News
Still 2 eggs this morning - viewing time increased till 8pm
Phoot from this morning showing our male osprey 08 and the 2 eggs in the nest. Yet more sticks brought in by both birds this morning and arranged around the edge of the nest, including a particularly awkward piece of bark. The female also seemed restless
30 May 2013
Red Necked Phalarope
Zeiss Hide A fine female red necked phalarope has appeared in front of the Zeiss Hide this morning. A lone avocet and 3 redshank were also here. Cettis calling close to the hide and reed warblers showing well here. Rushy Very busy just now, Cranes still
30 May 2013
Wildlife sightings for 30th May 2013
1 Spotted Flycatcher - wildside (towards the western side of Wildside, near the Dragonfly Pond) 7 Swallow - feeding over main lake 39 Sand Martin 30+ House Martin 100+ Swift 1 Yellow-legged Gull - main lake (from WWF hide) 2 Shoveler - marsh 3+ Redshank
30 May 2013
Adopt a Moorhen
Quiet in terms of new birds but some interesting behaviour, among the Black headed Gull colony on the Mere, one Gull has seemingly taken over a Moorhen nest and the Moorhen chick that was in it. It seems perfectly happy with looking after the chick but ag
29 May 2013
Bean goose breeding grounds revealed by GPS
GPS tracking has revealed for the first time the migration of Scotland’s only bean goose flock. Scientists from WWT, commissioned by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), fitted tracking devices to six taiga bean geese on the Slamannan plateau last winter. D
29 May 2013
Wildlife sightings for 29th May 2013
2 Shoveler - wader scrape, pair 4 Redshank chicks - wader scrape 4 Redshank adults - wader scrape 1 Blackcap - singing north east corner To allow the sand martins to establish their nests the nest bank is currently closed. It will re-open May 31s
29 May 2013
Going quackers for fluffy ducklings . . .
Downy Ducklings captured by David Lowe DUCKLINGS have been taking their first faltering waddles at WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, outside Comber, Co Down. The popular Downy Duckling Tours have returned and will take
29 May 2013
Avocet eggs
Rushy Lots of action here at the moment. The Cranes are still incubating at the back of the pond (no sign yet of any young). There are 5 Avocets there this morning one pair of which have laid an egg but don't seem to be protecting it very well. A second p
29 May 2013
Breeding success for avocets after 2012 flooding washout
Come see our new chicks and their proud parents at WWT Welney Wetland Centre [yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWXxVVYPwQY'] The first brood of avocet chicks has hatched on the Ouse Washes, at WWT Welney Wetland Centre. The proud parents are t
28 May 2013
Tuesday 28th May
Still awaiting Osprey hatching (viewed via the CCTV link), but much restless activity from the adults, with plenty of new material brought to the nest. Barn Owls still on two chicks, three eggs to go. Two Little Stints dropped onto The Folly Pond briefly
28 May 2013
Restless birds on the nest
There has been a lot of coming and going by the male this morning bringing in more sticks, pieces of bark and clumps of rushes. The bark has been neatly arranged by the female along one side and she has stuck the large clods of juncus rushes at the front
28 May 2013
Today's wildlife highlights
Bird sightings spoonbill, 16 whimbrel, 98 curlew, 148 black tailed godwit, 16 little egret, 2 sedge warbler, 30 reed warbler, lesser whitethroat, whitethroat, 4 chiffchaff, 3 blackcap, cetti’s warbler, 4 little grebe, 2 house martin, 7 swallow, great sp
28 May 2013
Nesting cranes and avocets
Rushy common crane 2 avocet 4 (nest scraping) little gull 1st summer 08.30 oystercatcher 2 + chicks Holden Tower common crane 4 little egret 2 great crested grebe 2 with young (on long ground pool) cettis warbler reed warbler oystercatchers 3 Estuary grey
28 May 2013
Wildlife sightings for 28th May 2013
4 Redshank chicks - scrape 4+ Lapwing chicks - scrape, marsh 1 Shelduck - scrape (arrived off the river at 1750hrs) 1 Mandarin - scrape 9 Common Tern - main lake, resr lagoon 1 Yellow Wagtail - marsh 4 Swallow - feeding over main lake after rain a.m. 1 W
28 May 2013
Curlew Sandpiper
The change in weather had the desired effect today, the rain forcing a few migrant waders down onto the reserve, the best being a breeding plumaged Curlew Sandpiper which was found early afternoon from Ron Barker hide with 2 Dunlin, a further group of 4 D
27 May 2013