News
WWT's Martin Spray speaks out on Europe
Bewick's swan - an iconic bird right across northern Europe WWT Chief Executive Martin Spray CBE has written a hard-hitting article for The Guardian, to highlight a major issue coming up for wildlife - like the Bewick
6 February 2015
‘Can a child's life be changed by a school trip? ‘First ever’ research
Can a one-day school trip to a nature reserve lead to lasting improvements in a child’s values and attitude towards the natural world? The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is pioneering research into the long-term effects on primary school children t
6 February 2015
Latest Sightings
Some frosty mornings and blue sky days have made for some excellent birding around the reserve. New for the year 2 Chiffchaff opposite the sewage works. Last year over wintering Chiffchaffs were joined by 2 Siberian Chiffchaff which hung around into March
6 February 2015
Today's highlights
Barn owl by Jane Rowe Barn owl - 4 so far, but regularly up to 10 along the road from Little port, coming past the centre and going up to Ten Mile Bank Marsh harrier Curlew - 7 Snipe - 6 Goldeneye - 10 Shelduck - 25 W
6 February 2015
Cold snap heralds more swans!
As the days lengthen and with spring around the corner, the Bewick’s swans would ordinarily be preparing for their long journey back to the Russian arctic. However, the recent cold snap and north-easterly winds have encouraged a few more dedicated swans
6 February 2015
Cold and sunny birding
South Lake Female Ferruginous Duck 1 Pochard 150 Tufted Duck 350 Shoveler 40 Gadwall 15 Teal 200 Black-Tailed Godwit 40 Great-Crested Grebe 1 South Finger Water Rail 1 Tack Piece Little Stint 3 Dunlin 250 Lapwing 400 Holden Tower Peregrine 1 Buzzard 2
6 February 2015
Today's Sightings
Wader Lake Time/AM Tide/Low Lapwing - 100 Grey Heron - 19 Canada Goose - 14 Shelduck - 6 Mallard - 50 Black-headed Gull - 60 Black-backed Gull - 10 Moorhen - 2 Snipe - 2 Greylag - 1 Teal - 2 Saline Lagoon Shelduck - 10 Mallard - 6 &
6 February 2015
Wildlife sightings for 6th February 2015
2 Bittern - main lake 2 Pintail - marsh 15 Mandarin - collection and wildside 2 Water Rail - wildside 62 Lapwing - main lake 5 Redwing - flew W January bird highlights: Shelduck, Bittern, Little Egret, Goosander, Peregrine, Pheasant, Woodcock, Re
6 February 2015
daily sightings
15 goldeneye - 7 male 8 female, whole reserve 19 ruff - Friends hide 16 curlew - Lyle/Reedbed hides 66+ dunlin - whole reserve 35 black-tailed godwit chiffchaff - main observatory
5 February 2015
Two seasons in one day!
[video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://www.wwt.org.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/WWT-Washington-Wader-Lake-lapwing-and-grey-herons-Feb-2015.mp4"][/video] Lapwing preen on the icy lake as grey herons jostle for
5 February 2015
Thursdays sighting's
South Lake Female Ferruginous Duck 1 Pochard 90 Tufted Duck 350 Black-Tailed Godwit 30 Great-Crested Grebe 1 South Finger Tree creeper 2 Greater Spotted Woodpecker 1 Goldcrest 1 Water rail 1 Tack Piece Little Stint 3 Godwit 80 Dunlin 400 Lapwing 400 Holde
5 February 2015
Merlin
Grounds A merlin was seen chasing a snipe over the grounds this morning. British Steel hide 3 spotted redshank, 5 greenshank, 10 redshank, 195 lapwing, 6 dunlin, 3 black-tailed godwit, 5 little egret, grey heron, kingfisher and 180 wigeon.
5 February 2015
Wildlife sightings for 5th February 2015
1 Bittern- main lake N shore 1 Shelduck - main lake 1 Grey Wagtail - main lake 1 Peregrine - perched on hospital 2 Redwing - flew west 3 Pintail - marsh 3 Snipe - marsh January bird highlights: Shelduck, Bittern, Little Egret, Goosander, Peregrine,
5 February 2015
The persistence of the Hawaiian goose.
And so much like every January since what feels like the beginning of time (or at least my 9 years of involvement!) the Nene or Hawaiian geese are preparing to breed once more. As with every Nene pair (and in some ways every monogomous couple on the
4 February 2015
The princesses and the frogs! Hop along to our indoor play opening party and meet the Frozen princesses
To celebrate the Toad Hall Play Area opening this half term the Frozen princesses are throwing a party. At the opening on Saturday February 14, youngsters can meet Elsa and Anna at WWT Slimbridge before taking a tumble in the new indoor tactile soft play
4 February 2015