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Winter arrives with ‘swanfall’ at Slimbridge
"We now have over 70 here, with more arriving each day." - Steve Heaven, swan research assistant.

Arrival spurred on by drop in temperature

More than 50 Bewick’s swans have arrived at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. This marks the end of the swan’s 4,000km migration, and traditionally signifies the start of winter.

The arrival of such a large number of swans at once is known as a ‘swanfall’. With this year’s taking place more than five weeks after the arrival of the first Bewick’s of the season, Gastro and Roux, who flew in on 27 October.

The Bewick’s hail from Arctic Russia. Migrating to the UK for the comparatively warmer climate and ice-free wetlands.

Swan research assistant Steve Heaven said: “The arrival of the first ‘swanfall’ is always a fantastic spectacle, and we now have over 70 here, with more arriving each day.

“We are still on the lookout for some of our regulars, including Croupier, who has been a favourite of visitors here at Slimbridge for almost three decades.

We’re anxiously keeping our fingers crossed that he might still arrive, but in the meantime, we’re delighted to see his son, Croupie, back on the pond, along with his mate, Wheel.”

WWT staff identify and record individual swans using the unique black and yellow beak markings of every new arrival. Giving names to first-time visitors and monitoring families.

More than 10,000 swans have been recorded in the 50 years that this process has been being conducted. WWT continues to use this data in their research and conservation efforts.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.