Duck and Dive by Think Publishing

TRUE TALES

GREAT GAMES

AMAZING PRIZES

mily Wetlands fun for all the fa

u o y l l i w t a h W see this spring? Migration stories and cool facts to make you say wow!

PLUS D

Make your own bird food D Save the spoon-billed sandpiper D And so much more… 01_WWT_Explore_Covers_FINAL_CS5.indd 1

Steve Backshall

It’s swan feeding time 20/01/2012 16:09

Welcome

What’s inside? Discover: page 4

Meet the animals and people who make WWT great

Play: page 12

Puzzles, games and great prizes to be won

Create and share: page 14 Fun stuff to do at home

WHAT CAN YOU SPOT? Cross out the letters that appear twice to spell out the name of the UK’s smallest thrush

hink winter is a quiet time for wildlife? Think again. WWT centres are bursting with wonderful birds, but get here quickly before some of them leave for the summer. Many fly to the UK from further north to spend winter here, so they can avoid the even chillier weather and find food. We’ve put together a great new magazine for you, packed with facts about these birds. There’s lots to read, there are quizzes and puzzles to try, and prizes, too. But that’s not all. With birds to watch, swan-feeding to enjoy and a host of activities, there are plenty of reasons to visit your local WWT centre. And when you’re not here, you can get back to your copy of Duck & Dive. Don’t forget to share your wetland adventures with us by emailing duckanddive@thinkpublishing. co.uk or writing to Duck & Dive,, WWT, Slimbridge, Glos GL2 7BT. I can’t wait to hear from you.

B P W F T

R S B N S

C D I X A

E P A K G

F T X K C

MEET YO

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Martin McG UR GUIDE reserve ward ill is one of the and he’ll be g ens at Slimbridge, u these pagesiding you through to help you fi nd out even more wonderful wilabout the dlife around you. all

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YOUR

CALL

We always love to hear from you. Do send in your letters and pictures about anything WWT, or your thoughts about Duck & Dive, to the address opposite.

James Harrod

Form DMP

Eden Arkwell-Smyth

Spread the word If you could fly anywhere to spend the winter, where would you go?

I’d fly to Australia and check out the coral reefs. Martha, 10

I would fly to Greenland because my favourite colour is green. Rexy, 7

I would go to Australia to meet my great-great-aunt I’d fly my dad to the North who I write to, but haven’t Pole to see a real polar bear. Dandan, 8 met yet. Hosy, 10

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GO GREEN Try these water-saving tips to do your bit for wildlife and habitats everywhere. � Turn off the taps when brushing your teeth � Have a five-minute shower � Keep a jug of cold water in the fridge � Wash fruit and veg in a bowl of water, not under a tap � Collect rain in a water butt to water the garden

DONE IT!

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Martin says

Discover

FUN FACTS & TOP TALES TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS

The Arctic tern makes the longest migration of any animal in the world – up to 71,000km every year. I’m tired just thinking about it!

Ask your p a re n t s

I Spy

SPOON-BILLED SANDPIPER

We wrote about our spoonbilled sandpiper campaign and our attempts to protect this wonderful bird in the latest issue of your parents’ Waterlife magazine, so you can find out even more. You can also follow the story of the birds at Slimbridge online at sbsproject. wordpress.com.

This beautiful wader is one of the world’s rarest birds and, at WWT, we are trying to save it from disappearing altogether. Two of our team, Martin and Nigel, have just returned from Russia, where they braved the Arctic wilderness and brown bears to go on one of the most challenging and important egg hunts ever. Because of their work, we now have some wonderful chicks to look after at Slimbridge. The chicks are resting quietly behind the scenes for now, but we’ve hidden some throughout the magazine to help you find out more about them.

This bird gets its name from the shape of its beak, which looks like a teaspoon

Count up the times this tiny wader appears and you could win this Nikon Coolpix camera, worth £200, featuring a 21x zoom, anti-blur and movie recording. For a chance to win, send your total with your name, address and contact details to duckanddive@thinkpublishing.co.uk by 30 April 2012.

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Strictly for the birds If you’re a fan of Strictly Come Dancing, you’ll know that the best routines are often the most exciting, too. Well, keep visiting your local WWT centre over the next month or two and you may see one of the most thrilling dance routines in the bird world. The great crested grebe can barely walk on land, because its legs are so far back on its body. But it’s an absolutely wonderful swimmer, and as spring gets under way it uses those skills in the most amazing way.

When a male and female are first interested in each other, they start their dance by standing tall in the water, holding out their wings or bobbing their heads up and down.

