Waterlife October - December 2014

waterlife The magazine of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust | 190 Oct/Dec 2014 | £4.25 | wwt.org.uk

Waterlife 190 OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

TAKE THE

PLUNGE WHY VOLUNTEERING COULD BE JUST RIGHT FOR YOU

PLUS

BILL ODDIE SPEAKS OUT PAGE 66

INSIDE THIS ISSUE wwt.org.uk

POWER CUTS

FRESH STEART

PICTURE PERFECT

THE EFFECTS OF POWER LINES ON MIGRATION

A SNEAK PEEK AT A NEW HABITAT

LAST CHANCE TO ENTER OUR PHOTO COMPETITION

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in focus SALES EVENTS ‘Test under field conditions’ NORTH AND MIDLANDS Hauxley NR, Northumberland (Northumberland Wildlife Trust) Sun 14 Sept Sun 12 Oct / Sun 9 Nov / Sun 14 Dec Low Barns NR, County Durham (Durham Wildlife Trust) Sun 21 Sept / Sun 16 Nov Martin Mere WWT Sat 22 & Sun 23 Nov North West Birdwatching Festival North Cave Wetlands, East Yorkshire Sun 7 Dec Potteric Carr, South Yorkshire Sun 30 Nov Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire Sun 5 Oct Washington WWT, Tyne and Wear Sun 28 Sept Sun 26 Oct / Sun 28 Dec Whisby Nature Park, Lincoln (Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust) Sun 19 Oct / Sun 21 Dec

Wolseley Centre, Rugeley, Staffs (Staffordshire Wildlife Trust) Sat 1 Nov SOUTH AND EAST Arundel WWT, West Sussex Sun 7 Sept Tue 23 Sept / Sun 12 Oct Tue 21 Oct / Sun 9 Nov Tue 18 Nov / Sun 7 Dec / Sat 20 Dec Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire Sun 14 Sept Lackford Lakes, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Sat 20 Sept / Sun 16 Nov Lee Valley Country Park Sun 2 Nov / Sun 28 Dec Rye Harbour NR, East Sussex Sun 21 Sept / Sat 11 Oct / Sat 15 Nov / Sat 13 Dec Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Kent Sun 26 Oct / Sun 14 Dec SOUTH AND WEST Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, Hampshire (Hampshire Wildlife Trust)Tue 9 Sept / Tues 7 Oct Tue 4 Nov / Tue 9 Dec Portland Bird Observatory, Dorset Sat 13 Sept / Sat 18 Oct / Tue 23 Dec Seaton, Black Hole Marsh, E Devon Sun 5 Oct WALES and SCOTLAND Llanelli WWT, Carmarthenshire Tue 2 Sept / Sun 28 Sept / Sun 19 Oct Sun 30 Nov / Sun 21 Dec Caerlaverock WWT Sun 7 Sept / Sun 2 Nov A good range of optics available seven days a week at the WWT shop Caerlaverock

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NORTH WEST BIRDWATCHING FESTIVAL at WWT MARTIN MERE Sat & Sun 22, 23 November 2014 A great day out for all the family with guest speakers, guided reedbed walks and workshops. Compare and purchase optical equipment with expert advice, test under field conditions.

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CONTENTS

HOMEWARD BOUND

On the cover: Kingfisher, Charlie Hamilton James/Nature PL

spoon-billed sandpipers raised by WWT and colleagues in Russia under our headstarting programme. The bird, one of nine that had hatched in 2012, had been hand-reared to help it through its vulnerable first days of life and then released onto the Russian tundra. It had migrated thousands of miles to South Asia, and we were able to report that it had been spotted in Taiwan, returning for the first time to its Russian breeding grounds.

Now we can give you even better news. The bird, identifiable by its green leg ring, made it! Two years after hatching, she has returned to her birthplace in Chukotka, where she successfully raised her first chick.

‘There are probably fewer than 100 breeding pairs of spoon-billed sandpiper left in the world,’ says WWT aviculturist Roland Digby, ‘so every bird that reaches maturity represents new hope for the species.’

To find out more about the spoonbilled sandpipers, and in particular this pioneering female who is the first from the breeding programme to complete the migratory round trip, visit saving-spoon-billed-sandpiper.com, and to sponsor a spoonie, visit adoption.wwt.org.uk.

Pavel Tomkovich and Egor Loktionov

Last issue, we reported on one of the

A welcome return for the spoon-billed sandpiper to its birthplace

In this issue...

4 Front lines Martin Spray on why wetlands are nature’s heartland 7 Waterways News and views from the world of WWT 14 Wigeon post Your letters, plus our crossword and competition 16 WWT and you Why there’s more to volunteering than meets the eye 24 The big issue How WWT is helping to protect migratory birds 31 The gallery A sneak peek at the future glories of Steart 34 Photo competition Will your wildlife pics win our 2014 competition?

36 Flight path A celebration of 25 years of WWT Consulting 39 Fresh looks Some of the exciting new developments at WWT 41 Netlands Our regular overview of WWT’s online world 42 Kids’ zone Games and fascinating facts with Steve Backshall 45 Down your way All the news and events at your local centre 60 The big picture A review of the past year in facts and figures 66 Back chat Bill Oddie shares his memories of Sir Peter Scott

WWT is a leading global conservation organisation committed to the protection of wetlands and all that live in and around them. WWT is the only UK charity with a national network of specialist wetland centres that people can visit. It was founded in 1946 by the late Sir Peter Scott, the renowned naturalist and artist.

HEADQUARTERS Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT 01453 891900 wwt.org.uk membership@wwt.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1030884 and SC039410 CENTRES For full contact details, please see page 45 WWT Arundel 01903 883355 WWT Caerlaverock 01387 770200 WWT Castle Espie 028 9187 4146 WWT Llanelli 01554 741087 WWT London 020 8409 4400 WWT Martin Mere 01704 895181 WWT Slimbridge 01453 891900 WWT Washington 0191 416 5454 WWT Welney 01353 860711

WATERLIFE The quarterly magazine of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Managing editor: Katy Baird waterlife@wwt.org.uk Executive editor: Emma Stephens Editorial board: Zoe Cameron, Ray Clark, Baz Hughes, David Salmon, Rob Shore, Mark Simpson Editor: Malcolm Tait malcolm.tait@thinkpublishing.co.uk Senior sub-editor: Marion Thompson Designer: Nikki Ackerman Group advertising manager: Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 8962 3020 Publisher: John Innes Think, The Pall Mall Deposit, 124-128 Barlby Road, London W10 6BL thinkpublishing.co.uk

Waterlife is published four times a year, and is printed

by Herons, on UPM Ultra Silk 70gsm, an FSC paper accredited as coming from well-managed forest.

Views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of WWT. ISSN: 1752-7392 Average net circulation for the period Jan-Dec 2013: 94,153

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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FRONT LINES

WETLANDS: NATURE’S HEARTLAND Martin Spray CBE, WWT Chief Executive Conservation is a serious subject.

We know we are changing our planet.

The evidence is everywhere that human impact on the very environment upon which we fundamentally depend is inflicting damage which may, at some point, possibly not too far in the future, cause us immense difficulties. Indeed, environmental degradation is already affecting people’s lives in many parts of the world.

For me, it has always been obvious that we need to look after our planet.

It is the only one we have! I have long disliked the label of environmentalist, as if it refers to some different species or religious ideology. Like others, I have a family and friends and want them to have a healthy and secure future.

So who isn’t an environmentalist?

Alamy

I believe our biggest challenge is that,

in our rapid social, economic and technological development, we have forgotten our place in nature and have become somehow disconnected from it. Those involved in conservation now are urged to focus on the benefits nature brings to us. That is right, but the focus is generally one of economic values. What are missed frequently are the aesthetic and welfare benefits it can bring to us as individuals. I am fortunate to have my office at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre overlooking Peter Scott’s Rushy Pen, teeming with winter migrants and summer residents.

The sight of a passing kingfisher, a grey wagtail outside my window or the mass of southern marsh orchids

this summer, is the best treatment for daily stress that I can imagine. Nature is beautiful and fascinating.

But not many have that experience from their office. We have a small garden at home, but there is room for two small ponds. Sitting by the pond on a sunny Sunday afternoon, watching blue damselflies and pond-skaters and admiring the small white flowers of frogbit, is every bit as relaxing and inspiring.

WWT’s mission is to save wetlands

for wildlife and people. The emphasis on people is crucially important.

The more that people can experience, enjoy and value wetland nature, the more we are likely to conserve it for ourselves and future generations.

But it should not be simply about conserving what we have. We can establish new wetlands in a variety of forms, all with benefits for wildlife and people. A substantial proportion of our wildlife depends on wetland habitats – they are nature’s heartland.

The more that people can experience, enjoy and value wetland nature, the more we are likely to conserve it

Grey wagtail 4

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

GREAT RAIL JOURNEYS

GREAT RAIL JOURNEYS Book with 100% confidence, flight-inclusive holidays are ATOL protected, non flight-inclusive holidays are protected by ABTA. Dates and prices are subject to availability. Prices shown are per person, based on 2 sharing. Prices may change prior to and after publication. Terms and conditions apply. Calls will be recorded.

WWT NEWS

waterways NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS CONSERVATION

TAILSPIN For Sir Peter Scott, the founder of WWT, the pintail was an inspiration.

It was a duck he often painted, and he and his wife, Philippa, even named their daughter, Dafila, after the bird’s former scientific name.

Today, 25 years after Sir Peter passed away, the pintail is declining in the UK. According to findings published in Waterbirds in the UK, the annual report of the Wetland Bird Survey, which counts all

waterbirds on the UK’s major wetlands, pintail numbers have fallen by more than half since 2006.

Similar surveys in the Netherlands have shown that pintail numbers have been increasing in that country, raising hopes that the birds are simply moving further east in response to milder winters.

Nonetheless, the UK decline needs closer attention, as up to half of all the pintail in northwest Europe rely

on the UK’s estuaries and wetlands during winter.

‘Counts like the Wetland Bird Survey are our “canary in the cage”,’ says WWT’s Head of Species Monitoring, Richard Hearn. ‘Without them, we wouldn’t spot the risks until it’s too late. The decline we’ve seen in pintail is ringing alarm bells.

However, further research could yet throw up more hopeful news. The key thing is that there’s still time to act.’

Alamy; Graham Hann

In the pink ‘It really was quite an incredible WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre’s breeding season, as the wet greater flamingo flock is the weather in May certainly largest in Europe – and Flamingo Lagoon made rearing the chicks this year it’s got even was enlarged in 2012 quite a challenge for bigger, thanks to a with a new nesting the flamingos,’ says record summer of island built near to Aviculture Manager hatching. In 2010, a sunken observatory, Mark Roberts. ‘It’s the flock reared an offering visitors a been a stunning sight impressive 25 chicks, unique and close-up to see all the chicks but that record was view of all around the nesting eclipsed this year the activity. island; the observatory has with no fewer than 35 been very busy with visitors of the fluffy youngsters enjoying watching all the action.’ being successfully raised.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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WWT NEWS

calling all mission madagascar supporters!

Thank you! Your support for Mission Madagascar has been inspiring.

Over the past few months you have generously given and signed up to be a part of this vital project and, as a result (cue drum roll), you have raised a massive £42,000! With only £8,000 more to raise, we are close to the target needed for this first year of Mission Madagascar.

In the past 60 years, as much as 60% of Madagascar’s wetlands have been destroyed. This is not only catastrophic for wildlife, but in the world’s ninth poorest nation, where people’s lives revolve around farming and fishing, unrelenting damage could cost people their way of life. But it is through the support

of WWT members like you (and you, Dennis and Lucielle in Westonsuper-Mare, below) that we will be able to work towards creating a wetland habitat in which the world’s rarest duck, the Madagascar pochard – and other endangered species – wildlife and people can thrive. So this message comes from all of us here and out in Madagascar – thank you for being part of Mission Madagascar.

Want to help us make it happen?

There are two ways to do it. You can make a donation to Mission Madagascar, or sign up to show support, by visiting wwt.org.uk/ missionmadagascar or calling 01453 891157.

Sacha Dench

Aubis, who lives near Lake Sofia in Madagascar, with a thank-you message to two Mission Madagascar supporters

Laying low It hadn’t been seen at WWT Arundel Wetland Centre for three years, but this summer it was back.

Or perhaps it never went away at all! The club-tailed dragonfly only breeds on five rivers in the UK, but it’s thought it might be breeding on the reserve, as its life cycle is two

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to three years from egg to adult, just about the right amount of time since the previous adult sighting in 2011. The Arun is one of the rivers upon which the dragonfly breeds, and the channels and waterways at Arundel are an ideal breeding habitat for the species.

school’s out!

The class of 2014 has passed with flying colours. No, this is not a story about A-level results, but the 17 young cranes who have graduated from Crane School at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre, and who were moved to a secret release location in Somerset in August.

‘This year’s Crane School class is the last, and they’ve really thrived,’ says WWT’s Amy King, head teacher at the school. ‘They’ve loved their daily walks and this year we drafted in 40 volunteer “PE teachers” who took the birds for more than 700 hours of exercise.

‘I’ve worked with the Great Crane Project since day one and it’s been the most unforgettable experience.’

Over the past five years of Crane School at Slimbridge, five classes of young crane chicks have learnt life’s essentials and now almost 100 cranes have been released onto the Somerset Levels and Moors.

It’s part of the Great Crane Project, a partnership between WWT, the RSPB, Pensthorpe Conservation Trust and Viridor Credits, which aims to restore the Eurasian cranes to their former haunts in the UK.

Your perfect holiday Looking for something different this winter? How about a great getaway… which benefits WWT at the same time? Cottages4you has a wonderful range of rural cottages and rustic farmhouses in the UK, as well as beautiful snow-dusted retreats overseas.

frightening figures Only 12% of peatland SSSIs are in a favourable condition, a fall from 16% a decade ago and far short of contributing to the overall target of 50% of all SSSI habitat to be in favourable condition by 2020.

With more than 13,000 properties to choose from (many of them pet-friendly), you’re sure to find your dream autumn or winter escape. And when you book via chooseacottage.co.uk/wwt or call 0845 268 9311, 10% of the rental cost will be donated to WWT.

safeguarding the future ‘The government is the guardian of our future.’ These were the words spoken by WWT Chief Executive Martin Spray CBE in a message to a cross-party Environmental Audit Committee of MPs at Westminster in July. ‘Places likes Sites of Special Scientific Interest [SSSIs] are the jewels in the crown,’ he continued.

‘They’re the building blocks for future environmental enhancement.

And therefore to allow those to deteriorate further means we’re removing options for the future and future generations.’

Emphasising the importance of water to wildlife and people, and of protecting the natural environment so that it continues to provide for us, Martin continued: ‘We could definitely find imaginative ways of recreating wetlands in this country that actually benefit people. We have diffuse pollution problems in farming that could be handled through natural wetland treatment systems that can treat the water quality, hold back water on the farmland and provide an environment for biodiversity as well.

‘Similarly, sustainable urban drainage systems can be put into the built environment in particular.

It’s much easier if it’s new-build and you can design that in. It will help localise solutions, provide wildlife habitat and also a nicer environment for people who live there.’

‘It’s a balancing act,’ he added, ‘and it’s one that is a challenge for the government, but one I’d expect the government to rise to.’

The committee is due to publish its findings later on in the year, to which the government is obliged to respond.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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WWT NEWS

POETRY CORNER The latest offering is from Nigel Roberts, who tells us: ‘I wrote this about seeing gulls when I hoped they were something else. It helped me appreciate them even more.’

