Whooper swans – 1766
Bewick’s swans – 243
Wigeon – 2953
Mallard – 887
Teal – 561
Pochard – 174
Pintail – 107
Shoveler – 50
Gadwall – 22
Great crested grebe – 9
Black-tailed godwit – 245
Lapwing – 32
Golden plover – 22
Curlew – 12
Snipe – 12
Redshank – 2
Marsh harrier – 2
Buzzard – 2
Fieldfare – 350
Ferruginous duck taken yesterday by Ken Rowe
Ferruginous duck – 1 (female in front of main observatory)
Rough-legged buzzard – 1
Marsh harrier – 3
Our first Bewick’s swan flew in to WWT Welney yesterday, right on schedule and just a day after the first arrival at WWT Slimbridge. So that now we have all three species of UK swan on site for visitors to see. Water levels have peaked and currently only the Reedbed hide is closed with welly boots needed to access Nelson-Lyle, Lyle, Allport and Friends hides.
Sightings from yesterday:
Bewick’s swan – 1
Jack snipe – 1
Little gull – 1
White-fronted goose – 30
Marsh harrier – 3 (roosting in front of the main observatory)
Fieldfare (large flocks)
Curlew
Ruff
Goldren plover
Ring ouzel
Water rail
Over 5000 Light-bellied Brent Geese have arrived early in Strangford Lough having bypassed their normal stopover in Iceland. This is an unusual occurrence and likely caused by strong tail winds which carried them on from Greenland to Strangford Lough. Some birds have even continued past Strangford Lough to Dublin, to the west of Ireland and even Devon. Around this time last year numbers of Brent were recorded at 300.
90% of the world’s population of Light- bellied Brent Geese come to Strangford every Autumn where they feed on its vast expanses of eel grass exposed at low water. These birds take on the largest migration journey of any goose travelling 2,900 miles from Ireland to the Canadian high arctic every year. Having crossed the Greenland icecap they normally stop in western Iceland for a few weeks to replenish fat reserves. However this year several thousand geese have returned earlier than expected.
John McCullough, Learning Manager at WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre suggests, ‘this is unusual but makes a lot of sense. If the birds find favourable weather conditions, to speed up their hazardous journey, they’d be foolish not to use it. The early arrival of geese could mean that they have had a favourable summer in the Arctic and have reached migration condition early. These forerunners may also be last year’s youngsters not yet old enough to breed and not held back by goslings.’
Brent numbers normally increase gradually from early September to a peak in mid October. In 2011 a record 38,000 were counted before they dispersed to other bays and estuaries around Ireland with several hundred making it as far as northern France. Breeding success is never guaranteed however, and with cold arctic summers, repeated years of poor breeding can quickly take their toll. They remain a small population compared to other low-arctic species of geese and with climate change, pressure of development, and habitat destruction, they still need to be closely monitored..
For more information on WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre please visit wwt.org.uk/castleespie , call 028 91 874 146 and of course follow us on Facebook and Twitter @WWTcastleespie.
This sound system is for the birds!
WWT Arundel Wetland Centre is broadcasting the shrieks of a busy sand martin colony to attract the migrating martins to the artificial nesting banks on the reserve. “It’s probably a bit louder than an actual colony would sound, but it should get their attention” said Paul Stevens, Reserve Warden at Arundel Wetland Centre. A new water resistant sound system, originally designed for marine craft, has been installed inside the Sand Martin Hide. Sand martins have just started to arrive back into the Arun Valley this week, after spending the winter in Africa.
Waterproof speaker on the nesting bank plays the sounds of a busy sand martin colony.
The digital audio system has a closed compartment that houses an iPod to blast out the audio lure during the daylight hours. A waterproof speaker is mounted outside on the artificial nesting banks that angle out from a central viewing part of this specialist hide. There are over 300 pre-drilled nesting holes in these banks for the birds to use. These nesting chambers are filled with sand and have removable ‘back doors’ that will allow WWT staff to monitor the birds. The hide is rendered inside and out to resemble natural sand banks, complete with hanging roots and a bumpy, tactile finish. The volume of the sand martin soundtrack isn’t too loud for visitors inside the hide but the sound really carries across the water at the wetland reserve.