Next they move into a series of routines, shaking their heads at each other, stretching out their crests and flicking up their wing feathers.

Now the birds dive under water and each collect weed in their beaks. Then they swim quickly towards each other.

Just as they’re about to collide, they rise up in the water, paddling furiously, their weed-filled bills nearly touching, and shake their heads. It’s called the penguin dance, and it’s amazing to see. For an idea of what it looks like, join the dots below. Then come to your local WWT centre, where you may be lucky enough to see it in person.

BAREBACK RIDING

Once great crested grebes have mated and hatched their eggs, they carry their young around on their backs for the first few days.

Maratcitnuallsyaswyasllow

Grebes hers. Grebes k t a fe n w o ir e th e people thin m o s d n a h s fi eat hers protect t a fe e h t t a h t hs from the their stomachile they’re fish bones w g their digestin dinner.

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Discover

The wader’s spoon-shaped beak helps it pick out food from the mud

SPOTTERS’ GUIDE TO… DRAKES

ills, male lop wetland spotting sk or anyone keen to deve birds to start , are probably the best ducks, known as drakes rivers, out in d on ponds, lakes and with. They swim and fee they feel quite safe in t a good view. Because ge n ca u yo so en op the thout them flying away fairly close to them wi t ge n ca u yo , ter wa the lly makes our drakes dry land. But what rea on y sta u yo as g lon – as decorated in greens, nderful colours. They’re wo ir the are t ou nd sta y’re quite easy to tell and much more, so the ws llo ye , es blu s, wn bro hine, too. illiant in the spring suns br k loo y the d an , art ap recognise drakes. of year to learn how to e tim ct rfe pe the is is Th eding season, which elves ready for the bre ms the g ttin ge ’re ey Th so that they can in their finest plumage ed ss dre e y’r the s an me over, in the late hen breeding season is (w s ale fem the t rac att w ones, in a ir feathers and grow ne the e los l y’l the , er mm su of them at the ). There are also more ing ult mo d lle ca ss ce pro ducks visit the UK g winter thousands of rin du e us ca be nt, me mo warmer here. untries, as they find it co n er rth no re mo m fro

ntre fall see at your local WWT ce Most of the ducks you’ll d after the bblers and divers – name da – s rie go te ca o tw in o int are the ones we’ll focus on e es Th d. fee to e us ey th methods this issue.

WHAT S THIS?

Expert birdwatchers are able to identify different bird species by looking at the colour of backs, wings, underparts, heads and tails. See how you do with the close-up above. We’ve given you a clue below, and you can also find another picture of the bird elsewhere in the issue. CLUE: This duck shares its name with a greenish/ blue colour. The colour is named after the bird – not the other way around.

Martin says

Along the edge of some ducks’ beaks is a comb, called a pecten. The birds take beakfuls of water and squirt it out the sides, while the pecten traps the food and keeps it in the beak.

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Dabblers These ducks feed at or just below the surface, sometimes tipping their body forward so that only the tail can be seen above the water. You’re more likely to see them walking and even feeding on land, too, because their legs are near the middle of their bodies, so they’re well-balanced.

SUPERFA

There are oveCT! species of da r 50 duck in the w bbling orl just 15 specd, but of diving ducies k.

MALLARD How big? 58cm Winter numbers: 680,000 Did you know? Most farmyard ducks are descended from mallards.

SHOVELER How big? 48cm Winter numbers: 18,000 Did you know? Shovelers sweep their bills near the water surface to sieve their food.

GADWALL

TEAL

How big? 51cm Winter numbers: 25,000 Did you know? Listen closely, and you may hear a male gadwall whistle.

How big? 36cm Winter numbers: 210,000 Did you know? The teal is Europe’s smallest dabbling duck.

WIGEON How big? 58cm Winter numbers: 440,000 Did you know? Wigeon like to graze on grass.

PINTAIL How big? 48cm Winter numbers: 29,000 Did you know? The pintail’s long neck helps it reach far underwater.

Divers These ducks hunt below the surface, and they’re great swimmers. You rarely see them on land, because their legs are further back on their bodies, which helps them swim, but makes walking hard.

TUFTED DUCK

POCHARD

SCAUP

How big? 44cm Winter numbers: 110,000 Did you know? The ‘tuftie’ is particularly fond of freshwater mussels.

How big? 46cm Winter numbers: 38,000 Did you know? A group of pochards is called a ‘rush’.

How big? 46cm Winter numbers: 5,000 Did you know? The scaup’s name probably comes from the sound of its mating call.

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Discover

SUPERFACT!