It’s titled Just Gulls.

dangerous times The first-ever study of the world’s rarest bird – the Madagascar pochard – has revealed that 96% of its wild chicks die before fledging. The conclusion is that the last remaining population will never expand without outside help.

WWT senior research officer Dr Andrew Bamford, who led the study, says: ‘The last refuge of the Madagascar pochard is one of the last unspoilt wetlands in the country, but it’s simply not suited to its needs. For

An ethical partnership WWT has long used Ethical Investors to help with financial advice, and this year Ethical Investors returned the compliment. When it helped WWT with the reorganisation of its pension scheme, it celebrated its long association by donating its commission payment of £25,000 directly back to us.

Ethical Investors was founded in 1989 to provide a holistic financial planning service to all those who wished to place their personal values alongside their

the species to survive, we need to start another population in a large, shallow wetland. In 2009, the project partners started a conservation breeding programme and now have 54 pochards in captivity. We’ve found wetlands nearby that have potential, but they need restoring, so we’re asking the community there if we can work with them to improve the wetlands for their benefit and the pochards at the same time.’

This is all part of Mission Madagascar. To find out more, visit wwt.co.uk/missionmadagascar.

financial arrangements. As a firm, it has designed its strategy around three key areas of impact: the environment, society (ie human impact) and animal welfare – issues that WWT addresses, too. In addition, it says that WWT’s centres are the most enjoyable visits that it makes as advisers every year.

For more about Ethical Investors, please visit ethicalinvestors.co.uk.

Like a handful of crumbs Brushed from God’s hands, They fell, Swiftly down the sky, Transfigured through the Crayoned clouds to Become: Just gulls.

Just gulls with heads like matchsticks, Burnt black and beady eyed.

They settle like a tissue On the soaked and ponded soil.

Sit there. Still. Bewildered. Lost, Without a furrow to follow.

Listening for the ghost of a tractor, Whose noise has long since died.

Like revellers at a train station, Who have long since missed their ride.

If you would like to submit a poem to this corner of the magazine, please send it to the address on page 14.

Crossword (page 15) Across: 1. Beluga 4. Agaric 8. Reuters 10. Eider 11. Ethel 12. One time 13. Magnetite 17. Attache 19. Eyrie 21. Scaup 22. Station 23. Russia 24. Idiocy Down: 1. Barnes 2. Lough 3. Greylag 5. Geese 6. Red kite 7. Curlew 9. Shovelers 13. Mutuals 14. Iceland 15. Ramsar 16. Welney 18. Capri 20. Rhino Kids’ zone (page 43): Summer or winter? Summer: 2, 3 and 6. Winter: 1, 4 and 5

Puzzle answers

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Waterlife

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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WWT NEWS

your membership is vital to our conservation work, but there are other ways to support wwt, too…

Be a Wetland Champion!

Want to spread the word about the fantastic work WWT does and raise funds at the same time?

Rich Mooney (left) did, by taking part in the Fan Dance Challenge (a gruelling 24km race over Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons), raising over £500 for WWT’s work along the way! Read more stories at wwt.org.uk/champions.

Want to know how you could help? We have a new Fundraising Pack to support you. To order your free copy, call 01453 891157 or email eleanor.wise@wwt.org.uk.

your own free will Take part in WWT Will Month 2014 this November and get your will written or updated for free – and support WWT at the same time.

Holly Quinnen of London SW18, who took part in 2013, said: ‘My husband and I had just had our first child and so needed to prepare our wills. We were looking for a good-quality local solicitor and looked into Johnson Clarke [participants in Hampton]

when we saw the leaflet that came with the WWT magazine. It was the perfect opportunity to donate to WWT at the same time as prepare our wills. As it turned out, Johnson Clarke provided an excellent service and we will continue to use them in the future, so they have also benefited!’

For further details, simply see the enclosed leaflet. …don’t miss Take part for FREE this November...

WWT Will Month

Payroll Giving Support WWT – tax-free! Payroll Giving (also known as Give as You Earn or Workplace Giving) is a flexible scheme that allows anyone who pays UK income tax to give regularly to charities on a tax-free basis. Payroll Giving donations are deducted from an employee’s pay before tax, so each £1 you give will only cost you 80p, or 60p if you’re

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

a higher-rate taxpayer. It’s cheaper because it’s tax-free – for example, a donation of £5 per month costs the basic rate taxpayer £4 and the taxman pays the rest! Many companies already run Payroll Giving schemes, so why not ask your employer if they have a scheme in place or visit wwt.org.uk/support/payroll-giving and make your donations to WWT go further?

new recycling partner for wwt WWT has teamed up with The Recycling Factory to enable our supporters to safely dispose of inkjet and toner cartridges, mobile phones and other electronic equipment. By recycling them, you can ensure these potentially toxic items don’t end up in landfill and help raise funds for WWT. So please protect the environment and dispose of unwanted electronics in an environmentally friendly way by dropping them off at the collection boxes at your nearest WWT centre, or pick up a freepost recycling label (due to a change in the law, freepost envelopes can no longer be used for sending mobile phones). Alternatively, download the label at wwt.org.uk/ wwtrecycle or call The Recycling Factory on 0800 091 0696 for more details.

wigeon post

tell us what you think!

Send your letters on all things WWT or Waterlife to Wigeon Post, WWT, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT, or email waterlife@wwt.org.uk Poisonous but impressive: Fly agaric is one of the many species of fungi that can be found at WWT centres

Dear Waterlife I read your article in issue 189 of Waterlife about how much WWT is doing for disabled people. I would sympathise with Elizabeth Guntrip and her very apparent problems. However, despite your claims of access for all, nowhere do you take account of those, like me, who are registered disabled through deafness. The RNID [now Action on Hearing Loss] estimates that one in five of the population, or approximately 12 million people, have noticeable hearing loss.

John Kilburn, Hampshire

LOOK OUT FOR

Dear Waterlife In your article about the photo competition last issue, you wrote: ‘Don’t forget, plants are wildlife, too…’

Don’t forget, fungi are also wildlife – the most important.

Most plants depend on their symbiotic relationship with fungi – no fungi, no plants; no plants, no animals – ie, no us! And this is not to mention their role in the production of bread, beer, wine, blue cheeses, antibiotics and many industrial processes, or their ‘adverse’ effects – plant diseases, allergies and so on.

As a matter of good practice, since they are recognised as a kingdom distinct from plants and animals, we should replace the phrase ‘flora and fauna’ with ‘flora, fauna and fungi’.

Mike Richardson, Edinburgh

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Waterlife

Editor replies: We have a new record: 73 wild species in a day at a WWT centre.

Have you bettered that total yourself ?

Do let us know.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

Editor replies: Many thanks for writing in, Mike: you’ll be glad to know we’re planning an article on fungi, and the opportunities to discover and learn more about them at WWT wetland centres, for next year.

Dear Waterlife Carrying on the subject of the number of species seen at any one visit, upon checking my records for Slimbridge, I find that my best result so far is 73 species seen on 7 October 2005.

My total number of species seen at Slimbridge is 147, which, when considering my total number of species for Gloucestershire is 187, shows how important Slimbridge is for us birders.

P T Humby, Droitwich

Emma Stephens, Executive Editor, replies: Thank you for writing in. We’re always keen to hear how we could improve access and the experience for all at our centres. WWT was built on the belief that everyone should have access to the natural world. We have installed hearing induction loops at several of our centres, in admissions areas and theatres. I will make sure your suggestion for hearing loops in hides is considered for future plans.

LETTERS Dear Waterlife I recently watched Saving the World’s Rarest Bird about the Madagascar pochard, which was a lovely insight, and I was wondering if there were any plans to put this on DVD as you did with the film about the spoon-billed sandpiper?

Sarah Chick, via email Editor replies: There are no plans for a DVD at present, but you can keep up to date by signing up to the ‘Mission Email’ at wwt.org.uk/missionmadagascar.

Dear Waterlife I thought I would share this picture with you, taken at WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre in May, of a delightfully uninhibited Cape Barren goose enjoying a vigorous bath, totally unconcerned that someone was closely overseeing their ablutions. So closely, in fact, that the photographer ended up nearly as wet as this obviously hygiene-conscious bird!

Vhairi Cotter, Kent

crossword WWT member Tim Bonsor has included waterlife-related clues in our crossword; the answers are on page 10. Tim has also provided cryptic clues at wwt.org.uk/crossword.

Across 1 Source of caviar. (6) 4 A group of fungi. (6) 8 International news agency established in 1851. (7) 10 A sea duck, known for the warmth of its feathers. (5) 11 Girl’s name. (5) 12 Former. (3,4) 13 It is this mineral that enables migrating birds to find their way. (9) 17 Junior member of an ambassador’s staff. (7) 19 An osprey’s nest. (5) 21 Any of three species of small diving duck. (5)

22 Cam and Dursley is the closest to Slimbridge. (7) 23 Bewick’s swans return to Slimbridge from the northern reaches of this country. (6) 24 ‘Childhood: the period of human life intermediate between the _ _ _ _ _ _ of infancy and the folly of youth’ – Ambrose Bierce. (6) Down 1 Many gadwall overwinter at this location. (6) 2 Castle Espie lies on the banks of Strangford _ _ _ _ _ . (5)

3 This goose is a late migrator, as indicated by part of its name. (7) 5 Such as nene, or barnacle, or brent. (5) 6 A successful reintroduction scheme has enabled this raptor to spread into many parts of England and Scotland. (3,4) 7 The resident population of this wading bird is boosted by winter migrators. (6) 9 These ducks are winter visitors to WWT centres. (9) 13 Financial institutions owned by their customers. (7) 14 This country is the summer home of many migrating whooper swans. (7) 15 Current name of Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat. (6) 16 Wigeon return for the winter to this WWT centre. (6) 18 Italian island used as a stopover for birds migrating between Europe and Africa. (5) 20 Oxpeckers often perch on this large mammal. (5)

spotting skills Those ‘little brown jobs’ can be rather tricky. Our clue last issue – this bird enjoys a good ‘reed’ – was a pointer to the bird’s habitat, but it wasn’t a reed warbler, as some wondered. It was a sedge warbler. The first name drawn after the closing date was Melvin Cave.

Well done to you.

This issue, we’ve got a small detail of a winter visitor for you.

It’s an important detail, however, and it gives a clue to the bird’s name.

The first correct identification drawn out of the hat after the closing date of 30 November wins a copy of Watching Waterbirds.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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W W T AN D YO U

Quality time Volunteers are part of the heart of WWT’s centres, but what makes them tick? Here, we talk to a sample dozen to find out

volunteers. I really enjoy it, as it gives me the chance to work with people.

Martin Mere’s such a great place to make friends, too: I know it so well as I’ve been visiting since I was about five or six years old.’

We all know the essential meaning of

‘volunteering’: to provide services without being paid. That may be how it’s described in the dictionary, but what’s the human definition? How about ‘to provide services to be part of a community,’ or ‘to be close to nature,’ or ‘to help my career’, or even ‘to keep busy’?

Ask any of the dozens upon dozens of volunteers at WWT wetland centres across the country and you’ll get dozens of different answers. That’s only natural – we’re all different, and we all have our own reasons for doing things – and there’s such a range of things to do with WWT that everyone is catered for.

Take Amy O’Toole, for example.

In 2010, she was studying biology at university and was looking for something to fill her summer holidays, so plumped for a role at Martin Mere.

Once she graduated, she got a job in a research lab, but there was a problem.

‘It was good work,’ she says, ‘but I hated being indoors. I’ve always had an interest in wildlife, but I realised that I needed to be outside to enjoy it. I just couldn’t stay cooped up in a lab.’ A year ago, Amy started her own dog-walking business, but she still volunteers with WWT at least twice a month. ‘I’m a weekend supervisor,’ she says, ‘which means I help to organise the other 16

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

Seb Ashton also started his working life

Seb Ashton

‘I think that if you want to develop a career in ecological education or communication, you need as broad a range of experience as you can get, to help you stand out’

in a research lab having graduated, and also found himself missing the great outdoors. ‘I love the science,’ he says, ‘but I get much more pleasure from using the scientific ideal to help open people’s eyes than by analysing from behind a computer.’ Seb joined the education team at Slimbridge, and has also worked with the wildlife health team, which gave him the chance to catch and handle birds for health checks (‘that was brilliant!’), helped with moth-trapping, and even appeared on Slimbridge’s online Wildlife Weekly video. ‘I think that if you want to develop a career in ecological education or communication, you need as broad a range of experience as you can get, to help you stand out,’ he says. Seb has spent time volunteering with National Trust activity centres and is soon off to New Zealand to work at a nature reserve, but he’s loved his time at Slimbridge. ‘It’s a really great place, and I’ve learnt so much about wildlife and about interacting with people.’ Seb’s

Amy O’Toole

W W T AN D YO U

Bett Leech with a beaver pelt used for educational purposes 18

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

‘It’s very stimulating working at Martin Mere. Everyone there enjoys their work, and there’s a real sense of like-minded companionship’ enthusiasm shines through, and it would be very surprising if Slimbridge hasn’t been part of the shaping of a Brian Cox of the future.

Not everyone looks to volunteering as a stepping stone to a future career.

After Bett Leech lost her husband, her daughter volunteered her at Martin Mere. ‘I wasn’t sure at first,’ says Bett, ‘but she was absolutely right.’ Bett will be 88 years old next birthday, and you’ll be able to find her at the information desk. She’s also worked in education, in the shop, handled typing and devised craft-making, and helped the centre with publicity.

‘When I began, I didn’t really have an interest in wildlife. Having grown up on a farm, hens and turkeys represented bird life to me. Now, I love encouraging birds into my garden.

‘It’s very stimulating working at Martin Mere,’ she continues. ‘Everyone there enjoys their work, and there’s a real sense of like-minded companionship.’

Emma Gibson was also volunteered by

someone else during a difficult time.

‘I was training as a nursery nurse when I was hit with illness, which meant I had to take a year out,’ she recalls. ‘Mum suggested I volunteer at Martin Mere, and I love it. I’m a weekend supervisor, setting up activities in education, such as bug hunts, crafts, pond dipping and so on, and helping with school trips. ‘I enjoy working with children,’ she says. ‘They get so excited about everything. That age between two and four – they’re so open to new ideas and experiences.

I’m hoping to get a job soon as a nursery nurse, but even when I do, I’ll still volunteer with Martin Mere. Everyone’s so friendly; it’s like a community.’

Tim Kennedy agrees. ‘Martin Mere is such a friendly environment. I used to visit when I was a child, and I appreciate the place even more now. I think it’s important that people explore as much of the site as they can, particularly if they’ve come a long way, so I encourage them to do so, and it’s very satisfying to see how interested they become.’

Tim is a busy man: in addition to his love of Manchester United, he’s also an assistant Scout leader, helping youngsters with activities and to gain their firelighting and knot-tying badges.

‘As a small boy, I was a Beaver myself, and now I’m finding out about real

Emma Gibson Inset: Tim Kennedy

Diane Rollin

changing career After a successful career in export marketing, Diane Rollin felt that the time was right for a change. Wildlife had always been an interest of hers, and so she bit the bullet and started a foundation degree in Ecology and Conservation Management.

‘I’ve done big cat research in Namibia, birdwatching ecotourism in Ecuador, and I wanted to devote more time to my passion,’ she says. She’s certainly doing that. Along with her studies, she’s helping to support herself by selling plants and conducting bat surveys, she’s a volunteer ranger with Lancashire county council, and she’s spending every Wednesday fulfilling a host of roles at Martin Mere. ‘I was able to get an opportunity to work with the reserve team, which involves checking the cattle, looking after the pumps in the reedbed system, monitoring swans and geese, checking for nests during the breeding season and much more. I love it. Last year, I helped with the whooper swan catch – it was amazing, and I was on a high for ages.

