Bewick's swan

She is following the migratory route of the Bewick's swan in an attempt to understand why their numbers have halved in the past two decades.

The Bewick’s swan is seen as a key species to study because the birds particularly interested Sir Peter Scott when he set up the WWT at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire after the second world war.

The charity is currently working on the Bewick's Swan International Action Plan, which aims to stabilise the population.

This is not always the case however, and for other species such as Bewick's swan and velvet scoter, it looks like declines in the UK are matched by those elsewhere across Europe.

The largest-ever family of Bewick's swans has arrived for winter, Slimbridge wildfowl reserve reports Northwest Europe's threatened Bewick's swan population has been boosted by a bumper year for chicks.