Did you know some migrating ducks reach speeds of 110kph. With the wind behind them, they can even hit 160kph.

SPECIAL FOCUS: MIGRATION AMAZING BUT TRUE Centuries ago, before people started to understand migration, they invented bizarre reasons for why thousands of birds arrived and disappeared at certain times of the year. Some believed that swans migrated to the moon and that geese fell from trees like fruit. It is also thanks to the mysteries of migration that the barnacle goose got its name. People decided that a certain type of barnacle near the coast looked a bit like goose beaks, and that because the birds were often spotted close to barnacles, they hatched from them. The mass disappearance of birds was even enough to confuse famous ornithologist Gilbert White. He thought swallows hid in the mud over winter. Of course you won’t find anyone digging up the mud today to find a missing bird, but it’s nice to think that with names like barnacle goose still used, stories like these won’t be forgotten.

How do birds… remember the way? Migrating birds certainly don’t need a map to find their winter homes each year. Understanding how they know where to go, however – especially flying across such long distances – has long puzzled scientists. Here are some of the methods they use that show what amazing navigators they are: THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: birds use the

position of the sun, the moon and the stars (particularly the Pole Star, which is fixed in the sky) to find their way.

FAMILY FUN: young

swans and geese often fly with their parents when migrating for the first time. What better way is there to learn the route?

UP NORTH: some birds are like compasses. A mineral called magnetite in their skulls can pick up on the Earth’s magnetic field to help them pinpoint the north and south poles. SITE SEEING: when close to their destination, birds use landmarks – such as rivers, mountains and big buildings – plus sounds and smells as markers for travel.

DID THE GOO

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SE HATCH FROM A BAR NACLE

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TAG – YOU’RE IT! In recent years, WWT researchers have been building up a good picture of the routes that geese and swans take as they migrate from the UK back to their breeding grounds in the spring. We know when they leave, and we know when and where they arrive, because our colleagues in the other countries tell us – but how do we know their exact routes? The answer lies in satellitetagging, and it works in the same way as the GPS system in your parents’ car. Before every spring, we attach one of these tags to a few birds of various species. Once they leave, the tag transmits a continuous signal, via satellite, which tells us where the bird is, how high it is flying, how fast it is

moving, and how long it stays at stop-overs to feed and rest. By knowing where the birds fly and where they stop over, we can help to make sure that these flyways, as they’re known, are protected. If a wind farm, for example, is planned out in the sea, and we discover that it’s right in the middle of a key migration route, we can advise that the wind farm is built somewhere else. Equally, if development is being considered at a site that birds use to refuel, we can again advise that the work is done elsewhere.

In addition to the information we find out from satellite-tagging, we discover some great stories. A few years ago, we were following a number of Greenland whitefronted geese by satellite as they made their way across the two-mile-high Greenland ice cap towards Scotland. The weather was particularly nasty that year, and one of the geese, Speedy, got the worst of it. We watched the movement of his

Martin says

Of the various species of grey geese here in the winter, only the greylag goose is with us all year long.

signal on our charts get slower and slower, until it stopped completely. We feared the worst for him – until we noticed that the signal was actually still moving very, very slightly. We realised that the conditions were too rough for Speedy to fly in, so he was actually walking his way home! Amazingly, one week later, he reached the edge of the ice cap and was able to take to the air again.

FAMOUS

FIRST

Sir Peter Scott, who created the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, was the first to identify the Greenland whitefronted goose, in 1947. It’s now one of the rarest geese to visit the UK.

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V FOR VICTORY

It’s always impressive to see birds flying in a V formation, but have you ever wondered why they fly in such an interesting pattern? The reason is that the birds at the back use less energy because they can benefit from the slipstream – or current of air – created by the birds at the front. They take it in turns to lead, so all the hard work is shared.

MarTthiannkss atoymsy job

I’m lucky. t Slimbridge, as warden a e to see all this c I get the chanildlife every day. wonderful w day, you might Perhaps, one a similar job – end up with at be great? wouldn’t th

AIR MILES

How far do wildfowl fly to enjoy the UK’s winter weather? Bird Whooper swan White-fronted goose Barnacle goose Bewick’s swan Light-bellied brent goose

Who goes there? Julia Newth

Why is winter the best time of year for WWT’s very own swan researcher? Because the Bewick’s swans are here… What do you do? I study swans. When they visit us, I name them, record their bill patterns and watch how they behave. They all have their own personalities. What’s the coolest thing about your job? I can identify individual Bewick’s swans just by looking at the pattern of yellow on their black bills. What’s it like working with swans? You get quite attached to them. They fly from Russia to spend the winter with us and we get very excited when it’s time for them to arrive. We take it in turns to guess which swan will get here first.

