Latest sightings
Early openings and water levels dropping
Sunrise over bank farm WWT Welney will be opening at 7am on the following dates to allow people access to see the flight out of swans just after dawn. Sat 15 Mon 17 Sat 22 Mon 24 Thurs 27 Sat 29 Mon 31 Water levels
14 December 2012
Today's sightings
Waxwing - 1 Crane - 1 (on Lady Fen) Ferruginous duck - 1
14 December 2012
Today's sightings
Waxwing - 4 right next to the front doors eating berries and sitting in the willow Water rail - 1 Back pond at the visitor centre
11 December 2012
Today's sightings
Water rail - 1 in the corner of Bank farm closest to the visitor centre Great spotted woodpecker - 1 at the bird feeding station Buzzard - 1 flew over Bank Farm early afternoon Yesterday 2 Bewick's swans came in to the area of water in front of the main o
7 December 2012
Dawn swan count
We conducted a dawn swan count this morning in trying conditions, but totals for Welney are: Whooper swan - 3120 Bewick's swan - 407 Of these; 2350 whoopers and 30 Bewick's were on the wetlands to the side of the visitor centre, providing a spectacluar si
7 December 2012
Goldeneye and swans
Goldeneye - 1 (male seen from the main observatory) We will be opening at 7am on Saturday 7 and Monday 10 December to allow people to watch the hundreds of swans roosting on Lady Fen and Bank farm fly out to the fields from the comfort of the visitor cent
6 December 2012
Todays sightings
Curlew - 25 on Bank farm feeding around the closest pool to the visitor centre Barn owl - 1 hunting around the visitor centre
4 December 2012
WeBS count
Highlights from the Wetland Birds Survey which was conducted on Monday 3 December, most duck and wader numbers were down due to the extremely high water levels on the Ouse washes. Wigeon - 6232 Mallard - 1061 Tyfted duck - 549 Pochard - 228 Pintail - 22 S
3 December 2012
Swans ring sightings
The evening floodlit feeds are the best ones to see good numbers of swans. Last night, though wet, was calm enough to have good numbers of swans coming close to the observatory to feed. Our Welney regular Baldur with there with his mate, U5S, and 7 cy
25 November 2012
Dawn swan count
Whooper swans - 1766 Bewick's swans - 243
20 November 2012
WeBS count highlights
Wigeon - 2953 Mallard - 887 Teal - 561 Pochard - 174 Pintail - 107 Shoveler - 50 Gadwall - 22 Great crested grebe - 9 Black-tailed godwit - 245 Lapwing - 32 Golden plover - 22 Curlew - 12 Snipe - 12 Redshank - 2 Marsh harrier - 2 Buzzard - 2 Fieldfare - 3
19 November 2012
Yesterday's sightings
Ferruginous duck - 1 Goosander - 2 (flew over at midday) Marsh harrier - 1 female Buzzard - 1 Barn owl - 1
18 November 2012
Weekends sightings
Ferruginous duck - 1, still close to the main observatory with the pochard. Goldeneye - 1 male, seen from the main hide Barn owl - in late afternoon one of the barn owls on site has been perching on the railing in front of the North wing hide, providing v
12 November 2012
Ferruginous duck
Ferruginous duck - 1 female still in amongst the pochard coming in for the feeds. Barn owl - 1 fantastic views of a barn owl after the 3.30pm feed as it perched on the rail; in front of the North wing hide Whooper swans have been coming in to the feeds wi
9 November 2012
Ferruginous duck
Ferruginous duck - 1 female, in amongst the pochard in front of the main observatory and coming in for the swan feeds with them, giving nice close views. Large flocks of lapwing - in fields next to the visitor centre and flying over the reserve this morni
8 November 2012