Welney

Yesterday the weather was uncharacteristically bright, dry and calm, so a visit to Welney was indicated before yet more storms hit our shores.   The only hide open was full of families watching swans being fed as the light faded.   It wasn't too cold or windy to use the open annexes attached to the main hide, but there wasn't that much activity.   In the end I took some photographs from the car park of the few whooper swans flying into the reserve as the light disappeared.      

There is plenty of activity once the feeding starts, and I was amused to see the member of staff wading (yes, wearing waders) across the front of the hide with an 'amphibious' wheelbarrow!   Ingenious.

The road to the reserve is easily navigable, but roads around Welney are closed to traffic.

The last image is not a composite - the very new moon really was there!

Feeding Time at Welney

Last evening was the first time I had been to Welney for an 'after dark' swan feeding session. There weren't as many Whooper swans as I had seen on other occasions, and we didn't see any Bewick swans, although we were advised that we would be able to hear them when we left the hide.
We saw plenty of Pochard though and they bobbed around like corks, particularly when they were diving for grain which had been thrown out for them. There are plenty of challenges to get good photographs in these conditions! It was worth a try! With a dark background the majesty of the swans seemed to be emphasised and it was fun taking some portraits.
Couldn't resist capturing the night lit bridge and bike stand too!