Welney and Cley

Just back from a great weekend in Norfolk with some great birds picked up for the year list.

Arriving at Littleport Station our adopted Norfolk mum and dad picked us up and immediately set off for Welney WWT reserve.  This is not a new reserve for myself, I visited once many years ago and to cut a long story short ended up flushing a Sociable Plover that a whole heap of birders were watching.  Not a good memory!

Welney WWT

However this visit was a whole new experience.  The visitor centre is fantastic (nice coffee and walnut cake!) and the hide are massive with plenty of space to spread out all your kit!  Highlight was two Avocets and close views of Great Crested Grebes (before the English readers sigh and roll their eyes we do not get Crested this far North, Slavonian are our "common" Grebe)

Great Crested Grebe - summer plumage

Great Crested Grebe - Transition plumage

The biting and freezing cold wind kept outside birding to a minimum, however the hides further along the reserve were well positioned and once again they were really spacious.

Unfortunately the Bewick Swans were not in attendance today, but for me the star birds were two Avocets roosting on a grass bank across from the hide.

Avocets

For a first day in Norfolk it was a fantastic day out.  The reserve is well worth a visit, the scheduled Swan feeds had finished by the date we arrived, but this did not distract from the day at all.  No Bewick = another visit! 

Further reports coming soon.