We entered the next hide, noticing it was beginning to cloud over (as per the forecast), and before I'd even sat down Spotter McGurk (as Mrs PB is affectionately known whilst we're out wildlifing) said "incoming"... and she was right, an Avocet
A little further towards the reedbeds, a bigger surprise than the Spoonbill... lots of Spoonbills!!
Nothing much else was happeing, so we moved on to the next hide, and on the way the earlier Wren was uncharacteristically quiet...
There wasn't anything to see out the windows.... but IN one of the windows... A Blue-Eyed Camouflage Wing Fly (NB I may have made that up)
Also in the hide were two swallows nests, which were serviced regularly whilst we were there (staff had mentioned it was there, and to basically duck if necessary lol)
The Spoonbills flew off as we were headed back to the previous hide
A Ruddy Darter, on the fence top
I missed the catching of it, but the Great Egret had a biggy
Out of nowhere a Heron blundered in
And the Egret slipped away to have its meal in peace, only slightly ruffled!
Leaving the poor Heron in his wake
We headed on back toward the centre, beginning to think of lunch, and a bit of a Warbler party started.... I'm guessing all Reed, unless someone can advise me differntly?
A female Ruddy Darter
Probably a Black Tailed Skimmer, but possibly a Scarce Chaser... unfortunately I was peering through a hole in a fence and couldn't get a better angle
On the bridge back to the welcome centre, a proper coloured Pied Wagtail
And peering from the top level, a pair of Black Tailed Godwits (Welney is part of the breeding and relocation programme for them, and I think they've relocated 20-odd chicks this year, mostly to Slimbridge, to diversify and strengthen the population)
A little deeper in the pool was Shoveller and chicks
We had lunch and Mrs PB decided (being wise like she is) that it was going to start raining and she would go back to the cottage. Me being a fool thought nah, will only be a bit spitty, I'll head round Lady Fen. I set off in good spirits, ad spotted a Small Tortoiseshell
And then Spotter was proved right, and as I got back to the centre, a young Dunnock was singing
And that brought to an end Mondays delectations and delights.
I decided small bite-size bits were better than one unwieldy massive post, hope you agree, and have enjoyed it.
Stay Safe All
Another superb collection of photos, and those spoonbills, one bird I've still yet to see.
Shattered now after that tour of Welney, think I need a holiday there.....
Many thanks for sharing those photos, a pleasure to view and good that you both had a good time there.
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
That's was quite a trip to Welney PB, we haven't visited for some time now even though its a day trip from home for us. Lots of good sightings and photos, lovely to see them all. Did you venture a bit further west to some of the other fen area reserves? Great to see the Spoonbills, we see them along the Suffolk coast and of course at Arne. Were some of the Spoonbills juveniles? A couple look a bit smaller and more fluffy than others.
Thanks Mike.
Cheers Tony. Don't know about Spoonbill ages, there were just those few, and the one flyover. We had a late afternoon stroll around Ladyfen, and also went around the Summer Trail at Welney (both of which I'm still building up the stamina reserves to go through lol) other than that, no. Tuesday was wet and we headed home Thursday. Previously we've had a potter about the NT bit of Wicken Fen and decided we should have gone further afield, but they've been our only visits.