� 10

From Iceland Greenland Spitsbergen, Norway Arctic Russia Arctic Canada

To Ireland & Scotland Ireland & Scotland Scotland England Ireland

Any favourites? It’s hard to pick one, but Winterling is high on the list. She’s 29 this year and the oldest swan known to have visited us. She first came to Slimbridge in 1982 with her parents, Albert and Rachel. How did you become a swan researcher? After I left university, I did lots of volunteering. I worked with macaws in the Amazon and helped identify pilot whales in Tenerife. In 2004, I came to WWT and have since met hundreds of swans. How important is your work? Very. Because we’ve been studying these swans for 47 years, they are now one of the most understood animals in the world. The more we know, FEEDING FUN the more we can Join our swan feeding sessions at a protect them.

Dear diary: you can read Julia’s swan diary at wwt.org.uk/swandiary

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Distance 800-1,300km 3,200km 2,880km 3,000km 4,000km

WWT centre near you before the birds return to their breeding grounds in the spring. To find out what’s on, when and where, visit wwt.org.uk/visit-us.

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A abo at

a ds n

Common garden birds are wonderful to see, and you can learn plenty about bird behaviour just by watching them. Here are nine of the easiest to see.

Blue tit

SUPERFACT!

A perky little bird that likes to cling to the undersides of leaves and twigs, to pick off insects.

Great tit If it has a thick black stripe down its breast, it’s a male. Females have thinner stripes.

Blackbird The male is almost jet black, while the female is brown. One of the first to start the dawn chorus.

A blue tit weighs about the same as a two-pound coin.

Robin Males and females look the same, but young robins have speckles instead of red breasts.

Wren

Listen for its surprisingly loud song, with a machinegun-like rattle near the end.

Dunnock This used to be known as the hedge sparrow, but it’s from a different family, the accentors.

Chaffinch If you hear a chaffinch making a single highpitched note, then it’s likely that rain is on the way.

House sparrow It’s had a bad decline in recent years, but it’s still one of our commonest birds.

Starling One of the best mimics, starlings have even been known to do impressions of mobile phones.

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Tr u e o r fa ls e ?

FINDING OUT FACTS IS FUN WITH OUR PUZZLES & GAMES

It’s research time! Our team is on the look out for some fascinating facts about the ani centres. The trouble is, they neemals you’ll find at our WWT following are true and which are d help working out which of the false. Do you have what it tak to uncover the truth? es

F li g h t p a t h

The slow-worm is actually a lizard

As you’ve been reading in this issue, several birds spend the winter in the UK because their breeding grounds in countries such as Greenland and Russia are too cold. In the same way, there are other birds that breed in this country, but that leave us in the winter for the warmth of Africa. Have a look at the eight birds pictured below. Four of them can be seen at your local WWT centre right now, although if you want to see the other four, you’ll have to wait until the spring, when they’ll be returning from Africa.

But which is which? See if you can pick out the four summer visitors. The answers are on the right-hand side of the page.

T�F� T�F�

Grass snakes can’t swim

Ratty, from The Wind in the Willo ws, was actually a water vole The word ‘cormorant’ means ‘se a-crow

The curlew gets its name from its curved bill Whooper swans are bigger than Bewick’s swans More than 50 types of duck, go and swan have been recorded in ose Britain

’

T�F� T�F� T�F� T�F� T�F�

Sand martin

Pied wagtail

Reed warbler

Heron

Kingfisher

Osprey

Lapwing

Cuckoo

ANSWERS: Flight path: UK in winter – kingfisher, heron, pied wagtail, lapwing; Africa in winter – sand martin, osprey, reed warbler, cuckoo. Wild goose chase: image B: extra goose on right, goose flipped on left, goose turned head on right, missing white feathers on central goose neck, black tail feathers on goose nearest camera. True or false? T, F, T, T, F (the name represents its call), T, T

PLAY

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Martin says

Wild goose chase

The Daubenton’s bat is also known as the water bat because it likes to scoop up insects from the surface of lakes or slow-flowing rivers with its furry feet.

Did you know that most of the world’s population of lightbellied brent geese spend the winter (called ‘overwintering’) on Strangford Lough in Ireland? The Brent Hide at our Castle Espie WWT centre is one of the best places to go if you want to watch them in action. We’ve been taking photos, but someone has been playing with the images. Can you circle the five differences between picture one and picture two?