The Sir Peter Scott Centenary Sand Martin hide opened in April 2010 but needed a year to settle and for the smells of the construction materials to dissipate before it attracted its first residents in April 2011. Two pairs of Sand Martins investigated the nesting holes last Easter. One of the pairs began nest building in the left bank but sadly the pair abandoned the nest after a few weeks. “Sand martins are social birds that like to nest near each other.” continues Paul Stevens. “They will return to their natal colony each year so all we need is a few pairs to nest in our hide banks to make the start of a colony here at Arundel Wetland Centre.”
Juvenile sand martins from the large colony at the nearby Storrington sand pits were observed checking out the hide at Arundel Wetland Centre on the southward leg of their autumn migration in August 2011. “Young martins use the autumn migration to scout for new nesting sites when their colony reaches capacity.” Paul Stevens said.
Sand martin at the hide on Easter 2011
Hares boxing by Simon Stirrup
Whilst the UK’s sporting elite prepare for the Olympics; nature’s athletes compete for much higher stakes.
The reserve at WWT Welney is now brimming with courtship displays and competitions for territories, so everything is at stake! From boxing hares to tumbling lapwing, every effort is put into catching the eye of the ladies and successfully raising young. Visitors can witness these spectacles and many more as the season progresses.
Lapwing displaying by Chris Knights
Spring is one of the most dramatic seasons of the year at WWT Welney with everyone looking their best and in prime condition to display their unique talents. Lapwings are the wetland counterparts of the likes of Olympic hopeful, Beth Tweddle, displaying great skill with their aerial acrobatics. Whilst on the ground female hares box with the overeager males to let them know they need to wait a little longer.
These first signs of spring will shortly be followed by birds of endurance such as the Arctic terns and black-tailed godwits passing through or the common terns and swallows that stay for the summer. These are the marathon runners of the bird world, some using wetlands in the UK as re-fuelling stations whilst for others WWT Welney is the finish line as they stay for the summer.
Then there are the synchronized swimmers such as the great crested newt whose elaborated courtship dance is solely done beneath the surface of the water. Visitors can explore underwater habitats from Easter onwards at the pond-dipping stations.
Emma Brand, Events & Marketing Officer for WWT Welney comments “Spring is a fascinating and exciting time to visit wetland reserves and to learn more about the vital role habitats like these play in our lives as well as those of the birds and animals living there”.
“There is always something to see at this time of year as thousands of birds like black-tailed godwits pass through on migration, whilst breeding animals such as hares, lapwing, water voles and avocets take centre stage as the courtship rituals begin”.
WWT Welney is one of the best places to get close to the drama and excitement of wetland wildlife with panoramic views across the Fens from the visitor centre’s cafe. Whilst over on the reserve six purpose built hides allow views over the Ouse washes wetlands and the recently created dragonfly ponds give visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the sounds of the washes at ground level.
For up-to-date information about the spring spectacular follow WWT Welney on:
Twitter – @WWTWelney
Facebook – WWT Welney
Welney regular Baldur (U5B), his mate U5S, and last year's brood of 7 cygnets. David Featherbe
See some feathery favourites at the floodlit swan feeds such as Baldur, Wimble and Toby Two! As well as catching up with our Welney hatched whooper ,‘Junior’, along with parents Romeo and Julietta.
Thousands of wintering swans will be preparing for their spring migrations by catching a feed at WWT Welney. Spectacular evening floodlit feeds at 6.30pm (Thurs-Sun) as well
as daily 12noon and 3.30pm feeds, offer chances to get close to these amazing birds. Some of which are well know to staff at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) at Welney.
