D OW N YO U R WAY Slimbridge
Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT 01453 891900 events.slimbridge@wwt.org.uk Prebook all paid events on 01453 891223
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre News The high waters of January (see page 7) brought exceptionally high wader numbers to Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Among the counts were 7,000 lapwing, up to 4,000 golden plover, 3,000 dunlin, 228 black-tailed godwit, 40 redshank, at least 540 curlew, nine ruff and three little stint. The weather patterns brought several seabirds closer to the reserve than usual, too, including razorbills, guillemots and up to 100 kittiwakes. Glaucous gull and tundra bean goose were further winter highlights on the reserve. The mild weather during this period encouraged the harvest mice at the centre’s Back from the Brink exhibit to breed early this year, while avocets and oystercatchers returned earlier than usual to the reserve, first appearing in January and early February. The six Somerset cranes that returned to Slimbridge stayed throughout the winter, and by February two pairs were starting to display. Another winter stayer was the ferruginous duck/ pochard hybrid, mentioned last issue. The first overwintering stonechat for a few years was recorded, as were sightings of rock and water pipit, while numbers of Cetti’s warblers stayed high throughout the season. A merlin was also frequently seen during the first weeks of the year, as were two peregrines. The number of Bewick’s swans peaked at 148 in January, while among the 266 white-fronted geese was a single Greenland whitefronted goose, which arrived in the new year and was still present in February. Meanwhile, keen-eyed visitors were able to pick out a young female scaup on the Rushy Pen.
Harvest mouse (above); stonechat (left); kittiwake (right)
The annual Festival of Birds was a great success in late January, with at least 3,000 visitors enjoying the various events on display. In the main centre itself, the foyer has now been refurbished and reopened, providing easier access and more to enjoy when you arrive at the centre this Easter. Behind the scenes
‘The young harvest mice can use their tails to grab branches, so they look very acrobatic when they move around.’ John Crooks, Mammal Manager
Slimbridge Events (See page 49 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/slimbridge) Daily Activities Toad Hall Talk Come to Toad Hall and hear our amphibian expert give an insight into the world of amphibians and their habitats. You will have the opportunity to hold frogs, toads and newts, and ask questions. 2.15pm, plus 12.30pm at weekends and school holidays. WA Guided Walk Join a volunteer as they take you on a walk through the grounds, telling you about the history of the centre, the birds that you can see and the other things you might like to see or do. 11am. WA
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Waterlife
Otter Talk Meet our friendly family of otters – Flo, Minnie and Ha Ha – as they tuck into a tasty fish supper. 11.30am and 3pm. WA
Fri 4 April Advanced Birder Learn to assess fine details such as plumage, weather conditions and habitats to take your skills to a new level. 8am-12 noon. £27. BE RI Sat 5 to Mon 21 April Easter Trail Explore our beautiful grounds on a fun Easter trail, looking out for
APRIL/JUNE 2014
ducklings along the way. Once you have completed the trail, head back to claim your chocolate reward. Craft activities are also on offer. Sun 6 April Making Needlefelt Animals Learn how to make beautiful felt animals in this needle-felting workshop. You can make any of the mammals seen at Slimbridge. Sophie Buckley, a craft teacher, will be running the workshop. All materials and equipment will be provided. 10am3.30pm. £36. BE RI
Fri 25 April How to Paint Butterflies with Cath Hodsman This watercolour painting day is aimed at lovers of painting and entomology, especially butterflies. You don’t have to be an expert, but you need to be fascinated by both. This will give participants the chance to study different types of butterflies in a way that they have never been able to before. Each student will have the use of high-powered microscopes to study the anatomical beauty of these delicate creatures. 9.30am4.30pm. £60. BE RI
Fri 25 April Wildlife Photography for Intermediates with Iain Green Fine-tune your photography of the natural world. Suitable for SLR cameras only. The content will be tailored to the needs of attendees and, with limited numbers, there will be plenty of time for 1-2-1 tuition. 10am-4pm. £60. BE RI Sun 27 April Birdwatch Morning Spring is a magical time on the reserve, with many birds settling down to raise a family on the banks and adjoining fields of the River Severn. Join our
wardens as they aim to show the group some of the more special species, such as redshank and lapwing, songbirds, such as warblers, sparrowhawk and kingfishers, and maybe the elusive cuckoo. 8am. £15. BE RI
Wed 30 April, Thursdays 15 and 29 May, and Fri 13 June Nature Photography on Tour Reserve warden and wildlife photographer James Lees will take groups of keen photographers out onto our 800 acres of wild nature reserve in a Land Rover. His