Whooper Swans are the worlds largest swans, Bayan Olgii is in Western Mongolia close to the border with Kazakhstan. I had seen the swans from quite a distance, as white specks, and because of their size, knew what they were. I walked slowly around the lake as dusk was approaching, but as I got closer they took off, flying very close to me – I could hear the hum of their wings – as they looped around the lake and further up the valley. It was a magnificent sight and one I will never forget.