This winter there have been plenty of familiar faces amongst the swans including Toby Two, ringed at Welney in 2008 and Wimble who was ringed in Iceland in 2000. Amongst these individual swans there are whole family groups jostling for a place at the feeds including Baldur and his mate with this year’s brood of five cygnets. As well as the whooper pair Romeo and Julietta and their Welney hatched cygnet, ‘Junior’, who has been mixing with the migratory swans at the feeds. A question that we all would like the answer to is will this cygnet take to the skies this spring and follow the migration to Iceland – its
first ever migration!
Samantha Lee, Public Engagement Officer at Welney comments on the half term activities on offer next week. ‘The swan feeds are a really unique experience and in this cold weather, with the birds brought closer to the hides you really don’t need specialist equipment to be able to enjoy them. It’s incredible to see swans returning to Welney each winter and to get to know some of the birds really well is a privilege.’
‘During half term there is also the chance to learn more about our winter migrants with our discovery trail out on the reserve. Or if visitors need to take a break from the cold and warm up in the visitor centre there will be led sessions on how to make fat-feeders for garden birds from 1.45-2.45pm with activity stations available throughout the day.’
The Ouse washes wetlands site at Welney is the UK’s largest winter roosting site for whooper and Bewick’s swans. Add to this, thousands of wintering duck and you have one of the best winter wildlife spectacles in the UK right on the doorstep. The swan feeds are a great way to learn about these fantastic birds and the amazing migrations they undertake to get to the UK each year.
For more information on the swan feeds and other activities at WWT Welney call the centre on 01353 860711, go to our events page or follow us on twitter @WWTWelney.
The heat is on as the days start to lengthen, which can mean only one thing – there is not much time to enter photos in the winter heat of the WWT photography competition. Following on from the success of the autumn heat which received an influx of over 2,500 online entries and a staggering 12,800 votes in the People’s Choice category, the next season has much to live up to. WWT Welney is calling on all nature lovers and photographers to submit their most prized pictures of what winter at this amazing wetlands site means to them, before 29 February 2012 when the winter heat will close.
Winter brings such a lot of activity to the reserve at WWT Welney and can provide some spectacular conditions for photography on those cold but sunny winter days. Frozen water in the fens can produce serene views and unusual antics such as swans gliding down to land on unfamiliar textures and ducks skidding after grain at the feeds.
Our autumn heat winners had all been announced except the people’s choice category for which voting ran until 31 December 2011. The photograph which captured people’s imaginations the most was a black and white image called ‘the witches’ corner’ by Hayley Wincott, winner also of the people and wildlife category in the same heat. Her image of fungi at WWT Welney captured in a unique way managed to attract 294 votes to beat the competition. All the regional winners for each of the four seasonal heats will go through to the national finals to be held in autumn 2012.
Whilst photographs entered into all the other categories much have been taken at one
of WWT’s nine wetland wildlife centres across the UK, the World Wetlands category invites entries taken of wetlands large or small, good or bad, from all over the world. These can range from rivers in Rwanda, lakes in Lagos to creeks in Colorado, or even one of the most extreme wetlands in the world, Antarctica. A shortlist will be chosen from this category for each seasonal heat to go on to the national finals.
Finally, to be in with the chance of winning the grand prize of the trip to Antarctica,
entrants must submit at least three or more photographs in at least two or more
seasonal heats. If this criteria is met, the entrant’s ‘portfolio’ will be automatically entered into the Portfolio Photographer of the Year category. At the national finals, each portfolio photographer’s three best photographs (as shortlisted by the judges) will be considered with the winner receiving the Portfolio Photographer of the Year Award and the grand prize of a 12-day fully inclusive trip to Antarctica, courtesy of Exodus in partnership with Quark Expeditions.
The competition is being held in association with Canon, in celebration of the Scott Antarctic Expedition Centenary, and offers an amazing £50,000 worth of fantastic prizes for the national winners, including a grand prize for the Portfolio Photographer category of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Antarctica courtesy of Exodus in partnership with Quark Expeditions. Visit www.wwt.org.uk/photo for full details.
For more information, or to enter the competition, visit www.wwt.org.uk/photo. For more information on WWT Welney and the centre’s events visit www.wwt.org.uk/welney.
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