‘The hands-on work is extremely constructive for my course. I was supposed to do 120 hours in my first year as part of my coursework, but I’ve already gone well beyond that. I’m aiming to become an ecologist and if, once I’ve qualified, a position comes up at WWT, that would be great. A change in career really is possible if you put your mind to it.’

Have your will written or updated FREE this November. See enclosed leaflet for more details.

What will your gift be?

People leave many memories to future generations thanks to a gift in their will. Whether big or small, such a gift ensures that what you felt most passionately about during your lifetime continues into the future.

Over the years, gifts left to WWT by kind people in their wills have helped create and protect reserves, save species from extinction, and develop

learning programmes that have inspired generations of nature lovers. This is valuable work that we will continue for many generations to come.

We invite you to receive your free My forever gift booklet, which features stunning photographs of wetland wildlife and landscapes, and inspiring stories about what has been achieved through your support

and those who kindly remembered WWT in their wills.

For your free copy of My forever gift, please complete the request form below and send it to the freepost address. Alternatively, contact our Legacy Manager, David Salmon, on 01453 891150 or by email at david.salmon@wwt.org.uk.

You can also visit wwt.org.uk/legacies.

PLEASE SEND ME WWT’S FREE MY FOREVER GIFT BOOKLET Your name Address Postcode Email Tel number

James Lees

Return to: David Salmon, WWT, Freepost GR1228, Slimbridge, Gloucester GL2 7BR (no stamp needed) Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is a registered charity in England & Wales, no. 1030884 and Scotland, no. SC039410

W W T AN D YO U beavers at Martin Mere,’ he grins.

At the centre, he can be found at the information desk, where he gets a chance to sit down. Born with cerebral palsy, Tim finds it difficult to stand for more than about 10 minutes, but that doesn’t stop him from meeting and greeting people. ‘Because I need to sit, I’m hoping for a job in admin. It would be wonderful to get one at Martin Mere.’

Geraldine Boocock has also been visiting Martin Mere for many years, but since she’s been volunteering, she’s been visiting even more. ‘When I retired as a paediatrician, I wanted to do something outdoors that was linked to conservation,’ she says. ‘I’d been a member since 1987, and when the opportunity arose to become a volunteer mammal warden, I took it.

‘The funny thing is that, when I used to visit, it didn’t really occur to me how much work goes into looking after the mammals. Now, I’m cleaning the otters’ windows, pruning willow trees to provide browse for the beavers,

‘When I used to visit, it didn’t occur to me how much work goes into looking after mammals.

I love a good, physical day outdoors – you get home feeling tired but great’

Anthea and Fred Ladd Inset: Geraldine Boocock

and much more. I love a good, physical day outdoors – you get home feeling tired but great. This is for the long-term, I’m sure.’

Anthea and Fred Ladd are also surprised

when they think about what they do.

‘We never expected to be canoeing in our 60s,’ laughs Anthea.

The Ladds met each other at university, and both graduated in biology. They became teachers, and eventually head teachers, working around Wigan and Bolton, and today they spend their Sundays at Martin Mere working in visitation, taking tours (hence the canoeing), supporting

the right role

John Southall

When John Southall took early retirement in 2011, he opted for outdoors work at Slimbridge. However, after three weeks, he discovered that his back wasn’t best suited for that sort of work, so he asked whether there was something else he could do to help.

It turned out that the right role was there for him. During his working life, he’d been a project manager, and he was able to put his skills to use. He’s been working across a number of disciplines, from helping

bonding days for corporates… and, unsurprisingly, helping with education.

‘We welcomed the opportunity to stay involved,’ says Fred, ‘and we still help with school groups. The school visits that WWT offer do a lot towards the National Curriculum, which is excellent, and there are so many opportunities for learning, here… not just for the children and their teachers, but for Anthea and myself, too.’

‘Volunteering at Martin Mere has broadened our horizons,’ agrees Anthea.

‘We get great pleasure from being part of a team, and it’s rather nice to make new friends who aren’t teachers!’

There’s the occasional unexpected bonus, too. Every now and then, Anthea

the marketing manager, Sally Munro, upload information on to the website to assisting with data upload to a database to help the WWT team manage its carbon footprint for its local and international work.

‘I volunteered at Slimbridge in the 1960s as a teenager, so it’s great to be back,’ he says. ‘It gives me a great chance to get out and about, and I really enjoy being at the heart of what’s going on, getting the news as it happens, and being involved in all the seasonal changes. I couldn’t stay at home all the time, and the work is so worthwhile and interesting.’

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W W T AN D YO U

‘You never know who you’ll meet. There’s a great pleasure in being able to provide wonderful experiences for people, and to pass knowledge on to them’ or Fred run into one of their old pupils, now grown-up and visiting with their own families. ‘It’s lovely to catch up with them and see the next generation coming through,’ says Anthea.

Bill Francis also loves to chat, in fact

Bill Francis Inset: The flamingo house

Rob Whitrow

applied knowledge Having taken an MSc in Environmental Water Management, Nilani Venn is now an Engineering Consultant, mainly working in flood risk management. Three years ago, to develop her confidence and skills in public speaking and interacting with people, she became a volunteer at Slimbridge.

‘My volunteering so far has helped the way I approach presenting information,’ she says.

‘It has also made me appreciate that you don’t always have to know everything about everything.

Most people do not want to be bombarded with lots of facts, but are happy to learn something new.

People are more likely to remember what you say if you are engaging and interactive, rather than just reciting all your knowledge. For me, this is measured by the instant positive feedback gained from talking to the public.’

Nilani has benefited from her experience at WWT, but so have the visitors. A member of the Visitor Services team, she provides support at the entrance, gives walks and talks, such as on the Great Crane Project, and answers visitor queries. ‘I not only enjoy informing the public on the interesting conservation projects

Nilani Venn

that WWT undertakes, but I also like to draw on my own knowledge gained from my professional life.

For example, the Rain Garden exhibition provides an excellent opportunity to illustrate to the public the benefits of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), which they can utilise in their own garden, creating an enhanced haven for wildlife, and helping to reduce rainfall run-off in urban areas.

‘Overall,’ she adds, ‘I find volunteering a great opportunity to fully immerse myself in an environment that allows me to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills, which cannot be achieved by reading alone.’

he thrives upon it. He’s a member of Slimbridge’s outreach team, and gives talks on wildlife and WWT to rambling groups, birdwatching societies, Women’s Institute meetings and more, from Exeter to Birmingham. He has the ideal background; formerly with the RAF, he’s a leading light in the RAF Ornithological Society, and he has a remarkable memory for detail. In fact, in the 1990s, he entered the TV quiz show Fifteen to One… and won it!

‘I spend my Wednesdays at Slimbridge, chatting to people in the foyer, conducting walks and talks, and generally putting myself in the front line, so to speak.

‘You never know who you’ll meet, too. I remember one chap who was particularly keen to see Slimbridge’s Chilean flamingos. Why? Because he was from Chile himself and had never seen the birds at home. There’s a great pleasure in being able to provide wonderful experiences for people, and to pass knowledge on to them.’

‘A great pleasure’: that’s the underlying phrase behind all the volunteers’ tales. Whatever your reason for getting involved, whatever your age or background, great pleasure is always part of the outcome.

And that’s the real definition of volunteering with WWT.

find out more Waterlife spoke to volunteers from just Slimbridge and Martin Mere, but there are volunteering opportunities across all our centres. If you would like to know more, contact wwt.org.uk/volunteer.

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THE BIG ISSUE

Power flight

of

With the autumn migration under way, WWT centres are celebrating nature’s incredible journeys. Here, we explain how we’re helping to make them just that little bit easier

In the early 1960s, Walt Disney made a film called

The Incredible Journey. It was based on a recently written novel, and it told the tale of three pets – two dogs and a cat – making their way across 300 miles of Canadian wilderness to find their way home. They had, of course, many adventures on the way, several of them life-threatening, but they pushed on and made it through to an emotional reunion with their owners.

The film was a success, and was remade 30 years later for a new generation because, even though it was about animals, it tapped into that most uplifting of human themes, the struggle against all the odds to reach the place where you belong.

But you don’t have to turn to fiction to find such tales: in the world of wildlife, there are incredible journeys happening all around us, all the time.

From the long-distance travels of wildebeest across crocodile-filled rivers to the quick and desperate dash

by newly hatched sea turtles across a beach past hungry gulls to the safety of the ocean, wildlife on the move is bedevilled by threats.

Not all those threats are natural. At this time of year, on the border between the two seasons of extremes, vast swathes of wildlife are on the move, exchanging the land that supports them during the summer for the winter environment that suits them best. These migratory journeys, to be reversed come the spring, are fraught with dangers, and some of those dangers are man-made.

Among those many species undertaking their autumn migration are the Bewick’s and whooper swans which, as you read this, are making their way from their breeding grounds in Arctic Russia and Iceland respectively to spend their winter with us. Even under the best conditions, these are gruelling journeys, but in recent decades they’ve got even tougher.

Whooper swans on the move

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THE BIG ISSUE

danger signs The swan and goose flocks studied at Martin Mere regularly fly over power lines. Sections that pose the greatest risk to the birds have now been fitted with bird deflectors.

Power-line collisions will never be eradicated completely, but with committed research and cooperation they can be significantly reduced Swans such as these whoopers are in danger from power lines, particularly at dawn and dusk

To earthbound travellers like ourselves, electricity power lines are conveniently out of the way, crisscrossing above our heads. To tired swans flying low in dim light as they seek a place to rest, they present an additional hazard. In fact, collision with power lines is one of the most commonly recorded causes of death for swans.

‘Large birds such as swans and geese are particularly susceptible to such strikes because they tend to fly at power-line height while commuting between feeding areas and their night-time roost,’ says Dr Eileen Rees, the Head of WWT’s UK Waterbird Conservation Programme. ‘Their size and relatively poor manoeuvrability makes them more likely to hit or bridge the wires and, as their early-morning and evening flights are made in poor light conditions, the wires are more difficult to see.’

There is one solution: research conducted a few years

ago showed that bird deflectors significantly help to reduce power-line strikes. Rather like the cut-out shapes that you stick to a window to alert garden birds

to the glass, bird deflectors, when hung across stretches of power line, use a range of colours and light emissions to catch the birds’ attention. The power lines, instead of remaining near invisible at dawn or dusk, appear to a flying swan more like a string of Christmas lights, and the bird can much more easily avoid them.

This is good news not just for the swans, but for customers of the electricity companies themselves.

Swans are large birds and if they collide with overhead power lines they can cause the loss of power to local residents and result in costly repair work. It’s in the interest of power companies to install bird deflectors, but they’re expensive devices, and it’s important to know exactly which are the stretches of power line that most need them.

This is where WWT has stepped in. ‘In December 2012,’ says Eileen, ‘we applied for a grant from Electricity North West to help them identify the key areas where collision risk is highest. By making detailed behavioural observations of swans and geese flying between their main roost site at WWT Martin Mere and feeding areas in the surrounding countryside, we will be able to provide valuable information on the consistency and altitude of flight lines, and even show how these can vary with wind conditions.’

The grant was approved in 2013, since when this collaborative project between WWT and Electricity North West has been running. Lancaster University has been involved, too, and one of its students, Chris Taylor, has been driving the research as part of his MSc degree. ‘The work encompasses a broad range of variables,’ says Eileen. ‘First, we’re identifying the areas with a high risk of power-line collision. We’re doing this by mapping the distribution of sites used by large concentrations of geese and swans, in relation to power-line routes within or near to those sites.

Naturally, we’re also factoring in collision risk from Electricity North West’s own records. There are various types of deflectors, so we are assessing where they were installed in previous “hotspot” areas to see whether some deflectors are more effective than others.

‘From a bird’s point of view, of course, flight paths are

much more complicated than just getting from A to B. Tree lines or buildings have to be navigated and weather conditions have to be negotiated. Farming activity, too, plays a role, as crop rotation means that, depending upon the time of the agricultural year, and therefore feeding potential, the birds will vary their routes. By making detailed observations of how the swans and geese behave throughout the seasons, and across various weather conditions, we’re building a pattern of key routes.’

That’s not all. The flooding of parts of the country earlier this year demonstrated another scenario in which birds may, by necessity, change their feeding and roosting sites, so flood-risk areas in the vicinity of Martin Mere are also being factored in.

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Searching for an otter-ly perfect gift this Christmas?

Give a gift that does more for wildlife Adopt a cheeky otter or a feathered friend, including swans, nenes and flamingos.

Find them at wwt.org.uk/giftadoption You can also call 01453 891195 or email adoption@wwt.org.uk For Christmas delivery, orders must be received by 12 December 2014

THE BIG ISSUE Right: A flock of pink-footed geese Inset: Bird deflectors are fitted to live wires near WWT Martin Mere

In short, no stone is being left unturned.

The majority of the research took place last winter, with the data being compiled and analysed this year. The final results are being discussed with the power company this autumn, and will help them not just pinpoint where best to fit bird deflectors, but provide an indication of heights and siting of future power lines, too.

Moreover, guidelines resulting from the study on the use of bird diverters and the optimal positioning of power lines in the landscape, may benefit other power-line companies across the country. Power-line collisions will never be eradicated completely, but with committed research and cooperation, they can be significantly reduced.

For the birds that make those incredible journeys from far-flung lands, only to perish upon arrival, work like this is essential, but it’s just a part of our efforts to care for the thousands upon thousands of birds that arrive on these small islands each year. We prepare our reserves to provide them with the best conditions to spend the winter, and our swan feeds help to boost their energy levels once they make it here after their long travels.

And it’s all thanks to you. Without your help and support of WWT’s work, those incredible journeys would be even tougher.

meet hope...

Hope’s a Bewick’s swan. She’s just turned three years old – but already she’s a formidable aviator.

We know Hope’s a fantastic flyer because she’s fitted with a GPS tag that lets us track her remarkable journeys – all part of our work to protect swans that’s made possible by you.

But there is a risk that Hope and many other swans won’t make it on their return journey to Britain this year.

you’ve just read, the presence of power pylons and wind farm turbines – each may carry life-threatening risks to families of migratory swans.

That’s why WWT is poised to lead a collaborative international project that aims to study the causes of the dramatic decline and take action to reverse them.

It can be done. You can help us make it happen.

Research has revealed an alarming trend: Bewick’s swan numbers plummeted from 29,000 to 18,000 between 1995 and 2010 – that’s more than a third lost in just 15 years.

Make a donation and we’ll double it We urgently need to raise a total of £70,000. And thanks to a pledge to match donations, every pound you donate will be doubled, giving swans like Hope and her family the best possible chance to survive their annual 6,000km migratory marathon.

Woodfall/Photoshot; Alamy

Climate change, disruption to once dependable food sources due to intensive farming practices and development, illegal hunting and, as

Every £1 you give will be matched pound-for-pound, making double the difference to swans like Hope.

By phone: 01453 891157 By post: Just fill out the donation form included in the Hope for Swans carrier sheet that arrived with this issue of Waterlife By text message: Text ‘SWAN21 £10’ to 70070 Online: wwt.org.uk/hope

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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into the breach

THE GALLERY

Villagers in Somerset are backing a brave solution to the threat of climate change

Saltmarshes are an essential part of the British coastline.

Severn Estuary’s flood defences, which protect 100,000 These intertidal areas absorb wave surges to protect us from homes and businesses worth £5 billion. flooding, nurture wildlife and absorb carbon, plus, of course, It was the Environment Agency that first recognised that, provide glorious coastal scenery. Yet we’re losing many of by setting back the defence embankment, this would not them, and the Severn Estuary is a region suffering more only help protect the Steart community from flooding, but than most: within the next decade or so, rising sea levels are create new saltmarsh habitat into the bargain. It chose expected to eat into about 660 hectares of its coastline.

