Latest sightings
Out on the reserve today
Great white egret - 1 (Reedbed hide) Little ringed plover - 3 Ruff Dunlin Gadwall Wigeon
31 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Redshank Main observatory Little ringed plover - 2 Avocet - 12 Oystercatcher - 4 Redshank Lapwing Black-tailed godwit Gadwall Wigeon Shoveler Tufted duck Shelduck Shelduck
29 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Great white egret - 1 (favouring the ditches in front of Nelson-Lyle hide) Main observatory Little ringed plover - 1 Bewick's swan - 1 (briefly at lunchtime) Lyle hide Goldeneye - 2 Pintail - 28 Little grebe - 1 Great crested grebe - 6 Throughout the whol
27 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Avocet Main observatory Avocet - 40 (most of them were in a huddle, but some pairs came as close as the front island on the lagoon, whilst feeding) Redshank Ruff Oystercatcher Lapwing Teal Wigeon Shoveler Mallard Litt
26 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Great white egret From Lyle hide at 4pm Great white egret - 1 Garganey - 1 Marsh harrier - 1 Garganey
25 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Seal Garganey - 1 (Nelson-Lyle hide) Little ringed plover - 1 Snipe Ruff Peregrine - 1 It feels like the start of spring again this morning, with wading birds calling across the reserve and plenty of ducks still on al
24 March 2014
Summer arrivals
We have had our first male wheatear on site today. Sitting on a fence post on Lady Fen (next to the visitor centre). The reserve and Lady Fen are packed with birds; waders like avocet, redshank and lapwing that are displaying, mating and making their
20 March 2014
Wetland Birds Survey (WeBS)
Volunteer doing WeBs count Goldeneye - 2 Ruddy shelduck - 1 Ruff - 3 Great crested grebe - 22 Cormorant - 68 Little egret - 40 Grey heron - 21 Mute swan - 64 Whooper swan - 139 Greylag goose - 20 Canada goose - 1 Wige
18 March 2014
Out on the reserve
Sightings from 13.03.14 Lady Fen Golden plover Ruff Lapwing & redshank displaying Shelduck Brown hares Main observatory Black-tailed godwits Ruff Dunlin Avocet Redshank Mallard Teal Wigeon Pintail Tufted duck Pocahrd Shelduck Whooper swan Mute swan Ly
16 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Footpaths to Nelson-Lyle, Lyle and Friends hide are open from Thursday 13 March, giving further access on the reserve. More land is appearing each day to encourage black-tailed godwits, avocets, ruff and lapwing back, adding to the pochard, tufted ducks
12 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Water levels have risen further over the last couple of days so that we are back to the main hide being the only one accessible and the Welney Wash road (part of the A1101) being closed again. We have also had some chain sawing works carried out on the
6 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Water levels have crept up over the last 24 hours but the footpaths re-opened yesterday are still open today. (Wellies still required as paths are muddy). Lady Fen Golden plover - 250 Lapwing Oystercatcher - 2 Shelduck Hares - 15 Main observatory Golden
2 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Water on the reserve has now dropped far enough for us to re-open the Nelson-Lyle, Lyle and Friends hides. Footpaths are still very muddy so wellies are essential and unfortunately the paths are not yet fit for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Sightings from
1 March 2014
Out on the reserve today
Icelandic black-tailed godwits are now passing through the reserve on their way up to their breeding grounds. As they come into their brick-orange plumage ready for the breeding season it is quite a sight to see them all grouped tightly on the spits of
27 February 2014
Dawn swan count from 18.02.14
Ouse washes total: Bewick's swan - 313 Whooper swan - 3880 WWT Welney totals: Bewick's swan - 264 Whooper swan - 1519
25 February 2014