Are early-arriving whooper swans from Arctic a harbinger of cold winter ahead?

Whooper swans flying over the RSPB's Tetney Marshes reserve yesterday morning

ACCORDING to folklore, the early arrival of wild whooper swans in the UK from Iceland and Russia is a harbinger of a cold winter ahead?

"They arrive from  the Arctic with snow on their beaks," so it is said.

On  that basis, we should start to brace ourselves.

Since the start of this month, several parties, numbering up to 42, of the magnificent birds have been seen flying south over the North East Lincolnshire coastline.

Sometimes, they veer inland when they reach Tetney and perhaps land on the water in Covenham Reservoir, or neighbouring farmland, to rest.

Although, happily, its very rare, the birds' bills have sometimes been known to freeze shut at night if temperatures  dip too low while they are sleeping.    

Whooper swans on the water at Covenham reservoir near Louth