WWT as partners, working alongside the local community This puts communities, such as the village of Steart, at to ensure the best for people and wildlife alike. increased risk of sudden, devastating flooding. The Steart This autumn, under careful guidance, the old sea wall Peninsula juts out into the Bristol Channel, and for was breached, allowing part of the peninsula to become many years a flood defence embankment has inundated from time to time. The estuary tides protected the land and its inhabitants, but as the now bring silt deposits that will steadily develop sea levels continue to rise, the defences become into a new saltmarsh habitat, rich in wildlife. simply harder to maintain. A bold and brave solution Further extensive habitat improvements have turn the page is to breach the defence and create an area of generously funded by the Environment for an overview been land and water – Steart Marshes – that can Agency and Viridor Credits Environmental of steart absorb tidal surges and become a key part of the Company via the Landfill Communities Fund.

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to follow the steart story, visit wwt.org.uk/ steart.

The new saltmarsh, indicated here with a white dotted line, is currently about 1m lower than the land outside the existing sea wall. As the tides repeatedly flood the new area, depositing the silt for which the Severn Estuary is famous, the ground level will steadily rise. It is a rare opportunity to study the creation of a new saltmarsh, and WWT is sponsoring research work to measure the amount of carbon that is locked away as silt is deposited.

As the new saltmarsh matures, we expect it to support massive numbers of wildfowl and waders, plus other wildlife such as otters. Even during its construction, flocks of 4,500 lapwing and 2,500 golden plover were counted. One kilometre or more of saltmarsh will sap the power from storm surges. This natural flood defence will make the new banks much cheaper to maintain and protect villages from flooding.

quantock hills

river parrett

carbon storage

How does saltmarsh help to absorb carbon? As silt builds up, it becomes stabilised by salt-tolerant plants that are extremely efficient at carbon absorption. Estimates suggest that the long-term carbon storage in one hectare of saltmarsh sediments is 2.1 tonnes per year.

This means that Steart’s area of saltmarsh will be able to store 437 tonnes each year.

This area of existing saltmarsh gives an indication of what Steart Marshes will look like in the future.

THE GALLERY

Big skies and wild landscape: these are the scenes that have inspired British writers and artists, including Dickens and Turner.

hinkley point power station

n

Thousands of metres of newly created creeks and channels will be scoured out by the tides. These will become nurseries for fish fry, some from important commercial stocks, such as sea bass, which get 45% of their food from intertidal habitats in the first months of life. Meanwhile, ‘islands’ of higher ground are dotted around the reserve, where livestock can shelter during high tides and ground-nesting birds can breed in spring.

bristol channel

This is where a 200m breach in the sea wall took place this autumn. The channel above it previously contained fresh water, but the breach will allow the tide to flow into it. At high tides, therefore, a 300-hectare section of the peninsula will be under water.

This area contained some heavily managed agricultural land, but its useful life was limited as rising sea levels made the land increasingly saline. Within 50 years it would be flooded regularly. Now it is being used to graze livestock. The diet of grasses, samphire, sea lavender and thrift that the animals get from tidal marsh is rich in iodine and gives them a distinctive flavour that is valued by food lovers and chefs, enabling the farmers to charge a premium. An assessment of a similarly sized project on the Humber Estuary at Alkborough Flats found that the loss of arable food production was more than offset by the meat and wool of grazing animals.

Sacha Dench

steart village

Photo competition

picture perfect

There’s still time to enter Waterlife’s Summer Digital Photo Competition, so don’t miss your opportunity to be in with a chance of winning a great prize Last issue, we launched our brand new photo competition, lined up a great prize and sat back to see what would come in. We had high hopes, but our expectations were exceeded: we’ve been inundated with wonderful imagery, and it’s still coming in.

There’s still time to enter. We’ve taken a generous view of summer this year, so as long as your photo was taken between 1 June and 31 October 2014, it qualifies. As for the subject matter, as long as it’s of nature, and taken at a

WWT centre, then we want to see it. Whether your photo is of the wildlife out on the reserves, or of the birds and other animals in our collections, it’s eligible for entry. You’ll be able to find the full rules online at wwt.org.uk/waterlifephoto (the closing date is 1 November 2014).

We’ll be publishing the best in the January issue of Waterlife, and on the website, and we’ve got a great prize for the overall winner, too: a Leica X2, worth £1,750!

So don’t delay, get snapping today.

Can you do better? Here’s a selection of shortlisted and winning photos from previous WWT photo competitions.

Clockwise from opposite page: Nectar points by Ray Fowler; A moment’s peace by Naomi Roper; Duckling on ice by Adam Jones

WIN!

a leica x2 worth £1,750!

To enter, and for the full rules, simply visit wwt.org.uk/waterlifephoto

Leica cameras are meticulously manufactured from only the finest materials to ensure absolute reliability and enduring value. In addition to their compact form, elegant design and intuitive handling, their optical and mechanical quality is without compromise. This makes the Leica X2 the perfect tool for everyone who appreciates the fascination of nature observation. Leica Camera AG is the exclusive optic partner of the spoon-billed sandpiper project.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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F L I G H T PAT H

water world WWT Consulting has been enhancing wetlands around the globe for 25 years – and it all began in London A quarter of a century ago, Sir Peter

Scott, the founder of WWT, was working towards a vision. Having already established a number of rural wetland centres across the country, he believed he could bring a similar type of oasis to the urban environment.

What was to become the London Wetland Centre was, in 1989, still at the sketch and discussion stage, and, sadly, Peter was unable to take the project further, dying in August of that year.

Yet the dream was realised. In that same year, WWT established the Wetland Advisory Service, designed to meet the growing demand for professional wetland consultancy.

Its very first role was to pick up where Peter had left off and, in the ensuing 25 years, WWT Consulting, as it has now been renamed, has not only helped to bring urban wetland centres to life, but 36

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WWT Consulting has advised on best wetland creation, assessment and management for governments, landowners and environmental groups all around the world has advised on best wetland creation, assessment and management for governments, landowners and environmental groups all around the world. And, as WWT Consulting operates as a subsidiary business of WWT, all the profit generated is gifted back to assist with wetland research and conservation.

The organisations that have called upon WWT Consulting are wide and varied, and even include global

institutions such as the World Bank.

Last year, for example, the consulting team worked on a World Banksupported project in Sri Lanka, designed to reduce flooding in the catchment area of the Colombo water basin. The work was part of Sri Lanka’s Colombo Metro Urban Development Project, bringing WWT Consulting’s skills in urban wetland management to the fore. ‘Colombo is blessed with many excellent wetland areas, and managing those wetlands for the benefit of wildlife, flood protection and as green spaces for people to safely enjoy requires specialist design and management knowledge,’ says Matthew Simpson, Associate Director of WWT Consulting. ‘Wetlands are not just places for wildlife, but are essential for life in Colombo, particularly during the monsoon season.’

four fronts WWT Consulting provides services in four key areas: • Ecological surveys and assessment • Habitat design and management • Visitor centre planning and design • Wetland treatment systems and SuDS

site was dominated by a number of large farm buildings and vast expanses of concrete, which HCPS wanted to remove and replace with a mixture of wetland habitats that would be open to the public and that could be used by local schools for educational visits.

WWT Consulting carried out the initial

This picture: Pond dipping Below: Matthew Simpson in Colombo

Jerome Favre

WWT Consulting’s work around the world, whether it’s enhancing the value of wetlands in Colombo, or creating new wetland habitat in Surrey, involves the concept of bringing people and wildlife together Earlier this year, Matthew went back to Colombo for World Wetlands Day, and gave a talk on how its wetlands, such as Thalawathugoda, provide clean water, protect the city from flooding and even help to keep it cool, while providing habitat for wildlife that can still be found in Colombo, such as otters and fishing cats.

The event was filmed for national TV, and dozens of students visited the site to discover how they can help protect wetlands for the future. ‘It was a fantastic day,’ says Matthew, ‘and an honour for WWT Consulting staff to be a part of it and help raise awareness of how vital wetlands are for life in Colombo.’

The Sri Lankan work is just one example

of the advice, consultancy, wetland enhancement and education that WWT Consulting has conducted all around the world, from Laos to Guyana, and from Kenya’s Maasai Mara to the fjords of Norway.

Yet not every job involves leaving these shores – there are plenty of wetlands that need help in the UK, too.

For example, WWT Consulting has been working with Horsell Common Preservation Society (HCPS) in Surrey to convert a disused mushroom farm into a nature reserve and open space, creating opportunities for native biodiversity to thrive and for people to enjoy it. The

feasibility study in 2010, and produced a number of concept plans, which involved changing more than 60% of the site from its original purpose into a range of wildlife ponds and wetlands, educational facilities such as ponddipping platforms, access for dog walkers and a wetland treatment system to treat waste from planned offices at the site. By 2013, the restructuring work was complete, and a day of planting was organised with volunteers to provide the kick-start needed to help the new habitat establish itself. Later in 2014, the reserve will be opened to the public.

‘It has been a fascinating project,’ says WWT Consulting Associate Director Rebecca Woodward, ‘because it was a unique opportunity to create habitats on an almost blank canvas. All going well, Horsell Common reserve will become a haven for wildlife and a place that brings wildlife closer to the public.’

WWT Consulting’s work around the world, whether it’s enhancing the value of wetlands in Colombo, or creating new wetland habitat in Surrey, always involves that concept of bringing people and wildlife together. That was Peter Scott’s initial vision, and it’s one WWT Consulting has spent the past quarter century recreating across the world.

For more about WWT Consulting, please visit wwtconsulting.co.uk. Next year, WWT Consulting will be announcing an exciting new project; keep your eye on upcoming issues of Waterlife for details.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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GETTING THERE

By Road: Grantown is situated just off the A9 Edinburgh– Inverness road. By Train: The nearest station is Aviemore (14 miles) on the FirstScot Rail Edinburgh–Inverness line. By Plane: Inverness (30 miles)— flights from most major UK airports. Other destinations available from Aberdeen airport (75 miles).

Wildlife Breaks in the Highlands

Speyside, the Cairngorms and the Moray Coast provide arguably the best wildlife watching in the UK. Nowhere else can offer the same year-round diversity. See Golden Eagles, Mountain Hares, Ptarmigan, Dotterel and Red Deer on the hills; Capercaillie, Crested Tits, Pine Marten, Red Squirrels and Crossbills in the forests; Slavonian Grebes, Osprey, divers and duck on the lochs and rivers and dolphins, breeding seabird colonies, Red Kites and huge numbers of wintering sea-ducks, geese and waders on the coast.

Findhorn Valley / Geoff Wheeler

Not to be missed

The Bird Watching & Wildlife Club runs the beautifully refurbished 55 bedroom Grant Arms Hotel in Speyside. With the Cairngorms on one side and the Moray Firth on the other, it couldn’t be better sited for bird and wildlife watching.

The BWWC is there for anyone interested in wildlife, from beginners to experts. BWWC doesn’t operate as a tour company. We are there to provide advice on where to go and what to see. The local knowledge of the BWWC Team ensures you make the most of your holiday whilst remaining free to create your own itinerary. BWWC Guests receive free maps and guides beforehand so they can plan their stay. When you get here the BWWC Team can provide information about local wildlife and where’s best to see it, as well as giving suggestions for great days out. If you want an escorted trip, the BWWC Team can recommend local guides. All Guests have access to our Club Room, Natural History Library and Lecture theatre as well as taking advantage of the BWWC’s free programme of Guided Walks, Field Trips, Talks by well known visiting Speakers, Wildlife Briefings, Quizzes and Films.

TARI F F 2 0 1 4 / 2 0 1 5 May–Oct 2014

Nov 2014– Mar 2015

W HAT ’ S I N CLUDED

Apr–Oct 2015

•All rooms are en-suite with tea/coffee making facilities, Wi-fi, TV, hairdryer and toiletries.

•Three Course Dinner and Full Scottish Breakfast 4 NIGHTS £320 £260 £320 •Fine Scottish Dining using local produce.

7 NIGHTS £560 £450 £560 •Early birder breakfasts Price per person. Excludes Christmas, New Year and other •Complimentary Newspaper Special Breaks. Other lengths of stay are also available.

•Free use of Guest Computer • Dogs welcome £20 per room per stay • Single, Twin, •Extensive Bar and Public areas Double, Family and Wheelchair Accessible Rooms available • Room supplements £pppn: Club Room £10, Superior Room •Afternoon Tea and After Dinner £20, Four Poster £30 • Special Rates for Clubs, Tours and Coffee Conferences. Terms and conditions apply.

•Boot wash, Drying and Laundry rooms TO BOOK: CALL 01479 872526 •Free use of the BWWC’s private or E-MAIL bookings@bwwc.co.uk Slavonian Grebe Hide.

Grant Arms Hotel, 25 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, PH26 3HF Walks, Talks and Field Trips subject to availability

DB&B

What’s special about THE CAIRNGORMS & SPEYSIDE?

Did you know you can fly EASYJET to INVERNESS from GATWICK, LUTON AND BRISTOL For around £50 RETURN

2014 / 2015 SPECIAL BREAKS CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND (23rd to 27th December 2014) Come and celebrate Christmas in this most beautiful of locations with a BWWC Programme of Christmas and Wildlife events. 4 nights FB from £399 HOGMANAY IN THE HIGHLANDS (30th December 2014 to 2nd January 2015) Come and celebrate the New Year the Highland way with a BWWC Programme of Hogmanay and Wildlife events. 3 nights FB from £399 BURNS WINTER BREAK (23rd to 26th January 2015) Comer and celebrate Burns Night with us and enjoy a programme of Burns and Wildlife events. 4 nights DBB from £230

ALSO COMING UP DOG FRIENDLY

www.bwwc.co.uk

• Dolphins on the Moray Firth. As many as 20 at one time. All year.

• Over 30,000 nesting sea birds at Troup Head. April–July. • Sea Duck and Divers on the Moray Firth.

Winter. • Up to 80,000 Geese at Loch of Strathbeg. Autumn and Winter.

• Capercaillies lekking in Speyside.

Spring. • Ospreys on Speyside. May– August. • Over-wintering waders on the Cromarty Firth. Autumn and Winter. • Eagle, Deer, Ptarmigan, Mountain Hare. All year, but best in Winter. • Breeding Black-throated Divers and Slavonian Grebe. Summer.

• Crested Tits, Crossbills, Pine Marten. All Year • Black Grouse on the Moors. • Major RSPB Reserves— Loch Garten & Abernethy Forest, Insh Marshes, Loch Ruthven, Udale Bay, Culbin Sands, Troup Head, Loch of Strathbeg.

Valentine’s Break (11th to 15th February 2015) 4 nights DBB from £230 Special Easter Break (3rd to 7th April 2015) 4 nights DBB from £255 Red Deer Break (25th September to 2nd October 2015) 7 nights DBB from £560

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

fresh looks There’s always something new at WWT’s wetland centres across the country.

Here are just a couple of examples

Are you sitting comfortably?

The next time you and your friends want to take the weight off your feet at WWT London Wetland Centre, simply pop along to the Wildside reserve. The new ‘Eel’ seat is a sculptural seat that has been commissioned as part of a project to create a new sociable area in the reserve, funded by generous legacies.

We were also able to repair and re-roof the existing shelter in preparation for the new seat, which flows through the shelter and outside area.

Made of UK-sourced Douglas fir timber, the 17m seat has been designed to be multifunctional as well as easy on the eye, and allows large groups, such as school classes or tour groups, to sit facing their teacher or guide. It’s also ideal for big family groups, and its shape even gives the opportunity for a relaxing lie-down!

