Welney Swans and Ducks

As we had a couple of hours before meeting the rest of the group, we drove back along the road towards  Little Downham stopping for any close views of feeding swans such as this adult feeding on sugar beet and the juvenile getting any crops remaining in the black fenland soil. After meeting the rest of the group for coffee, we spent time in the main hides (the only part of the reserve that isn't flooded) or walked along the bank photographing any interesting flight patterns and portraits of Wigeon, Mallard, Gadwall etc,.

Dawn at Welney

 Julia and I made the effort to be at Welney for 'dawn' and walked along the public bridleway on the bank to view the swans all leaving their roost on Lady Fen and heading off to the fields to feed. Very dull light so little detail in the images but do give an idea of the spectacle and the typical Fenland scenery - just add the noise of hundreds of Whoopers calling as they head off in their family groups. Big flocks of Lapwing also becoming active.

Ducks and Swans at Welney WWT

No visit to Welney can ignore the elegant and noisy Whooper swans and the Scaup made a pleasant change from Mallard and Pochard.

Welney Morning Birds

We spent the rest of Sunday morning (after a breakfast in the cafe!!), general bird watching and 'snapping' on the main reserve so here a flavour of the session and including Cattle Egret and ?Chiffchaff (a pair were flitting in the bushes - presumably overwintered in UK).