Swan feeds start at WWT Welney but lockdown could put them on hold
A grey evening failed to dampen the excitement of the first swan feeds of the winter at the WWT Welney Centre on Sunday (1).
Assistant warden David Roberts had the honour of throwing grain to the dozens of whooper swans who have already arrived at the site.
Visitors were treated to a close view of the birds, which have been arriving in recent weeks from their summer home in Iceland.
Covid-19 restrictions meant limited numbers could attend the spectacle but the centre has increased the number of feeds from two a day during the week to three, and from three at weekends to four, to help compensate for the need to social distance.
However, with the new lockdown due to start on Thursday the centre is advising anyone wishing to attend to keep an eye on the WWT website and social media for an update.
A spokesman said: "We’re waiting for clarification on how the upcoming lockdown will affect our wetland centres. We’ll post on our website and on social media once we know."
Whooper swans are always the first guests to arrive for the winter months with their cousins the Bewick swans arriving later as they have further to travel from the Russian Arctic circle.
Arrival of the first Bewicks is expected any day with some already waiting across the North Sea in Holland for the wind direction to change to a more favourable easterly to help them on their final leg of their 2,500 mile journey.
The earliest a Bewick has been recorded arriving at Welney was October 1 1978. The latest date for the first arrivals is the second week in November.
The Bewicks like coming to the UK for the winter because we are warmer than many countries that are on the same latitude and that helps get them through the winter.
They spend the summers in the Russian Arctic because there is plenty of wetlands for them there as well as a good supply of bugs to help the chicks to grow from fluffy balls to birds capable of flying 2,500 miles for the winter.
Ordinarily the night feeds are held at Welney every Thursday to Sunday at 6.30pm until the end of February. The largest numbers of birds are at Welney in January, but the water levels may be higher then which spreads them out more.
For further details contact: 01353 860711.
