Abbotsbury Swannery, Bird colony along Fleet Lagoon in Dorset, England
Abbotsbury Swannery is a managed nesting site between Chesil Beach and Fleet Lagoon that houses over 600 mute swans within a 2-acre protected area. The marshland with its shallow waters and reed beds provides the conditions where these birds nest and raise their young.
Benedictine monks from St. Peter's monastery established this site around 1040 as a food source by breeding swans for their feasts. Across nearly 1000 years the place has endured, though its purpose shifted from food production to wildlife observation and protection.
Swans define the daily rhythm of this place, with feeding times remaining central to how visitors experience the site. This ongoing practice keeps a medieval tradition alive in how people interact with the birds.
The site is open from March through November and allows visitors to watch swans during their nesting and chick-rearing season. Plan to arrive in the morning when the birds are most active and feeding times occur.
The adjacent Fleet Lagoon is Europe's largest brackish water system and hosts about 300 different waterfowl species that share the area with the swans. This remarkable diversity makes the place an important stopover for migratory birds on their journeys.
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