Slimbridge Wetland Centre
Bing's Nature Explorers
Sat 23 March to Sun 2 June
Learn all about wetland nature and wildlife this spring with a little help from Bing and his friends.
Find out more
Welcome to Slimbridge Wetland Centre
Feel alive in wildlife-rich wetlands this spring
Spring Highlights
Spring brings new star species to Slimbridge. From kingfishers nesting to cranes displaying.
Latest sightings
Things to see and do
There's plenty to see and do at Slimbridge Wetland Centre, here are a few of our favourites...
WWT is the charity that protects wetlands and wildlife.
Your support, through visiting, membership or donation, is what makes this happen. Thank you.
Widemouth arrives!
On this cold and frosty morning, we were delighted to see the return of Slimbridge regular Widemouth! Widemouth has wintered at Slimbridge every year since her first visit here in the 1999/2000 winter but she was ominously absent last year. Exactly where
5 January 2017
Old faces
Here at Slimbridge, we record each individual Bewick’s swan by its distinct black and yellow bill pattern as part of a long-term ecological study of the species which was initiated by WWT’s founder Sir Peter Scott more than 50 years ago. Bewick’s sw
22 December 2016
Old Reunions!
This weekend, hundreds of swan enthusiasts will be heading out to wetland sites and other swan hotspots across Europe to take part in an international age census of Bewick’s swans. Their main task, aside from trying to stay warm (!), will be to determin
2 December 2016
The swan season begins!
Our skies are once again filled with migrating swans heralding the start of winter! With snow and hard frosts creeping through the Baltic states, the Bewick’s swans are steadily making their way from the Russian arctic to warmer wintering sites in north
17 November 2016
Back to the breeding grounds
The Bewick’s swans are on the move again! Over the last few days the birds have begun to undertake the long journey to their breeding grounds on th
15 February 2016
Spring migration begins and love is in the air!
The Bewick’s swans have begun their long migration back to the Russian arctic! The lengthening daylight hours have signalled the start of the migratory period and small numbers of swans have been making the most of the south-westerly winds to kick-start
11 February 2016
Some familiar faces!
Bewick’s swans are very faithful to their wintering sites, so much so, that half of the swans that visit us at Slimbridge every year have been here before. Since the 1950s, the reserve has been managed to attract and accommodate thousands of tired water
29 December 2015
A little note from the Russian arctic
The Bewick’s swans have been steadily arriving at UK wintering sites with 1,009 now enjoying the Ouse Washes in Norfolk and up to 87 attending the daily swan feeds at Slimbridge. The swans are currently travelling from Russia to Europe in efforts
9 December 2015
The strange adventures of Leho!
Ever since Leho was caught and fitted with a transmitter in Norfolk last winter, we have been carefully following his long journeys to and from the Russian arctic. Up until now, his autumn migration had taken him on a rather typical route through the Balt
12 November 2015
First arrival at Slimbridge breaks new record!
The first Bewick’s swan flew into Slimbridge yesterday, breaking the record for the earliest arrival date since WWT’s swan study began in 1963! © Steve Heaven / WWT The swan, which has been named Record Breaker,
12 October 2015
First Bewick’s touch down in the Netherlands
The Bewick’s swans have started their epic migration from arctic Russia to north-west Europe with the first two birds already arriving in the Netherlands close to Lake Veluwemeer (Wim Tijsen/Nel Bekema)! We are especially excited to hear from seven of
1 October 2015
From Russia with love
After eight long weeks of travel, our transmitter swans are finally arriving at their destination: the Russian arctic, some 2,500 miles away! This vast swathe of tundra stretches across the entire north coast of Russia and is one of the world’s greatest
11 May 2015
Leho's adventure around Eastern Europe!
Last week, Leho Luigujoe from the Estonian University of Life Sciences, set off on a road trip across Estonia and Latvia to track down some of our transmitter birds. He had huge success, spotting five of our birds on his travels and we were very pleased
29 April 2015
Our swans reach Russia!
Six of our transmitter swans have reached Russia and are now more than half way into their journey to the arctic! Daisy Clarke, Hope and pair BEWI17 and BEWI20 have all settled around Lake Ladoga, Andres remains on Lake Ilmen while Pola has reached anothe
14 April 2015
School children name transmitter swan in Germany
Image courtesy of Christiane Herrmann As I write, thousands of Bewick’s swans are making their way across Europe en route to the Russian Arctic. This 2,500 mile journey is a remarkable feat of endurance, particularl
30 March 2015