Reserve update - bringing wetland wildlife to you

12 June 2020

Welney Wetland Centre is now re-opened for pre-booked visits only with limited numbers. We have a smaller than normal team on site at present, but will continue to bring the reserve to you on the website and social media until you are able to visit.

Welney Wetland Centre is now re-opened for pre-booked visits only, with daily maximum numbers to maintain social distancing and safety measures. We have a smaller than normal team on site at present, but will continue to bring the reserve to you on the website and social media until you are able to visit.

So far bookings for tickets online have been going well. This coming Wednesday tickets will again become available for the following week 22-28 June, so if you do wish to visit we would recommend booking early and would love to see you back for a visit.

Both swallow nests in the north wing hides have hatched, so the parents are now busy with feeding, house martins appear to be feeding young on the front of the main hide too. We have a pair of whooper swans with five cygnets, normally to be seen between main hide and Reedbed pool. Still some lapwing chicks about, juvenile redshank and a couple of avocets on nests having another try on the main lagoon. There are also avocet chicks about; whilst putting out interp in the car park Rosie and I helped some chicks cross the road safely and get to the Hundred Foot Drain as their parents were moving them from Bank Farm to the Ouse Washes. Two broods of shelduck ducklings regularly seen from Lyle hide and we have also seen broods of mute swan cygnets, shoveler ducklings, gadwall ducklings, tufted duck ducklings, mallard ducklings, coot chicks and moorhen chicks.

The godwit chicks seem to be doing well so far with some very protective parents. The bird in the photo below is Gary, a wild Welney regular who has been breeding here for many years. Leigh got some fantastic footage and images of him whilst monitoring that pair and their chicks. These guys are in the washes around Friends hide, whereas the pair of Project Godwit birds are between main hide and Nelson-Lyle hide.