Yesterday I went to Welney Wetland Centre with my family. It was a lovely day after a very wet system passed through Norfolk. Much of the Ouse Washes were underwater, and aprt for the main hide all the reserved was flooded and closed off.
This winter swan numbers are relatively low, yet. Still, Welney delivers and the experience, especially for my family, was superb.
Not the best photography conditions out of the main hide, but can’t complain.
Whooper Swans are always beautiful, and in yesterday’s light they looked even better.
I find the young birds very delicate and pretty too
Only when this bird took off
I noticed it is ringed. Don’t have the ringing details yet – it’s a WWT bird, either from Welney or Iceland.
Check those red-eyed Pochards!
Because of the flood, every dry square inch was occupied by roosting birds
BIG numbers of Black-tailed Godwits
One of three Great White Egrets on the reserve:
Sorry for the crooked panorama
Tree Sparrows on the visitor centre feeders were actually a Norfolk tick for me (if I kept a Norfolk list)
Nice, relaxed birding to end the year – roll on 2018! A good way to start 2018 would be Ross’s Gull…
Yoav Perlman
I have been birding since the age of 9, and from the age of 15 I started working professionally in birding. I have been working for the Israeli Ornithological Center since 1998. I was a member of the Israeli rarities committee between 2001 - 2007. I have an MSc in Ecology from the Ben Gurion University. I did my research on the ecology of Nubian Nightjars in Israel, and spent hundreds of nights with these fascinating birds. I lead tours in Israel, and especially focus on Nubian Nightjars obviously. I traveled and birded Asia extensively, and also Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and North America. I am married to my lovely wife Adva and father to two sons - Uri and Noam, and one daughter - Libby. Currently I live in Norwich, where I am starting a PhD project at UEA.
Leave a Reply