HIDE AND SEEK

Not all animals travel the world looking for warmer winters. Many hibernate, which means they slow their bodies down, like a deep sleep, so they can survive without much food. See if you can find the following hibernating animals in our wordsearch. They’re all there… all but one. Once you know the odd one out you have a chance to win Watching Waterbirds, the perfect book for learning to identify the birds around you. Written by telly favourite Kate Humble and WWT’s Martin McGill, it’s full of photos, quizzes and ID tips. To enter, send the name of the animal that’s not in the grid, with your name and contact details, to duckanddive@thinkpublishing.co.uk by 30 April 2012.

W in !

Hedgehog Grass snake Slow-worm

Frog

Brimstone

Dormouse

Pipistrelle Daubenton’s bat

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Create & share

EXPLORE WWT CLOSER TO HOME WITH OUR TIPS AND ACTIVITIES ENCOURAGE THE WILDLIFE If your home has a garden, here are two easy things you can do to encourage wildlife. And if you don’t have a garden, why not ask your teachers if you can try these ideas in the school grounds? 1. Put up feeding stations

IN THE FRAME

Take photos of wetland wildlife and landscapes at your local WWT centre over the next year and you can enter our fantastic Young Photographer of the Year Competition. The winner will be able to enjoy a great family activity holiday in Wales. To find out more, visit wwt.org.uk/photo.

TOP TIPS

Need a few ideas? Photog rapher Chris Packham, chairman of our judges, has some hints. * Studying how animals behave helps you predict when and where you will get the best sh ot. Before you start looking through your viewfinder, spend some time find ing your view. * Time of day is importa nt. Many animals are most activ e early in the morning or from late afternoon, and

With breeding season coming up, birds use lots of energy seeking food for their young. But they also need to feed themselves. You can help by putting out birdseed, fat balls, peanuts and more, so the adults can gain energy to prepare for their day. There’s lots of birdfood to choose from at your WWT shop.

2. Don’t be too tidy

Insects love logs, sticks and piles of leaves to live and lay their eggs in, so it’s a good idea to leave one corner of your garden untidy. And of course, the more insects you can attract, the more birds and other animals will visit your garden to feed on them.

these times are also wh en the sun is at a better angle for ph otography. * How will your image change if you take it while lying on the ground, or from a much higher va ntage point? Try experimenting with angles to add interest to your photo s. * Even animals that are used to people can be spooke d by sudden noises, movements or flashes of bright colour, so try to seem invisible – use a hide, stay low and dress in muted co lours.

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FOR THE BIRDS: MAKE FAT BALLS

WRITE TO US

What you will need

Send your photos, green tips and stories to duckanddive@ thinkpublishing.co.uk.

� An empty plastic container (or a coconut shell) � A bowl and spoon � 20cm of string � A packet of suet or lard � Bird-friendly seeds, nuts and dried fruits

What to do

� With the help of a parent, make a hole in your container. Thread the string through the hole, leaving 4cm in the container.

� Put the suet or lard in a bowl and melt it enough to be able to add your seeds and nuts. � Stir everything together. Use twice as much mix as you do fat.

� Pour the finished mix into your container and leave to set in the fridge. � Pop the fat ball out of the container and tie it to a tree.

s, to give you some ideas

THE GALLERY Here’s a selection of some of the previous winner

Alexander Baker, Arundel

Graham Morton, Martin Mere

Sam Rowley, London

Alexander Baker, Arundel Alex Edwards, Slimbridge

Isabella Picton-Jones, Llanelli

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W h o w il l w in t h e? fa m ily c h a lle n g e Not every bird at your local WWT centre is part of the wildfowl family. There are other types, too, so when you visit your local WWT centre why not complete our spotting challenge? It’s great fun, but you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled to win. Just look out for the following birds. If you’re the first person to spot one, you get 3 points, and if you’re second, you’ll be awarded 2 points. Everyone else gets 1 point if they spot the bird at some point in the day. Fill in the grid below to keep track of the scores.

Waterbirds

3 points (I saw it first! )

2 points (I’m next!)

1 point

(I spotted one too!)

Heron Kingfisher Coot Moorhen Reed bunting Gt crested grebe Little grebe HOW DID YOU DO?

18-21 points: WOW! You’re a bird expert, and you’ve a quick eye, too. 12-17 points: So close! Time for another visit? 7-11 points: Not bad, but with more practice you could do even better. 0-6 points: Oops. Better luck next time.

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WE WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU GOT Email duckand ON. thinkpublishingdive@ to share your s .co.uk tories.

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