It’s the perfect place to recharge your batteries during a busy day exploring London’s Wildside reserve.

Mick Petts

Shopping spectacular The shop at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre is open for business once more, and there’s now an even greater range of gifts and goodies in stock.

Earlier this year, WWT teamed up with a specialist in retail design and installation to create the brand new shopping experience, and add further features into the bargain.

There’s a new, larger area in the children’s book section, where youngsters can enjoy story times, plus a binocular bar selling a range of binoculars suitable for all ages and levels of expertise. There’s more room for browsing, particularly in the natural history books section, and we’re now stocking a great range of locally produced jams and chutneys, as well as a delicious Cotswolds honey!

The extra space will make shopping easier and more enjoyable than ever before… and don’t forget that every penny spent supports our valuable conservation work.

FIND OUT MORE There’s plenty more going on at your local centre this summer. Just turn to page 45 for the full details.

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Next day installation available Direct from the manufacturer 365-day local service and support Safe and reliable Open 7 days All Acorn Stairlifts carry the Arthritis Foundation’s Ease-of-Use Commendation

Call now on freephone

Small group and custom-made birding adventures worlwide

info@birdingecotours.co.za . www.birdingecotours.co.za

0800 326 5807 for a free no obligation quote www.acornstairlifts.co.uk

Showrooms Open Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm

Leading specialist in high quality Binoculars & Telescopes

We carry one of the largest displays of optical instruments in the UK, available for you to test in our very own nature reserve, this includes a large pool in front of the optical showroom with feeding stations to attract a wide variety of birds.

Also visit our Clothing & Accessory Showroom

EL Swarovision

8.5 x 42 £1710 10 x 42 £1775

CL Pocket

8 x 25 £485 10 x 25 £525

NEW Victory SF

Due October.

Deposits accepted to secure 1st arrivals.

Stock clearance: List available by phone, in store or e-mail.

• Leading brands: Brasher, Bridgedale, Country Innovation, Healthy Back Bag, Paramo, Stealth Gear, Ridgeline and Tilley • Brasher Boots and Shoes • Books, CD’s, DVD’s • Nikwax Waterproofing Products • Bird Tables, Nest Boxes • Bird Feeders: All sizes and types • Top quality Bird Food: Nuts, Seed, Sunflower Hearts, Fat Balls and Cake

For more information and special offers please visit our website www.focusoptics.eu Phone or email now for our latest price list or visit our showrooms e-mail: enquiries@focusoptics.eu Church Lane, Corley, Coventry CV7 8BA Tel: 01676 540501/542476 Unlimited on site parking.

Export Facilities Personal and postal orders welcomed Package Deals Attractive discounts. Phone for quotation

www.focusoptics.eu

Prices correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change.

Focus Optics_WWT_OctDec_14.indd 1

26/08/2014 11:10

WWT ONLINE

netlands

Bird tweets

A ROUND-UP OF WWT’S GROWING PRESENCE ON THE WEB

‘Good to see dunlin, common sandpiper, little ringed plover yesterday @WWTLondon, but a young robin stole my heart.’

Let us know how your day went by visiting @WWTworldwide on Twitter.

young at heart ‘Just look at this male hooded merganser. No male sawbill puts quite as much effort into the vanity department as the Hoodie. The skull itself is probably one fifth of that fluffy mass and yet he is in control of every tiny follicle. Inevitably the crest is pretty near impossible to preen, and so towards the end of the breeding season they do lose control of it a bit…’ This is an extract from just one of many entries in Slimbridge duckery warden Phoebe Young’s excellent online duck diary. To read more of her fabulous entries, simply visit wwt.org.uk/duckdiary.

Weekly doses If you’ve visited the WWT website (wwt.org.uk) in recent weeks, you’ll have noticed some changes. We’ll have more on these next issue, but among them is a link to our YouTube collection of videos, which at the time of going to print now has 325 amazing films – and is still growing! There’s so much to watch, including our ever popular Wildlife Weeklies, which are now being presented from Martin Mere and Arundel as well as Slimbridge. To get to WWT’s YouTube page, visit wwt.org.uk and click the YouTube link at the bottom of the page.

Richard Taylor Jones

mission madagascar WWT’s Facebook and Twitter pages have been following the mission, so you can simply log in and take a look at the project through photos and film. Our ‘one not to miss’ is the footage of the world’s rarest bird, the Madagascar pochard, practising his flirting techniques. To make sure you don’t miss any updates, sign up to Mission Email, and if you haven’t done so already, download and post your Mission Madagascar Facebook and Twitter headers.

Visit wwt.org.uk/missionmadagascar.

Shopping channel Christmas is on its way, and there are plenty of great gifts to choose from in our WWT centre shops. But if you need something in a hurry and can’t get in to your centre, don’t worry – our online shop is there to help. Crammed with fantastic ideas, from jewellery to toys to stationery and much more, it’s the ideal way to get Christmas all wrapped up this year. All you have to do is visit wwt.org.uk/shop.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

gift ideas

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with

Steve Backshall

FLPA; Alamy

hello again In my work, presenting TV programmes about wildlife, I’m lucky enough to go on all sorts of wonderful journeys. The great thing about going on a journey is the tingle of excitement as you set off. What will you discover when you arrive? What will you see on the way? Sometimes, the getting there can be just as thrilling as the arrival.

You probably know what I mean. Every time you go on holiday, you’re taking a journey.

You’ve probably been on car and train journeys for days out, too, looking out of the window and seeing things for the first time. In fact, people often talk about life as a journey, because we’re finding out new things all the time as we travel through the years.

But we humans aren’t the only ones to take journeys. Right now, there are birds setting off from different parts of the world to make their way to the UK to spend their winter here. Many of them will be making incredible journeys – and that’s exactly the theme that you’ll be able to explore when you visit your local WWT centre this autumn.

You can find out about some incredible wildlife journeys on these pages, and there’s much more to do and get involved with at WWT. Come along and find out what’s happening… there’s an incredible journey waiting for you!

Until next time…

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H igh there!

If you were to sit on the roof of an average-sized house, you’d be quite a long way from the ground, wouldn’t you? Now imagine piling 800 houses, one on top of another, and sitting on the roof of the house right at the very top. You’d be so far up, that you’d be looking down at the clouds.

But if you looked up, you’d see something amazing. Every year, bar-headed geese migrate from their breeding grounds in Mongolia and Russia to their winter homes in South Asia, and they cross the Himalayas in the process, flying at heights of well over 7,000m. That’s nearly as high as a long-distance passenger aeroplane! There’s not much air at such a height, so the geese have special breathing processes to help them get as much oxygen as possible. Amazing!

KIDS’ ZONE

out Tern the world ab If you were to walk without stopping for an hour, at a steady speed, you’d cover about two and a half miles. So, imagine walking non-stop, day and night, for two years! Even then, you wouldn’t cover the distance that the amazing Arctic tern manages in just one year.

Research has shown that this bird averages about 44,000 miles, crossing from the northern hemisphere to the southern and back again.

As you know, it’s summer here during the middle months of the year.

But at the other end of the world, countries such as Australia have their summers during our winter. Because it travels so far, the Arctic tern enjoys both summers, and probably sees more daylight than any other animal.

Need a handy guide to the birds to see at your local WWT centre this winter? You can download one at spotter.wwt.org.uk.

r?

Summer or wint e Migration goes two ways. Some birds spend summer with us, and they’ve left now. Other birds spend winter with us, which means they’re on their way. There are six birds pictured below – three of them are here in the summer, and three are here in the winter. But which ones? The answers are on page 10.

1. REDWING

Ho ho!

2. SAND MARTIN

I’ve written a book about my travels.

Really, what’s it called?

3. CUCKOO Migrate adventure!

6. WILLOW WARBLER

get in touch!

4. WAXWING

Send your letters to Explore, Waterlife, WWT, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT, or waterlife@wwt.org.uk. I’d love to hear from you.

5. SMEW OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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Every penny you spend supports conservation!

New and exclusive range featuring images from the Bewick’s swan bill pattern study, unique to WWT Sir Peter Scott started sketching the bills of the Bewick’s swans that visited Slimbridge in 1964. They have been faithfully recorded every winter since, first by his daughter Dafila and then by a line of WWT researchers.

Today the Bewick’s bill pattern study is the most intensive behavioural study in the world of any group of birds. Nearly 10,000 swans have been recorded, giving us an insight into their complex social lives. Sadly the species is in serious decline, but the findings of the study have helped protect swathes of wetland between Gloucestershire and Arctic Russia and inspired a network of conservationists to work together to try to save them.

Postcard Magnetic bookmark

60p £1.99

Jumbo magnet

£2.99

Scribble pad

£2.99

Magnetic shop pad

£3.99

Lens cloth

£4.99

Sticky note

£5.99

Notecard wallet

£6.99

A5 hardback notebook

£9.99

Earthenware mug

£9.99

Mounted print

£19.99

Available in WWT centre shops and online at www.wwt.org.uk/shop from 1st October WWT is a registered charity in England and Wales, no. 1030884 & Scotland, no. SCO39410

Bird numbers at WWT wetland centres are on the rise now, as the winter visitors arrive after their incredible journeys. Turn the page to discover the season’s highlights, and your list of upcoming events For the full list of centre events, information and news, find your local centre at wwt.org.uk.

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ve r

Bre

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Pinta il

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Manx shearwater

e ch

Oyste rc at

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ipe

Wigeon

sw an

Arundel

Mill Road, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9PB 01903 881530 info.arundel@wwt.org.uk

WWT Arundel Wetland Centre Highlights Vibrant blue and orange kingfishers should be visiting the reserve regularly as autumn gets under way, and they’ll be easier to spot now that there are fewer leaves on the trees. A bit of patience in the Scrape and Ramsar hides should reward you with great views of this fast fisherman as he perches on posts or branches. The willows outside the café windows are a regular perch so you can enjoy coffee and cake with your sightings!

Snipe numbers are on the increase now as these secretive waders arrive from northern Europe. Their brown mottled feathers with pale beige streaks on their backs and black striped chests camouflage them effectively along the water’s edge between the Sand Martin and Ramsar hides, making them an excellent challenge for beginner birdwatchers.

Last year we had bearded tit sightings in November, so look for them in the reedbeds along with Cetti’s warblers, increasing numbers of water rail and the occasional bittern. Meanwhile, on the waters near the hides, look out for larger numbers of teal, wigeon and shoveler as the wildfowl continue to arrive.

Autumn and winter are, in fact, the best times to photograph wildfowl. The light during these seasons is ideal as the sun is low in the sky, revealing textures and enhancing the colours of the birds. WWT Arundel is offering two photography courses in November and details of both are below. Don’t miss the new Discover Birds event on 29-30 November. In December our ‘Visit with Santa’ experience now includes a child’s hot chocolate and reindeer cupcake. Then we count down the days until Christmas WWT-style, with special activities, like a visit from Hayley New, of Turtle Dove Conservation project.

Kingfisher

Behind the scenes

‘The walks and talks during our Discover Birds event are a great chance to learn more about winter birds. The activities are aimed at all age groups and levels of birding experience.’

Dave Fairlamb, Centre Manager

Arundel Events (Key below. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/arundel) Daily Activities Wetland Discovery Boat Safari Guided boat trip to spot water voles and kingfishers. First boat 11am, last boat 3.30pm.

Suggested donation of £1. WA Hand-feed Wildfowl Hand-feed exotic wildfowl. Until closing.

Grain £1.20 a bag; three bags for £3. WA Diving Duck Feed See some of the rarest waterfowl in the world show off their fishing skills. 2pm. WA

key

46

Saturdays and Sundays Guide in the Hide A guide is available to help you spot and identify wildlife. 11am1pm, 1.30-3.30pm. WA Sun 12 and Tues 21 October In Focus Sales Events Binocular and telescope demonstrations and tips. 10am-4pm. WA Sat 25 October to Sun 2 November Halloween Half-term Pond dipping for minibeasts and creepy crafts sessions. 11am1pm and 2-4pm. WA

Tues 28 to Thurs 30 October Make a Halloween Pumpkin Thirty-minute slots between 10.30am and 2.30pm. £5. UAA BE Fri 31 October Wetland Witch’s Potions Class Learn secrets about wild plants while mixing potions. 12.30-1.30pm or 2-3pm. £3PC. UAA BE Thurs 6 November Wildfowl Photography Workshop Photographer Robert Canis will teach you how

to produce breathtaking images. £89PP. IA BE Sat 22 November Wildlife Photography Photographer David Plummer helps advance your skills. 10am-4pm. £89PP. IA BE Sat 29 and Sun 30 November Discover Birds: Winter Edition Tours of the collection, walks and workshops.

9.30am-4pm. WA Thurs 4 December Willow Wreath Workshop

Make a willow wreath for your home. 10am12 noon. £8PP. UAA BE Sat 13 and Sun 14 December A Visit with Father Christmas This special visit with Santa in our rustic grotto includes a WWT gift and a Santa Snack of hot chocolate and a reindeer muffin.

10am-4pm. £10PC. BE UAA

Sat 13 to Wed 24 December 12 Days ’Til Christmas – Wild Style

We count down the days, celebrating WWT with a series of special activities each day. See website for details. WA Fri 26 December to Thurs 1 January 2015 Seasonal Crafts for Children Keep little hands busy with crafts. 2-4pm. WA Thurs 1 to Thurs 8 January 2015 Tick ’n’ Twitch Junior Visit the Discovery Hide to learn about our top 10 birds and get a free Tick ’n’ Twitch junior checklist. WA

BE Booking Essential RI Refreshments Included M/F Member/Friend IA price Includes Admission cost WA included With Admission cost UAA Usual Admission rates Apply WP Weather Permitting OAA Overnight Accommodation Available PC/PP Per Child/Person

Centre events are subject to change. Please phone for further information or visit the WWT website wwt.org.uk/visit/arundel /caerlaverock /castleespie /llanelli /london /martinmere /slimbridge /washington /welney

Waterlife

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

D O W N YO U R WAY Caerlaverock

Eastpark Farm, Caerlaverock, Dumfriesshire DG1 4RS 01387 770200 info.caerlaverock@wwt.org.uk

WWT Caerlaverock Wetland Centre Highlights Autumn and winter are an exciting time at the reserve. It’s the first full season of the new Sir Peter Scott Observatory, with great views and twice-daily swan feeds and commentaries.

Don’t forget to explore the touchscreen database, which hosts fascinating information about the birds.

And what of the birds themselves? Well, the pink-footed geese will have been the first to arrive back in September, while the barnacle geese will be dropping in around the time you receive this issue. As October progresses, the wildfowl numbers will be swelled further by the whooper swans, who will be completing their own incredible journeys in the coming weeks.

The autumn wader passage was excellent, with four little ringed plovers among the highlights. At least 750 greylag geese used the reserve, and 46 snipe were recorded on one day. House martins had a good summer, and the peregrine was seen more frequently as wildfowl and wader numbers started to increase.

To celebrate the influx, the centre is running swan and goose events during the October half-term holiday (see below). The fun will continue through the year, from advice on how to look after garden birds this winter to the New Year’s Day Bird Race.

The ospreys will have gone by now, but there were still daily sightings of them in August, which pleased an Australian family.

They’d been following the birds’ progress via the osprey cam, run by the Forestry Commission. When they came to Scotland, they couldn’t resist dropping in to see the birds themselves.

Finally, an unusual first: the Red Arrows flew over on their way to the opening of the Commonwealth Games, providing a sneak preview of their smoke trails as they tested them.

