First signs of Spring
Coot having a showdown, grebes performing the tango and hares knocking one another out; just some of the amazing sights spring has to offer.
Visitors to WWT Welney Wetland Centre on the border of Norfolk and Cambridgeshire can get close to nature and watch the drama play out on the reserve without being far away from the comforts the centre has to offer.
Louise Clewley, WWT Welney Warden said:
‘Spring is such a busy time on the reserve, with lots of wildlife activity. Visitors can certainly notice the change in seasons with birds singing and catkins starting to appear on the willow.
Great crested grebes are putting on marvellous displays as pairs try to find the perfect mate and form bonds that will last through the breeding season. Their courtship dances involve copying one another’s move and even using props like reed to enhance the routine!
An often overlooked bird, the coot, is also getting very territorial at the moment. Males will arch their wings over their backs to form the shape of a shield in the hopes that they look big enough to drive others away. But if this doesn’t work, the claws come out and a fight will start!’
This is also a busy time of year for the staff and volunteers, the last few tweaks to the habitat are being made ready for the breeding season. All the hard work that goes into the management of the reserve throughout the year makes this wetland site ideal for thousands of wild birds, mammals, amphibians and insects.
