WWT (Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust) reserve · Welney, Norfolk

Welney Wetland Centre birdwatching guide

WWT Welney sits on the Ouse Washes, the vast flood-storage washland that becomes a winter inland sea drawing thousands of whooper and Bewick's swans from the Arctic. A heated observatory overlooks the floodlit evening swan feeds — winter birdwatching in armchair comfort.

Key facts

Habitat
wetland
Size
400 ha
Entry fee (adult)
£7.00
Entry fee (child)
£4.00
Membership required
No
Hides
7
Wheelchair access
Yes
Car park
Yes
Car park to hides
250m via the footbridge to the heated observatory
Toilets
Yes
Dogs
Not allowed
Status
open
Best seasons
winter

Species by season

SeasonSpeciesLikelihoodNotes
springAvocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)common
winterBewick's Swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii)frequent
winterWhooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)commonThousands roost on the washes

Getting there

Welney, Norfolk, PE14 9TN

View on OpenStreetMap · Official website

Facilities & opening

9:30am–5pm; floodlit swan feeds November–February

Nearby reserves (all organisations)

Lakenheath Fen

Lakenheath, Suffolk · RSPB · 20.8 km away

wetland2 hidesFree entry

Fen Drayton Lakes

St Ives, Cambridgeshire · RSPB · 30.8 km away

wetland2 hidesFree entry

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Information last updated 25 July 2026.