Welney Wash is a WWT reserve on the Cambridgeshire Norfolk border. Been here many times, and it never disappoints. However, something I haven’t seen here before was this cattle egret, among the grazing sheep.
Being on a flood plain, it is excellent for wildfowl and, after a dry January flood levels were low, making it even better for birds than normal. There were plenty of wintering whooper swans.
Pochards are more abundant here than anywhere else I’ve been to, in winter at least. They are gorgeous little diving ducks, with their grey backs and red heads.
Lapwings feed in the damp grassland.
Welney is surrounded by the flat arable farmland of the fens, and the feeders here attract many declining birds, including tree sparrows, which have gone from where I live, hopefully they will remain here. Last time I saw tree sparrows was last winter in Tokyo!
Lastly here is a tranquil scene, as the winter sun sets over the fens.