” – Rosie Holdsworth (21:37)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 03:16–06:25: Dafila Scott on childhood with swans, individual recognition, and artistic observation
• 07:22–09:11: Lizzie Bruce describes winter mornings and swan monitoring at Wellney
• 09:34–09:45: How to identify Hooper vs. Buick swans (“wedge of cheese” vs. “knob of butter”)
• 10:52–12:04: Population counts and disturbing trends in Buick (tundra) swans
• 12:19–13:40: Buick migration routes, risks, and the phenomenon of ‘shortstopping’
• 13:47–15:50: Impacts of climate, collaborative conservation, power line solutions
• 17:29–19:29: The long, fruitless search for Buick swans, field descriptions, and swan behavior
• 21:04–21:58: The long-awaited sighting of a Buick swan after a cold snap

Tone & Style

The episode blends scientific clarity and enthusiasm with the lyrical, patient tone of true nature lovers. Every segment is peppered with personal anecdotes, immersive descriptions, and gentle humor, inviting listeners to share the anticipation and joy of seeking wildlife—and underscoring the real peril these birds now face.

Summary

“Finding the Tundra Swan” is as much about the human search for meaning and connection in nature as it is about the swans themselves. Through passion, patience, and community, Ajay, Rosie, and their contributors illuminate both the fragility and wonder of Britain’s wild winter wetlands—and the urgent need to cherish and protect them. The triumph of finally seeing the rare Buick swan, after so much searching, is a poetic reminder of nature’s unpredictability, resilience, and allure.