NCA Summer Outing, Washington Wetland Centre (10.6.17): ‘Wet’ was the encapsulating word for our visit to the wildfowl park now known as the Washington Wetland Centre. Our group of nineteen gamely braved the persistent but fortunately light rain to tour the various lagoons and habitats that are home to an extraordinary variety of birds. Under the aegis of our guide, Kath, we visited various hides from which we could view the avian residents and visitors in close-up. We enjoyed watching the otters being fed and admired the brilliant flock of Chilean flamingos which added much-needed colour to the grey day. Particularly charming were the little ducklings that pattered fearlessly around our feet and our viewing of the otters being fed was supplemented by a knowledgeable commentary from one of the wardens. Our visit concluded with a splendid buffet lunch in the Waterside Café. Special thanks go to Peter and Liz Atkins, who organised the event, and special congratulations to Gilbert Cockton, who actually cycled to the event and splashed cheerfully around with us before cycling home again.