Barnacle geese

Behind the scenes

‘The new observatory has already been a great success, but this autumn and winter its panoramic views of the reserve filled with wildfowl will be a must-see.’

Brian Morrell, Centre Manager

Caerlaverock Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock) Daily Activities Guide in the Hide Our guides will point out the best wildlife of the day. See the ‘What’s on’ board in the visitor centre for details.

11am-3pm. WA UAA October to April 2015 Wild Swan Feeds See wild whooper swans from the new Sir Peter Scott Observatory, with live commentary. 11am and 2pm. WA UAA Until Sat 25 October Barnacle, Fish or Fowl? By Philippa Mitchell Philippa’s work and her exhibition are based on personal views on the migrating geese who return each October.

Includes monoprints by

Port Ellen Primary pupils. 10am-5pm. Free.

Sat 11 to Sun 12 October Wildlife Photography Weekend Course One-to-one tuition with Tom Langlands and Bob Fitzsimmons. Beginners to experienced photographers. Macro/ general. £170PP, incl coffee, tea and lunch both days. OAA BE RI Sundays 12 October, 9 November and 7 December Dawn Flight Experience the wild geese flighting in against the dawn sky. The coffee shop will be open for hot drinks and bacon rolls.

Bring warm, waterproof clothing, binoculars and

a torch. 6.45am, 6.30am and 7am respectively.

WA UAA BE OAA

Tuesdays 21 and 28 October Geese Galore Learn about geese and the incredible journeys they make to reach us.

Take part in games and craft activities. 10am2pm. WA UAA BE Thursdays 23 and 30 October Super Whooper Find out about our super whooper swans through activities, crafts and games. 10am-2pm.

WA UAA BE

Sat 25 October Barnacle Goose Monoprinting Drop-in Workshop

All ages (under-12s to be supported by an adult) and abilities can try drawing for monoprinting in response to Philippa Mitchell’s question: What do you think of barnacle geese? Part of The Big Draw (thebigdraw.org).

11am-1pm. WA UAA Sun 26 October Dusk Flight Watch the barnacle geese flight out to the Solway mudflats to their night-time roost. Bring warm, waterproof clothing, binoculars and a torch. 4.30-6pm. WA UAA BE OAA

Sun 2 November What’s That Goose?

Join WWT experts to

find and identify the geese and other wildfowl wintering at the reserve. 1-4pm. WA UAA BE OAA

Sun 2 November In Focus Try the latest binoculars and telescopes. In Focus experts are on hand to give advice. WWT Caerlaverock benefits from every sale.

10am-4pm. Free.

Sat 8 November Learn to Digiscope Join digiscoping expert and warden Mike Youdale for a handson introduction to digiscoping. 11am-3pm. £20PP. BE OAA Sat 29 to Sun 30 November

Wildlife Photography Weekend Course One-to-one tuition with Tom Langlands and Bob Fitzsimmons. Beginners to experienced photographers. Geese/ swans/general. £170PP, incl coffee, tea and lunch both days. OAA BE Sun 30 November and Sun 14 December Festive Feathered Friends Create Christmas treats for the birds in your garden. 12 noon-2pm.

WA UAA BE

Thurs 1 January 2015 New Year’s Day Bird Race Challenge our warden to see how many bird species you can spot in a day. 10am-4pm. WA UAA

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

Waterlife

47

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D O W N YO U R WAY Castle Espie

Ballydrain Road, Comber, Co Down BT23 6EA 028 9187 4146 info.castleespie@wwt.org.uk

WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre Highlights

Early October is one of the best times to visit WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, as the brent geese will be at their peak. WWT’s Kerry Mackie spent time in their Canadian High Arctic breeding grounds this year, on an expedition with Exeter University, during which time 70 Leisler’s bat goslings were ringed. It will be fascinating to find out how many of them make it to Strangford Lough. You’ll be able to celebrate their incredible journey with our event The Brent are Back, which you can enjoy every weekend in October.

Kerry reports that many turnstone and knot were preparing for the migration alongside the geese, so numbers of those waders should be good this winter. Teal and curlew have been returning, too, while little egrets, which bred on the lough this year, should be visible from the Brent Hide. Look out, too, for red-breasted mergansers, great crested grebes, oystercatchers, redshank and greenshank.

As autumn progresses, this is your last chance for batspotting, as the flying mammals fill up in preparation for their winter roost. A survey back in July revealed four species regularly using the site, including Daubenton’s, common and soprano pipistrelle, and the elusive Leisler’s. Another highlight from the summer was the first sighting of a painted lady butterfly for some years. Alder and dog’s-tooth moths were unexpected surprises, too.

The Sensory Garden opened to the public in September, and its new Garden Hide is a great place from which to watch the migrants return. Meanwhile, your children will love the Spellbound Festival, the Halloween event that includes storytelling, crafts and the chance for them to make their own bird feeders. Here Comes Santa! was a sell-out last December, so make sure you book early for this popular event full of festive fun and activities.

Red knot

Behind the scenes

‘It will be fascinating to find out if the knot and turnstone encountered during my Arctic brent work at 80 degrees north use the same flyway as the brent to winter on the lough.’

Kerry Mackie, Reserve Manager

Castle Espie Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/castleespie) Sat 11, Sun 12, Sat 18 and Sun 19 October The Brent are Back Discover more about the incredible and perilous journey taken by our light bellied brent geese from Arctic Canada to the shores of Strangford Lough.

Suitable for all ages.

2-4pm. WA Sat 18 October to Sun 23 November Kilmood Art Club

Annual Show An exhibition in the Castle Espie Gallery

by Kilmood Art Club, which features more than 75 paintings by club members who are both professional and gifted amateurs.

10am-4.30pm. UA Sat 25 October Bird Feeder Workshop Make a sunflower seed bottle feeder or a cone bird feeder with

Castle Espie Bird Watching Club at this bird feeder workshop, suitable for all ages.

Dot Blakely will answer any birdie questions.

11am-4pm. WA Sat 25 to Fri 31 October Spellbound Festival Feeling brave? Bring your little monsters along for a whole host of Halloween events: storytelling, arts and

crafts, face-painting, reptiles and creepy crawlies, fancy dress and more. 11am-4pm.

WA

Sundays 2, 9 and 16 November Guide in the Hide Join Dot Blakely, our resident birdwatching expert and guide in the hide, to find out more about the birds around Castle Espie. 2-4pm.

Saturdays and Sundays 6-7, 13-14 and 20-21 and Mon 22 December Here Comes Santa!

Have a magical time at Castle Espie this Christmas! Meet Santa in his festive grotto, have a go at making Christmas crafts, follow the Christmas trail and enjoy toasted marshmallows in the cosy Crannog.

10am - 4.30pm. Adults £5, children £12.50. BE Fri 26 December Boxing Day Walk We’re open on Boxing Day and there’s no better place to burn off the Christmas calories with a brisk walk. Feed the birds, visit the hides and enjoy the fresh air on one of our guided walks. 12 noon and 2pm. WA

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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Common pipistrelle

Llanelli Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/llanelli) Every Monday During Term Time Monday Munchkins Come along with your toddlers to take part in activities especially for them, with a different theme each week.

Activities will include pond dipping, minibeast hunting, arts and crafts, stories, games and feeding the birds.

11am-12 noon. UAA WA Weekends in October Weekend Activities Minibeast hunt: 11am-12 noon; family birdwatching: 1-2pm;

50

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pond dipping: 2.30pm; craft workshops: times vary (small charges apply to cover cost of materials). UAA WA Weekdays in October and November Guide in the Hide Autumn/winter is a great time to come birdwatching, with plenty of migratory birds to see. Find out more from our guide in the hide, who will point out different species, and provide binoculars and a telescope for you to use. Suitable for

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

adults and children.

Particularly beneficial to those wishing to improve their bird identification skills.

2-3pm. UAA WA Sat 25 October to Sun 2 November Half-term Holiday Fun Minibeast hunt: 11am-12 noon; family birdwatching: 1-2pm; pond dipping: 2.30pm; Halloween-themed craft workshops: times vary (small charges apply to cover cost of materials).

UAA WA

Sun 26 and Fri 31 October Spooky Nature Nights A fun-filled night exploring the spooky side of wetland wildlife, including a spinetingling animal encounter, bat detecting, torch-lit pond exploration, face-painting, craft activities, potion making, owl pellet dissecting, and handling skulls and other animal body parts.

Hot chocolate and treats for everyone and a free raffle. All children

will be given a goody bag to take home. Prize awarded for the best costume. This event is aimed at children aged 5+, but younger children are welcome and will still have fun. 5-7pm. ÂŁ10PC (aged 3 or over).

Each child aged 3+ can bring one adult for free.

Additional adults ÂŁ4.

Children aged 2 and under admitted free.

BE RI

Sundays from 26 October to 30 November Follow the Feed

Join one of our wardens on the afternoon bird feed. Watch hundreds of ducks waddle alongside the wheelbarrow, and excitedly swim and splash in anticipation of their afternoon meal before the feeding frenzy begins! This is a fantastic opportunity to see all of our collection birds close up and at their liveliest, and ask any questions about the birds we have here and how we look after them.

Suitable for everyone.

3.30pm. UAA WA

D O W N YO U R WAY Llanelli

Llwynhendy, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire SA14 9SH 01554 741087 info.llanelli@wwt.org.uk

WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre Highlights There’s an absolute host of fun and fascinating things to do at WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre between now and the end of the year, and they kick off with tie-ins to the WWT autumnal theme of Incredible Journeys. Throughout October, the popular Guide in the Hide will be on hand daily, rather than just at weekends, so that you can find out about the many species that are arriving at the reserve for the winter. During the half-term holidays there’ll be plenty of craft activities relating to animal migrations, including indoor and outdoor trails.

Minibeast hunts and pond dipping will still be available at weekends, building towards a Halloween focus at the end of the month, which will provide opportunities to make your own bat box, plus some thrilling Spooky Nature Nights. These are going to be extremely popular, so do book early.

Follow the Feed kicks off in the final week of October, and look out for the family birdwatching events in November. By December, the centre will be introducing Telescope in the Tower, providing you with breathtaking views across the estuary – an ideal introduction to birdwatching for novices.

During that month, you’ll also be able to enjoy Christmas craft workshops, and make your own robin nest boxes: very festive!

By August, nearly 50 greenshank had been recorded at the site, as well as 800 curlews, at least 50 little egrets, plus whimbrel and green sandpiper. Nearly 600 black-tailed godwits were also counted, and these large waders will still be on site for your October visit, as will hundreds of teal, pintail, wigeon, shoveler and other ducks. Dark-bellied brent geese will be out on the estuary, and if the pattern of the past seven years reoccurs, you’ve a chance of seeing a bittern. With oystercatchers out on the estuary, as well as knot and dunlin, there’s plenty to see as winter approaches.

Meanwhile, work on the new Water Lab is ongoing, and we’ll be able to update you on this exciting development next issue.

Wed 29 October Bat Box-Making Workshop Receive expert one-toone tuition to create a bat box to take home. £5 per box. Drop in any time between 11am-12 noon and 1-4pm. UAA Weekends in November Weekend Activities Family birdwatching: 11am-12 noon; guide in the Heron’s Wing Hide: 1-2pm; craft workshops: times vary (small charges apply to cover cost of materials).

UAA WA

Sundays in December Feed the Birds With Santa Listen out for Santa’s bell as he arrives to feed the birds… he needs a lot of little helpers!

This is a magical experience for young children and not to be missed. Don’t forget your camera! 2.45pm.

UAA WA

Weekends in December Weekend Activities Telescope in the tower: 11am-12 noon; snow goose talk in the Tundra

Pen: 1pm; Christmas craft workshops, including pom pom robins, tree decorations, bird-nesting stockings and Christmas lanterns: 2-4.30pm (small charges apply to cover cost of materials). UAA Weekdays in December Guide in the Viewing Tower Join us in our very warm, heated viewing tower to watch the birds in comfort. We will have our telescope set up to look for birds

Black-tailed godwit

Behind the scenes

‘Our annual Tick and Twitch event on 1 January is a great way to kick off your bird list.’

Nigel Williams, Centre Manager

on the estuary and saline lagoons, and will try to spot birds of prey over the saltmarsh.

Suitable for adults and children. Particularly beneficial to those wishing to improve their bird identification skills. 2-3pm.

UAA WA

Sat 6 and Sun 7 December Wreath-making Workshops Create your own natural wreath with the help of our volunteers, using materials gathered from

the wetlands. Drop in any time between 11am-12 noon and 1-4pm. £4 per wreath.

UAA

Sundays 14 and 21 December Robin Nest Box Workshops Receive expert one-to-one tuition to create your own robin nest box to take home.

The best Christmas present for a wildlife lover! Drop in any time between 11am-12 noon and 1-5pm. £5 per box.

UAA

Sat 20 December to Sun 4 January 2015 Holiday Fun Telescope in the tower: 11am-12 noon; snow goose talk in the Tundra Pen: 1pm; winter-themed craft workshops: 2-4.30pm (small charges apply to cover cost of materials).

UAA WA

Thurs 1 January 2015 Tick and Twitch Get your new year’s birding list off to a flying start! Suitable for all.

Families welcome.

9.30am-5pm. UAA WA

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

Waterlife

51

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D O W N YO U R WAY London

Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, London SW13 9WT 020 8409 4400 info.london@wwt.org.uk

WWT London Wetland Centre Highlights There’s a very special Christmas in store at WWT London Wetland Centre. On the weekend of 6-7 December, there’ll not only be the husky sleigh rides that have proved so popular in recent years, but Santa will be here with his reindeer… including baby Rudolph. Bring your family along to enjoy the magic.

But you don’t have to wait until December to enjoy a good time – we’ve a host of great events, including the exciting new Yuk! Show during the October half-term holiday. This time around, the theme is ‘bizarre bodies’ and you’ll be able to explore the fascinating ways in which wildlife is constructed.

From the dragonfly nymph’s rocket propulsion system to the humble worm’s watery skeleton, you’ll be gawping and marvelling at the wondrous bodily adaptations that help animals survive in the watery world of wetlands. There’s plenty of opportunity for audience participation, too.

Between the events, there’s lots to explore at London as the winter wildlife begins to appear. The reserve has enjoyed up to six bitterns in recent years, and while you’re peering into the reedbeds, keep an eye out for bearded tits, too. Wildfowl numbers are on the rise, with plenty of wigeon, gadwall and pochard settling on the lakes.

There’ll also be other unpredictable highlights, just as there were in late summer. A rock pipit and a marsh harrier were unusual sightings at the reserve, as was a ruff and a number of black-tailed godwits. The breeding season was a very good one, with lapwings, common terns and little ringed plovers all doing well. Kingfishers were a regular sight around the reserve, providing great opportunities for enthusiastic photographers who’ll be back in the coming months to make the most of the wonderful winter light. Why not come along and join them?

Baby reindeer

Behind the scenes

‘Don’t forget to sign up for the winter birdwatching walks, among our many popular seasonal events.’

Adam Salmon, Reserve Manager

London Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/london) Sat 11 October and Sun 14 December Introduction to Birdwatching This practical course will help you identify different birds as you take a one-and-a-halfhour walk around the reserve with a warden.

Followed by breakfast in our café. 9.30-11am. £20, incl breakfast. Bring your own binoculars/ telescope if possible. RI BE Call 020 8409 4400.

Sun 12 October UK Fungus Day Walks Join our fungi enthusiast for a stroll around the

reserve to identify fungi.

No previous knowledge required. 11am and 2pm. £6PP plus paid admission. BE Call 020 8409 4400.

