World Migratory Bird Day celebrations

Yulia Bogomolova (photos by Olga Smirnova)

World Migratory Birds Day is celebrated every May. This year the State Nenetskiy Zapovednik (reserve) in the Russian Arctic dedicated the day to the Bewick’s swan. With the help of materials provided by WWT, we told the students about the uniqueness of this graceful bird, how it differs from other swans in the region, what threats await the swans during their migration and why it is so important to protect them.

At the end of the event, a master class in drawing this small swan was held. The students tried to depict the features of the beak, its colour and structure. The Bewick’s swans have a yellow and black bill pattern that is unique to each individual. Like a fingerprint, there are simply no two identical beaks.

The art teacher Irina Mikhaylovna Seleverstova showed us the technique of drawing a small swan so well that we involuntarily got our hands drawn to brushes and paints! Also at the event was an exhibition of children’s drawings, which within a month were sent to us by children from all over the Nenets Autonomous Okrug as part of the “March of Parks” action.