12 September 2020 | New Scientist | 27Fairy swans
Photographer Shu Qing/
Bird Photographer of the Year
http://www.birdpoty.co.uk
A PAIR of flying whooper swans
glide above the water in seamless
harmony in the city of Sanmenxia
in Henan province, China.
The image is titled Fairy
Landing on Earth, and it won
Shu Qing the bronze prize in
the Birds in Flight category of the
2020 Bird Photographer of the
Year competition.
Qing followed the swans –
which get their name from their
characteristic “whooping” call –
with a handheld camera, and used
a slow shutter speed to blur their
movements. This approach adds
an artistic touch to the photo as
the swans appear to blend into
their surroundings in smooth,
effortless strokes.
Each winter, whooper swans
migrate from their breeding
grounds in the higher latitudes
of the northern hemisphere to
parts of eastern Asia and Europe,
including the UK. During their
non-stop journey, which can
span thousands of kilometres,
they can reach altitudes as high
as 8000 metres.
The species is a common sight
in China, where tens of thousands
of whooper swans winter across
the country’s wetlands. ❚
Gege Li