Swanses and ducks

Yesterday we trekked up to Cambridge for a nosey - I still don't really like the place - and then on to the Welney Wetlands and Something Trust to do a bit of swan spotting.

At dusk squadrons of Whooper swans come flying into the fens to feed. It is a magnificent sight. They have different faces to the more commonly seen Mute swan, like what you get on the Thames and its environs. They are big migrants, flying in from tundra areas for the winter.

The centre has a hide (more like a big-windowed hut) built on the edge of the wetlands where you can watch the birds up close. As well as the swans we saw Pochards, a type of duck, and the more common Mallard.

After dark, the wardens chuck a load of food to them and you can see them scrabbling about for a bite to eat. It is all very interesting.

Definitely worth a visit, if you are passing.