Coming in to work today, I was greeted by a really long view of the baby water voles on the front pond at Welney.  Usually, I hear the ‘munching’ and then a ripple as they swim out of sight but this morning they must have been extra hungry, as I was ignored.

Water Vole young taken by Emma Brand

From under the footbridge, all you can hear is the squabbling sound of housemartin chicks whilst the parents swirl about catching their breakfast.  A family of wrens are popping in and out of the north wing hide too – very cute!

On Bank Farm you can view, from the comfort of the Wigeon Cafe, lapwing, shoveler and redshank young although quite tiny and the parents keep calling them and then sitting on them – the bird version of ‘babysitting’?  The shoveler ducklings, we think 7, have been taken out and about on the pools of water on Bank Farm for swimming lessons – gosh! they’re very fast and change direction like a whirlygig beetle!

Caddis fly larvae taken by Emma Brand

There has been lots to entertain the children too with moth identification, pond dipping, trails and today, I am looking forward to a royal parade of my own in the cafe at 2.30pm with children showing off their crowns made of recycled materials.  And talking of recycled materials, look at this caddis fly larvae ‘dipped’ from one of our ponds – now that really is an eco-friendly house!