Blog

27 Feb 2021

How the weather affects migratory birds

The weather can have a dramatic impact on migrating birds. From cloud structure to wind direction and strength, each can play a part in the success or failure of a bird’s migration. ...

26 Feb 2021

A spotlight on wetland wildlife - February 2021

February has been a real mix of weather on our reserves, from a week of sub-zero temperatures to the recent warm air blowing up from the south. One week we were in the depths of winter, the next was looking very much like spring...

25 Feb 2021

Spring: up close

Spring is well on its way, the first flowers are appearing, the trees are beginning to bustle with bird song and when the sun comes out there’s a definite warmth to it. Join us as we take a look at all we can expect from spring, perhaps the most excitin...

15 Feb 2021

Nature-themed family activities for outdoor and indoor fun this half term

WWT’s wetland centres are great places to take in some fresh air and appreciate what the great outdoors has to offer, but with our centres currently closed now’s the perfect time to explore what’s around you. From local streams, ponds and lakes what...

01 Feb 2021

Wetlands of the World: The Yellow sea - a migration lifeline

The Yellow Sea's vast intertidal wetland mudflats offer food-packed staging posts to waders and other birds in their countless thousands. Located between China and South Korea, it's a target for conservation because of its importance to migratory birds...

28 Jan 2021

A spotlight on wetland wildlife - January 2021

We’re back with our first reserve roundup of 2021 and we find ourselves well and truly in the middle of winter. If you've missed our reserves, here's your chance to enjoy some winter wildlife virtually. ...

21 Jan 2021

Wetlands of the World: Mekong Delta - Vietnam and Cambodia

The Mekong Delta: home to floating markets, Khmer pagodas and villages surrounded by shimmering emerald rice paddies. But this vast, seasonally flooded maze of rivers, swamps and islands is so much more than an exotic holiday destination...

15 Jan 2021

Wetlands of the world: The Arctic tundra, Russia

This new series takes a look at some of the more unexplored yet fascinating wetlands on Earth. Our first stop is the Arctic tundra, home of the Bewick swan and an ancient people who are helping to protect it. ...

23 Dec 2020

New Slimbridge wetland system is treat for water and wildlife

It might look like Shrek’s spa at the moment, but don’t let the abundance of mud fool you. Wetland treatment systems involve using natural processes to treat wastewater, but they do so much more than that...

22 Dec 2020

Lost species: how the UK was once a much wetter land

Thousands of years ago, lowland Britain would once have been a much wetter place. There would have been a lot more wetland habitat all over the lowlands, filled with species you might not expect to see roaming the UK in great numbers...

20 Dec 2020

A spotlight on wetland wildlife - December Christmas Special

Join us for the final reserves roundup of 2020, where we hear updates on what's going on at WWT's 10 sites with a festive twist. ...

18 Dec 2020

Marvellous murmurations: why do birds flock together?

Flocking birds are iconic sights in winter wetlands, when a group of birds come together in large numbers in flight or to forage. But why do they do it? We take a look at the bird behaviour behind flocking. ...

15 Dec 2020

How your swan artworks helped get lead shot banned in EU wetlands

As the vote approached, we launched a callout in partnership with BirdLife Europe to ‘share a swan’ as a symbol of hope. See a small selection of some of the artworks our supportive WWT community produced!...

04 Dec 2020

Swanfall after a slow start to 2020

Kane Brides and Steve Heaven update us on the - much later than expected, but nonetheless extremely welcome - influx of Bewick's swans to the UK this winter. ...