6
WWT Report and Financial Statements 2012/13
Wetland Nature Conservation
Many of our projects involve multi-organisational collaborations. For details of our partners in these projects please
refer to our website
or our biennial conservation report
/
conservation/saving-wetlands-and-wildlife/publications/wwt-conservation-report/
), and for donors please see note 35
at the end of this report.
At our Wetland Centres
The treatment wetlands at our centres demonstrate the
multiple benefits of wetlands. They remove pollutants from
waste water, provide habitat for wetland wildlife and are
a great educational resource. This year two new systems
were introduced, to treat farmyard runoff at Caerlaverock
and visitor centre waste at Castle Espie. We have also
implemented an improved performance monitoring system.
The particularly wet year had significant impacts on
habitat creation, management, and wildlife. Flooding at
Arundel delayed the Arun Riverlife project, but landscaping
works began in March. At Martin Mere, summer grazing
was limited and no hay cuts were taken. Fields were
consequently less suitable for grazing geese, and no hay
was available to feed our long-horned cattle in the winter.
At Slimbridge, breeding waders and many passerines
had very poor breeding success. Flooding at the Ouse
Washes caused failure of birds’ first and second breeding
attempts at Welney when the Earith gates were opened.
Fortunately, the newly created wet grassland at Bank
Farm and Lady Fen was more productive with 12 snipe
(drumming), 19 pairs of lapwing and four pairs of black-
tailed godwit.
Better success was also had at Caerlaverock where plans to
increase the standing water on one of the inland fields close
to the visitor centre were completed, attracting an increased
diversity of wintering wildfowl and waders. Lapwings
are displaying and look like they are going to breed at
Caerlaverock this spring.
Habitat creation work at Arundel resulted in eight lapwing
nests on the hectare of wet grassland; at least 10 young
fledged alongside shoveler, which was the first recent record
of this species breeding on site. Lesser pond weed and
lesser centaury were also recorded for the first time as was
Alcathoe’s bat, identified using sonograms – a visual image
of the species’ unique call pattern.
Mammals have done well at Washington, with the
realignment of the predator fence as part of the saline
lagoon project allowing them greater access to the reserve.
An otter holt was created, which within months was being
used by a female and her young.
Otters were similarly active at Castle Espie where they are
using the saline lagoon for feeding. New species at Castle
Espie included cattle egret, a pair of Mediterranean gulls and,
on the establishing peninsular salt marsh, 15 grey plover – a
new record for the reserve.
The saline lagoon at Llanelli is attracting an increasing
number and variety of birds. Highlights were great white
egret, spotted redshank and spoonbill. Other exciting records
for Llanelli included two new species for the reserve – red-
eyed damselfly and small red-eyed damselfly, the latter
being a first for Wales.
The London Wetland Centre recorded green hairstreak
butterfly for the first time and broad-leaved helleborine,
along with record numbers of both bee and southern
marsh orchid. The new boat was a great aid to reserve
management, allowing access to the shingle islands for
management and repair.
The past year on our reserves is perhaps most memorable
for cranes. As many as 14 cranes are now using Welney
during the winter months and birds released in Somerset as
part of the Great Crane Project have been regular visitors to
Slimbridge; some of these birds have recently started nest
building on the reserve. As three year olds they are probably
too young to be successful this year but it’s a good start!
Photo: Washington saline lagoon, © WWT / Leanne McCormella