Sat 25 October Introduction to Wildlife Photography Confused by the settings on your camera and want to take control of your photographic creativity? Author and photographer Iain Green will guide you through your camera’s automatic settings – and then show you how to turn off the ‘automatic ‘

mode. 10am-4pm. £55PP plus admission.

BE Call 020 8409 4400.

Sat 25 October to Sun 2 November The Yuk! Show: Bizarre Bodies See above. 2-2.45pm.

Admission to the show is free with paid admission to the centre, but call 020 8409 4400 to reserve your tickets.

Sat 1 November Members’ Talk – What’s for Lunch?

Come behind the scenes with our warden as he explains the contents of

the feed shed, and what we feed our feathered and furry friends. 1pm. £2. BE Sun 2 November Winter Birdwatching Walk This is a wonderful time to visit the reserve, with the winter birds decked out in their finest plumage. Our warden will guide you around the reserve to see what’s about and give you tips on fieldcraft and bird ID. 9.30-11am. £20PP. Bring binoculars/ telescope. UAA RI BE Call 020 8409 4400.

Sat 6 and Sun 7 December Santa with his Reindeer and Huskies See above. Sleigh rides are free with admission for children 8 or younger (weight restrictions).

There is no charge to see the reindeer. Visit to Santa £5PC (cash only), incl goody bag. UAA Sat 13 December Members’ Walk Join our warden on a 30-minute walk into our reedbeds – normally out of bounds. 1pm. £2.

Starting at Headley Hide. BE

Sun 14 December Pigglepog It is the night of the annual celebration of the animal kingdom, but Pigglepog may be the only one of his kind.

Help him find the other pigglepogs before a new day dawns. A production performed by children. Written by Katie Abbott. 2.30pm.

No admittance to the centre before 2pm. Joint tickets to the play and centre (entry all day) – adults £15.85, children 4-16 £13.30, under-4s £8, babies free.

BE 020 8409 4400.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

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D O W N YO U R WAY Martin Mere

Burscough, Ormskirk, Lancashire L40 0TA 01704 895181 info.martinmere@wwt.org.uk

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre Highlights As Waterlife went to print, WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre was putting into place the final preparations for the AGM on 2 October. On the previous evening, there was a special fundraising dinner to launch the celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the centre, and we’ll have more on this next issue. What we can reveal is that there’ll be a host of fun and fascinating things to do, including interactive trails around the grounds. We’ll also be asking visitors to contribute their own memories of the centre from the past four decades – just pick up a postcard from the foyer and fill in your anecdotes. You’ll also be able to follow updates via Martin Mere’s Twitter feed and Facebook page – make sure you join in and become part of the celebrations of Martin Mere’s very own Incredible Journey.

As half-term comes around, the centre will be laying on a pumpkin-fest for the approaching Halloween, with trails, carvings and more to enjoy. November has a true highlight, too: the ever-popular North West Bird Watching Festival is back, with stands, guest speakers, workshops and demonstrations, plus, of course, access to the hides to watch the wildlife.

In fact, the winter wildlife has already started to arrive.

By early October, the pink-footed geese should have settled on the reserve in their thousands, and the whooper swans will be dropping in soon. Numbers of many duck species, such as shelduck, pintail and wigeon, are on the rise, too.

Late summer was also a good time for birds, with kingfishers and marsh harriers regularly seen.

As Christmas approaches, there’ll be a special wintry scene to enjoy, whatever the weather. As you look out from the visitor centre across the lake, you’ll notice that Santa has taken up residence on his snowy island, and a visit with your children will be a great way to round off the year.

Pintail

Behind the scenes

‘One morning, before dawn, I was counting the pink-footed geese - 25,000 of them in all. I waited to see them take off - one of the greatest sights in nature.’

Tom Clare, Reserve Manager

Martin Mere Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/martinmere) Daily until 26 October Textiles Exhibition Browse the creative work of West Lancashire’s group of textile artists ‘One Step On’ in our exhibition hall. All day.

WA

Daily until Sun 2 November Otter Talk Meet our friendly family of otters – Ned, Tai, Penny, Bell and Flick – at 11.30am and 2.30pm. WA Flamingo Talk Learn all about the greater flamingos at

54

Waterlife

12.45pm. Find out why they are pink, what they eat and why they stand on one leg.

WA

Beaver Talk Visit the beaver lodge between 2pm and 2.30pm to see a beaver skull and touch a beaver pelt to feel their soft fur.

WA

Canoe Safari Our self-guided canoe safari is a fun way to explore the reedbed habitat and its rich biodiversity. Enjoy spotting some of the UK’s most threatened

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

species, ranging from water voles to reed buntings. 12 noon-4pm weekdays and 10.30am4pm weekends/ holidays. £6 per canoe (each canoe seats up to three).

UAA

Guided Boat Tours Take a peaceful tour of our wetlands and learn all about Martin Mere.

Enjoy watching wildlife, spotting dragonflies, listening for warblers and admiring the wildflowers. Check at the information desk for times. £3PP. UAA

Every Thursday during term time Toddler Thursday Gosling Gang Come along with your toddlers to enjoy story time and craft activities every Thursday during term time at 10.30am and 1.30pm. WA Saturdays 11, 18 and 25 October Dawn Flights Experience the haunting sound and thrill of an earlymorning visit to a hide with a warden. Followed by breakfast in the café overlooking Swan Lake.

7am. £15PP. IA BE

Sun 19 October Meet Reptiles Come along and meet reptiles from the North West Reptile Society in our lecture theatre.

12 noon-3pm. WA Sat 25 October to Sun 2 November Pumpkin Fest Carve a scary face into your own pumpkin (extra charge applies), go on an incredible journey to find our hidden pumpkins and see hundreds of whooper swans and thousands of pinkfooted geese as they journey to Martin Mere

for the winter.

11am-4pm. UAA Fri 31 October Birdwatching Morning Join Andy Bunting from In Focus to develop your bird identification skills in the field, and receive expert advice on using guides and choosing binoculars and telescopes. 7am12 noon. £22PP. BE Sat 1 November Wildlife Photography Workshop A fascinating workshop with Andy Bunting from In Focus introducing you to the finer points of

Pink-footed geese

wildlife photography, going beyond automatic settings to create truly spectacular images.

10am-4pm. £65PP. BE Saturdays 1 and 8 November Dawn Flights Experience the haunting sound and thrill of an earlymorning visit to a hide with a warden. Followed by breakfast in the café overlooking Swan Lake.

7am. £15PP. IA BE Sun 2 November Drawing and Painting Birds Join award-winning

local artist and illustrator Tony Disley to explore the process from drawing through to a finished painting of a bird subject.

10am-4pm. £50PP. BE Mon 3 November to Fri 5 December Photography Exhibition Browse the stunning work of wildlife and bird photographer Barrie Kelly in the exhibition hall.

All day. WA Daily from Mon 3 November Swan Spectacular

Watch the spectacular sight of thousands of whooper swans, ducks and geese feeding on the mere at 3pm from the Swan Link Hide and 3.30pm from Raines Observatory. The Raines Observatory feed includes a warden’s talk to learn about the incredible journeys of these majestic creatures. WA

waterfowl species that WWT is undertaking conservation work on around the world.

1.30pm. WA

Daily from Mon 3 November Conservation Talk Listen to a talk and watch a feed while learning all about some of Martin Mere’s

Sat 22 to Sun 23 November North West Bird Watching Festival England’s biggest bird festival north of Rutland. Two days of

Sun 16 November Meet Reptiles Come along and meet reptiles from the North West Reptile Society in our lecture theatre.

12 noon-3pm. WA

walks, talks and exhibitors ranging from optics to holidays to clothing. This year’s guest speakers include Mike Dilger and David Lindo. 8am.

UAA

Every weekend from Sat 29 November to Sun 21 December New in 2014 – Visit Santa’s Island Visit Santa in his cabin on Santa’s Island.

10am-4pm. £6, incl the child’s visit to Santa, a free gift, a free craft and a bag of bird food to feed Santa’s ducks.

Weekdays from Mon 1 to Fri 19 December Christmas Dinners Enjoy a two- or three-course Christmas dinner overlooking Swan Lake in Mere Side Café. Call to obtain a menu. 12 noon-2pm.

IA

Sun 14 December Meet Reptiles Come along and meet reptiles from the North West Reptile Society in our lecture theatre.

12 noon-3pm.

WA

UAA

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Water rail

Slimbridge Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/slimbridge) Daily Until Thurs 8 January 2015 (except Christmas Day) Otters – Back from the Brink Meet our friendly family of otters – Flo, Minnie and Ha Ha – and hear a talk as they tuck into a tasty fish supper.

11.30am and 3pm. WA Amphibian Talk Come to Toad Hall and hear our amphibian expert give an insight into the world of amphibians. You will have the opportunity to hold some of the collection of frogs, toads and newts, and ask questions. 2.15pm daily,

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plus 12.30pm at weekends and school holidays. WA Guided Walk Join a volunteer 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. They will also give you an insight into some of the work of WWT. 10.30am. WA Saturdays until Sat 3 January 2015 Decoy Demonstrations How do you catch a

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

duck with a dog? Watch our very own furry canine assisting with conservation work as birds are caught and ringed in the decoy nets.

Book at the admission desk. 2pm. WA Sat 11 and Sun 12 October Birdwatch Morning Join the warden to watch the high tide bring hundreds of birds closer to the shore. Look out for the waders who are in the process of making their migration journey, using Slimbridge as a resting place along the way.

8am. £15PP. BE RI

Fri 24, Sat 25 and Sun 26 October Without Measure – contemporary dance performance See a new Swan Lake for the 21st century in this stunning performance in the beautiful setting of Slimbridge. Dancers have taken inspiration from the birds here and will bring to life their discoveries in this thought-provoking performance. 4-6pm.

Adults £12, children and concessions £8. BE Sat 25 October to Sun 2 November Incredible Journeys Discover which rarities

visit Slimbridge and learn more about the journeys they make.

Includes a discovery trail and arts and crafts.

WA

Sat 25 October to Sun 2 November Pumpkin Treasure Hunt Where are the pumpkins hiding in the grounds? Can you find them all to win a tasty Halloween treat? WA Sun 2 November to Thurs 8 January 2015 (except Christmas Day) Wild Bird Feed Don’t miss this fantastic

winter spectacle. From the heated observatory, hear our warden’s commentary as he feeds the thousands of wintering wild birds and hundreds of Bewick’s swans that have flown from Arctic Russia to be here. 4pm. WA Sat 8 and Sun 9 November Birdwatch Morning Join the warden to watch the high tide bring hundreds of birds closer to the shore. Look out for the waders who are in the process of making their migrational journey, using Slimbridge as a

D O W 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 Highlights The return of the Bewick’s swans is one of the most anticipated events of the year, and by mid to late October, the first birds should be back from their summer breeding season in Arctic Russia. During the half-term holidays, families will be able to find out more about their incredible journeys, as well as those of other migratory birds and rarities. There’ll be a range of arts and crafts to enjoy, too. Look out for our exciting modern dance event from 24-26 October, which coincides with the birds’ return. On the Sunday, watch the human interpretation of the swans, then enjoy the real thing at the floodlit feed.

This is also the time of year when wind-blown seabirds may put in an appearance across the reserve. Manx shearwaters and kittiwakes are among the species seen in recent autumns.

The first white-fronted geese should be arriving now, and make sure you visit the Zeiss Hide, which is a good viewing point for spotting bitterns. Water rails are more visible as winter approaches, too.

Come December, we’ll be celebrating Sir Peter Scott’s achievements in an event called Peter Scott: A Remarkable Life.

There’ll be plenty to do and see, including some special interactive trails to follow. Of course, December is also the month of Christmas, and this year Santa’s grotto is a must-visit – it’s going to be popular, so be sure to book early.

It should all top off a great year at the centre. The hot days of summer, when the centre’s otters were fed fish lollies to keep them cool, seem a long time ago, but since the last issue, we’ve had a number of things to celebrate, including the first breeding of blue-headed wagtails on the reserve, an amazing season for avocets with up to 20 young fledged, and a kingfisher brood that provided wonderful photo opportunities.

resting place along the way. 8am. £15. BE RI

one-to-one tuition.

10am-4pm. £60. BE RI

skills to a new level.

8am-12 noon. £27. BE RI

Fri 21 November 6 Intermediate Wildlife Photography with Iain Green Understand how your camera works and the basics of photography, but want to fine-tune your photography of the natural world? Based in the classroom and outside, you will explore and practise various advanced techniques and subjects. Suitable for users of SLR cameras only. The content will be tailored to attendees, with plenty of time for

Sat 22 to Sun 23 November Trevor Smith – Birds in Flight Learn about drawing and painting wildlife from professional artist Trevor Smith, and receive expert feedback over this two-day course. 10am-5pm both days. £70.

Sat 6 December 4 Dursley Male Voice Choir The Dursley Male Voice Choir will be singing in the foyer. Enjoy a coffee in the Swan Café and listen to its repertoire.

10.30am and 11.30am.

BE RI

Fri 5 December Advanced Birder Learn to assess fine details such as plumage, weather conditions and habitats to take your

WA

Saturdays and Sundays 6-7, 13-14 and 20-21 December Breakfast/Afternoon Tea with Santa Enjoy a magical festive experience. Explore the elves’ bedroom as you wait to see Santa in his

Bewick’s swans

Behind the scenes

‘Humbugs has been the first Bewick’s swan to return for three years running. Will she make it a fourth this year?’

Julia Newth, WWT swan expert

grotto. Tell Santa your Christmas wishes and receive a gift. Write and send a letter to the North Pole, decorate a gingerbread man, toast marshmallows around the fire and enjoy Christmas storytelling.

Price includes breakfast or afternoon tea, visit to the grotto with a gift, and other experiences brought to life by Santa’s helpers and elves. All day. Adults £7.95, children £19.95, under-2s free. BE Saturdays and Sundays 6 December to Sun 4 January 2015 Floodlit Swan Feed

Enjoy the spectacle of thousands of wild birds and Bewick’s swans wintering on Swan Lake in floodlight.

Listen to the warden’s commentary from the observatory and discover how we identify each Bewick’s swan individually. 6pm. £6PP, £4PC. Thurs 11, Fri 12 December and Thurs 8, Fri 9 January Floodlit Swan Supper Experience the magic of a floodlit commentated swan feed before enjoying a delicious three-course meal. Learn all about the

rare Bewick’s swans and how we can identify each one by its individual bill pattern.

After the swans have had their dinner, you will enjoy your own in the restaurant. 6.15pm. £29.95. BE RI Sat 20 December to Sun 4 January 2015 Peter Scott: A Remarkable Life A fascinating look at Scott’s remarkable life and achievements, through pictures and activities, including an interactive trail within the grounds. This event will be of interest to all ages. WA

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Washington

Pattinson, Washington, Tyne and Wear NE38 8LE 0191 416 5454 info.washington@wwt.org.uk

WWT Washington Wetland Centre Highlights All going well, by the time you read this, there could be fluffy grey youngsters among the centre’s Chilean flamingo flock.

There haven’t been any young hatched at the centre for seven years, but in late summer 17 eggs were laid, showing that the hand-rearing of the previous generation has been a success.

The eggs were incubated at the centre, while dummy eggs were placed in the flamingo nests, but as soon as staff heard the first calls from within the shell, they put them back so that the young could bond with their parents the instant they hatched, the first one doing so at the end of August.

This tops off a great breeding season at Washington. The staff particularly focused efforts on three species of duck – Meller’s duck and white-winged duck both successfully hatched eggs, but Baer’s pochard results were particularly exciting. The bird is rapidly approaching extinction in the wild, so the nine eggs laid, and nine successful hatchings, are a wonderful boon.

You’ll be able to find out more about some of Washington’s species on the Incredible Journey trail later this autumn, which focuses on remarkable migrations. It has a great deal of human interest, too, covering the volunteers who have helped to look after the flock of more than 60 flamingos, plus staff and members’ own fascinating personal journeys through life.

By the end of October, the Nature Fright Nights, including lamplight stories, potion-making and bat detection, will be a great way for your family to celebrate Halloween.

The summer theme of Nature Explorers was a huge success, with children filling in their nature passports and finding out about the world around them. Summer may be over, but the adventure isn’t, and bird numbers will be soaring by now, as curlews, godwits and more congregate on the water bodies.

Male goldeneye

Behind the scenes

‘Otters are often seen now that the river has been let into the reserve, and goldeneye and goosander should add to the winter highlights.’

Gill Pipes, Centre Manager

Washington Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/washington) Daily Activities Otter Feeds Meet Musa and Mimi, as they devour tasty fish at commentated feeds.

11.30am and 3pm. WA Saturdays 11 October, 8 November and 13 December Junior Members Club Monthly sessions to discover the natural world in a fun way. For young members aged eight to 12. 10am12 noon. Call Joanne Newbury on 0191 419 5933 or email joanne. newbury@wwt.org.uk.

Saturdays 18 October, 15 November and 20 December

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Walk With a Warden Join our wildlife reserve manager as he leads a themed guided tour around our site. Meet in the picture window at reception at 2pm. WA Sat 25 October to Sun 2 November October Half-term Join us for crafts in the Discovery Centre and find out more about the incredible journeys that people and birds make on their way to wetlands with our seasonal trail.

Crafts 1-3.30pm (small costs apply). UAA Sundays 26 October and 28 December In Focus

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

Check out the latest in optical equipment and chat to the experts. Test, select and buy state-ofthe-art binoculars and telescopes. Part exchanges considered and used stock available.

A percentage of every sale is donated to WWT. Wed 29, Thurs 30 and Fri 31 October Nature Fright Nights See nocturnal nature at its worst! Make a lantern before taking a nighttime stroll around our wetlands, detecting bats in the creepy Hollowood and listening to stories by lamplight in Hunter’s Creek cabin. Mix your own spell potion and

enjoy a spooky cookie and hot chocolate. All children must be accompanied by an adult and please bring an empty jam jar to create your lantern.

This event is unsuitable for small toddlers, and outdoor clothing and footwear is recommended. 5-7pm. £8PC/PP. BE RI IA

Mon 24 November to Fri 19 December (excluding weekends) Christmas Lunches Enjoy a festive feast in Waterside Café.

12 noon-2pm, £16.95PP/£8.50PC (two courses, vegetarian option available).

IA BE Call the café on 0191 416 5454 ext 235 for details and booking.

Saturdays 1 November and 6 December Guide in a Hide Learn more about our wild bird species with our volunteer guide.

10am-12 noon and 2-4pm. Please check on arrival for which hide they’re in. WA

Saturdays 6 and 13 December Winterland Santa Special Join us on a guided winter walk, make a reindeer snack for Rudolph and create a wooden animal (one per child). Then head to

Santa’s cabin where he will listen to children’s Christmas wishes and present them with a gift.

10am-noon and 1-3pm. £10PC/£5PP. BE IA Every weekend in December, plus daily over the school holidays (Sat 20 December to Sun 4 January 2015, except Christmas Day) Winter Crafts Create festive decorations, design a Christmas jam jar lantern, make a log bird feeder or design a Crimbo collage.

1-3.30pm in the Discovery Centre. Small costs apply. UAA

D O W N YO U R WAY Welney

Hundred Foot Bank, Welney, Nr Wisbech, Cambridgeshire PE14 9TN 01353 860711 info.welney@wwt.org.uk

WWT Welney Wetland Centre Peregrine

Map illustration by Fred Van Deelen; photos by Alamy; FLPA; NHPA; Nature PL; James Lees

Highlights The whooper swans will be arriving in October, with birds dropping in on an almost daily basis. Some of them will have previously passed through WWT Caerlaverock and Martin Mere Wetland Centres, and numbers should be building steadily through the month, so you won’t want to miss the swan feeds that start at the end of October. WWT Welney Wetland Centre will also be running roost counts around the same time. When you visit, scan the flocks of swans for those with leg rings, which you can then look up on our interactive swan screen in the main observatory.

By November, the Bewick’s swans will be coming back, too, and you’ll be able to make the most of this seasonal treat with our Festival of Swans on 15 and 16 November. Anything swan-related, it’ll be covered during that exciting weekend.

It’s not just about the swans, though. Pochard numbers will be on the increase and as they congregate on the main lagoon, they’re easy to see. Wader flocks will be building, too, and, if previous years are anything to go by, peregrines should be on the hunt, providing great sightings on a daily basis.

You won’t want to stay too long in bed during the crisp December mornings, as the light is great for photography.

Don’t miss our Swans Awake sessions, when the calls of the whoopers enliven the early hours. They’ve made the effort to get here – you’ll enjoy the rewards if you do the same.

These winter pleasures are coming on the back of a great breeding season, with plenty of snipe, teal, shoveler and shelduck young being hatched. On one day in August, no fewer than 35 snipe were seen by those in the visitor centre – along with a glossy ibis! Green and wood sandpipers, as well as greenshank, were other late summer highlights.

Behind the scenes

‘November is one of my favourite months: the swans will be back in large numbers, and when the conditions are right there are such evocative views across the main lagoon.’

Emma Brand, Welney Marketing Manager

Welney Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/welney) Daily Beginners’ Birding Walks A guided walk to introduce you to birdwatching. For all ages. 11am-12 noon, Mondays; 1-2pm, Sundays. Booking advisable. WA October Wildfowl Walks A guided walk to help you brush up on your ducks. 1-2pm, Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Booking advisable. WA Sat 18 or Sun 19 October Photography Workshop

Join David Featherbe for a day, teaching you how to get the best from your camera with our wintering wildfowl as your subject matter.

Saturday 10am-4pm; Sunday 7am-1pm. £60PP. BE Daily from Thurs 23 October Swan Feed Join us for our fantastic commentated swan feeds. 3.30pm. WA Thurs 23 October to Sun 2 November Incredible Journeys Half-term Family Fun Welcome back the wintering swans and ducks as the swan feeds

start. Lots of family activities. See website for details. WA Saturdays and Sundays 25-26 October, and 1-2 and 29-30 November Swans Awake Join us before dawn breaks across the washes to watch thousands of swans wake up from their roosting sites on the reserve. See website for times. £12PP. Optional breakfast extra. BE WP Thurs to Sun each week from 1 November Floodlit Swan Feed Experience the sight of swans gliding on the

floodlit lagoon after dark. The commentated feed is an event that can be enjoyed by the whole family. 6.30pm. WA Sat 15 or Sun 16 November Photography Workshop Join David Featherbe for a half-day, teaching you how to get the best from your camera with our wintering wildfowl as your subject matter.

Both workshops include a swan feed. Saturday 1-4pm; Sunday 7-10am. £45PP. BE Sat 15 and Sun 16 November Festival of Swans

As our swan numbers build, join us to celebrate these amazing birds. Learn about their migrations, how we monitor them and more! The weekend is packed with activities.

See website for details.

6.30am-8pm. WA Daily from Fri 26 December Swan Feed Fantastic commentated swan feeds at lunchtime.

After Christmas, the swans and ducks get an extra feed during the coldest part of winter.

12 noon. WA Late December to January 2015

Hare Walks Join us for a guided walk out on Lady Fen to get close to the hares and other wildlife. 1-2pm, Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Booking advisable. WA Sat 20 December to Mon 5 January 2015 Winter Wonderland Christmas Family Fun Join us to witness stunning scenery and incredible wildlife. Lots of family activities. See website for details. WA Thurs 1 January 2015 Tick and Twitch Visit us on the first day of 2015 to start your New Year’s bird list! WA

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THE BIG PICTURE

THE YEAR IN NUMBERS Thanks to your help and support, it’s been an extraordinary year in the life of WWT Back in 1946, Sir Peter Scott founded This will tie in with our growing what was to become WWT, with the ‘working wetlands’ programme, which aim not just of saving species and involves using wetland features to soak their habitats, but of bringing people up rainwater, helping to stop flooding and nature closer together. This was and filter out pollution. Whether on a small scale – such as the management a visionary approach: he knew that of water in a garden or running off a conservation was only possible with car park – or on a huge scale – such the backing of public support. as the UK’s biggest-ever coastal Today, nearly 70 years later, your support is enabling wonderful things to realignment project, which is being managed by WWT at Steart (for more happen. In April, the books closed on on this exciting project, see page 31) the achievements of 2013/14… and what an amazing year it was. Together, – we’ll be working towards the creation of new environments that benefit we’ve really made a difference for people and wildlife. wildlife and wetlands, saving species And what of the wildlife itself? from the brink of extinction, working towards the creation of new wetlands, Many species throughout the world and all the while bringing people and are declining at an alarming rate, but nature even closer together. Over the through our expertise and conservation page you’ll be able to discover just breeding techniques, we have a some of the things you’ve helped us genuine chance of slowing and even reversing some of those declines. to achieve.

Species such as the spoon-billed In the years to come, we’ll continue sandpiper and the Madagascar to build on these successes. In an pochard are already benefiting from increasingly urbanised world, we’re this work, but there’s still so much working to welcome more visitors to more to be done. our wetland centres across the UK Together, we can do it. If you turn so that as many people as possible the page, you’ll see just a small can enjoy the feeling of being selection of the highlights close to nature. And we’ll be providing of this past year, and we opportunities for them can all be proud of to take home the them. Remember, TURN THE PAGE principles they without you, none TO SEE A SELECTION see, so that they of this would be possible. Just can bring water OF THE AMAZING and nature into their think what we can ACHIEVEMENTS OF own environment achieve together and lives. in the years ahead.

THE YEAR

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WWT P EO P LE

364

WWT’s team includes experts in birds and other animals, plants, health and water management, and helps communities and wildlife to live in harmony with the natural environment. WWT has 364 full-time staff – that’s one for every day of the year that our centres are open (except Christmas Day – everyone needs a day off!).

205,000 MEMBERS You are one of 205,000 WWT members – and together you spent 1.5 million hours at WWT wetland centres. Between you, you have been members for more than 565,000 years.

269,591 CHILDREN

Last year, 269,591 children visited a WWT centre, inspiring the next generation to protect wetlands and save wildlife.

720

MILLION The media loves a good story, and 5,500 articles about WWT were published last year, with a combined readership of 720 million, helping spread the word about wetland wildlife.

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

£1.1

MILLION No fewer than 715 volunteers contributed 176,000 hours of their time – time that’s worth £1.1 million.

10,000

VISITORS…

IN ONE DAY

The busiest day of the year was the May Day bank holiday, when 10,000 people visited our centres.

837,000 If Wembley Stadium were filled nine times, it still wouldn’t cater for the 837,000 visitors to WWT wetland centres.

828 ADOPTIONS Adoptions are one of the best ways to bring people and nature closer together. Last year, 828 new adopters pledged their support for their favourite wetland species, bringing the total to 3,637.

WETLAN DS & WI LD LI F E

25+75+A 25%

Hand-raising and releasing 16 spoon-billed sandpipers means that the number of fledglings in the wild has increased by 25%.

1,000 22 MILLION To keep our grasslands from overgrowing, and enable wildlife to thrive, WWT grazes 1,000 cows and 350 sheep across parts of the reserves.

By building sustainable drainage systems into our car parks, we distributed 22 million litres of rainwater away from overloaded drains and into the landscape to nourish the plants.

70,000

Lobbying to stop the Severn Estuary barrage saved the habitat of 70,000 birds and 100 species of fish. WWT is lobbying for less environmentally damaging tidal-energy technology to be developed instead.

77 Around the world, 77 countries are now members of Wetland Link International, a support network set up by WWT for wetland education centres.

1,500 3,148 HECTARES

WWT Consulting restored or created 1,500 hectares of wetland habitat around the world. At workshops in the UK, Sri Lanka, China and South Korea, 300 people were trained in wetland management.

We manage and protect 3,148 hectares of prime wetland habitat, so that you can get close to the action.

609km

2

In the search for a new home for the Madagascar pochard, 609km2 of wetlands were surveyed – that’s equivalent to an area more than 10 times the size of Loch Ness.

Meanwhile, we have raised 50 Madagascar pochards in our conservation breeding facility – that’s TWICE the number that is left in the wild.

1,168,841

Toilets can waste a lot of water; we harvested 1,168,841 litres of rainwater from our roofs to flush visitor toilets.

20 CRANES 4 BILLION A further 20 cranes – which have been missing from the UK for more than 400 years – have been released on the Somerset Levels.

We treated more than four billion litres of water from our centres – that’s enough to fill 1,650 Olympic-sized swimming pools – feeding clean water into either our wetland reserves or the wider environment.

thank you These are amazing achievements, and you’re a part of them all. None of this is possible without your help, and we look forward to working together to achieve even more in the years ahead.

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Classified directory

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

Waterlife 65 03/09/2014 11:04

B AC K C H AT

PAST, PRESENTER AND FUTURE Twenty-five years after the passing of Sir Peter Scott, TV’s Bill Oddie recalls the man and his remarkable vision

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been

He had one more thing to point out.

‘Would you like to see a lesser whitefronted goose?’ he asked. Would I? There was a flock of the greater white-fronts on the reserve, and a single lesser was among them. He was about to point it out, but I stopped him. ‘Let me see if I can find it,’ I said. He lowered his arm and smiled, then watched me as I scanned the flock. I found it, and I pointed it out to him. He nodded

66

Waterlife

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2014

Bill Oddie believes Sir Peter would be delighted by the work of WWT today

Alamy

without Sir Peter for a quarter of a century. Has it really been that long?

I remember when I used to live in Birmingham, I would pop down to Slimbridge quite often, taking my little Brownie camera with me and hoping for a photo of a lesser white-fronted goose, the birds that inspired Peter to set up a wetland centre at Slimbridge in the first place. I took many, many photos, but I never saw a lesser white-front, although I would see Peter quite often, as he got about his business at the centre.

Then, one day in the 1980s, he sent me a letter. I still have it. It had a line of bean geese painted across the top of it, a lovely, straggly line, and as I read it, I got a thrill. He was inviting me down for a chat. ‘He wants to see me,’ I thought. ‘He wants to see me!’

Off I went, and once I was there, he invited me into the cottage for tea and scones. We chatted about this and that, Lady Scott popping in for a word now and then, too. He’d recently been to the Seychelles, and he brought out a collection of paintings of tropical fish he’d made to show me. They were wonderful waterproof watercolours, beautifully created… his enthusiasm was brilliant. It was like being with the eternal schoolboy, always showing off, always wanting to point out something new to you.

Peter sent me a letter. It had a line of bean geese painted across the top of it, a lovely, straggly line, and as I read it, I got a thrill. He was inviting me for a chat and, again, gave me an affable smile. It was a great feeling.

Another of my birding haunts in days past was Barn Elms reservoirs in west London, a wonderful place for smew and much more. In the late 1980s, I was invited there to see early sketches and hear about formative plans for a wetland centre at the site. At the time, I must say, I thought it was a bit pie in the sky, but it turned out that Peter knew what he was talking about. London Wetland Centre

is now a fabulous, iconic place, and I think he’d be thrilled by what it’s become. Conservation is often about creation, and Peter, with his remarkable mix of the scientific and the artistic, had the vision to see these things.

He’d be delighted by so much of the work of WWT today – spoon-billed sandpipers, Madagascar pochards and much more – and it’s so good to know that, even though he’s been gone for 25 years, his vision lives on.

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