WWT Waterlife March - June 2021

Cover VERSION REPRO OP

The WWT magazine | 215 March/June 2021 | £4.25 | wwt.org.uk

SUBS ART

New life this spring

PRODUCTION

SIX ADORABLE YOUNG WATERBIRDS TO SPOT

CLIENT

Love is in the air Our top tips for capturing spring courtship displays

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Winning photos Be amazed by the finalists in our photo competition

Wild orchids

Blue cities

Now is the time to spot these glamorous flowers

Our plan to create more wetlands in our cities

91WTLMAR21118.pgs 26.02.2021 17:46

Contents, 1

CONTENTS VERSION

BLUE SPACE IS GOOD FOR US

SUBS

Experiencing nature has been shown to support good mental health, especially in our cities

ART

In this issue...

PRODUCTION

4 7 16 18 20 23 28 36 42 44 48 66

Welcome Kevin Peberdy on building wetlands for the future News The latest WWT conservation news from around the world Your views Your letters and the pick of your photos Life on our reserves How we’re giving a home to wildlife such as sand martins Spotter’s guide Discover the most exotic blooms found on our sites: orchids Spring to life Meet the young waterbirds finding their feet at our wetlands Blue cities Find out how our cities can be made better for us, thanks to water View finder See the spectacular winners of our photography competition Photo masterclass: spring courtship Top tips for capturing bird displays Kids’ zone Steve Backshall gets in a flurry about fantastic feathers Great days out There’s still so much to enjoy at a wetland centre near you Back chat Find out what inspires the young winner of our photo contest

CLIENT

Do something amazing – LEAVE A GIFT TO WWT IN YOUR WILL Wetlands support a huge amount of life, providing homes and food for many species, and sustaining communities. But with half of the world’s wetlands lost in the past 100 years, we need your help to protect these precious places.

To make your lasting gift to wetlands, please get in touch with our Legacy Team via giftsinwills@wwt.org.uk, on 01453 891150 or visit wwt.org.uk/gifts-in-wills

WWT is the 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 wwt.org.uk membership@wwt.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1030884 and SC039410 CENTRES

For full contact details, please see individual centre pages, from page 48 WWT Arundel 01903 883355 WWT Caerlaverock 01387 770200 On the cover: Shutterstock

REPRO OP

closed – only Steart Marshes in Somerset was allowed to stay open for local people to use for exercise – but we couldn’t stop thinking about the importance of access to open spaces.

Fortunately, many city planners are starting to appreciate the value of green and blue space for our health and wellbeing. Visible water (or blue space) – such as rivers, ponds, lakes, ports, canals and fountains – is crucial in achieving sustainable urban development. A city is like a living human organism: it cannot thrive without water. Some of the greatest cities of the past have fallen due to their inability to manage water. Find out more about how we can make our cities blue on page 28.

We know our members appreciate the restorative effects of visiting our reserves, and our annual photo competition is a great opportunity to see our wetlands through your lenses. Thank you to everyone who entered – viewing your images lifted our spirits immeasurably during lockdown. The cream of the crop are showcased on page 36, and you can find out what inspires our inaugural young winner, Keira Jo Callaway, on page 66.

We hope we’ll be able to open our doors for you again soon, so that you can be uplifted by the joy and beauty of our spring babies – all the young waterbirds finding their feet around our reserves.

Meet some of the main characters on page 23.

The challenge of lockdown continues, but together we’ve made it this far and with your support we can make it through. We’ve been humbled by the commitment and generosity of WWT supporters during this crisis. If you can, please make a donation at wwt.org.uk/emergency

Sam Stafford/WWT

At the time of writing, we were still in national lockdown. Our reserves across the country were

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 magazine of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Managing editor: Sophie Gore Browne waterlife@wwt.org.uk Editor: Sophie Stafford sophie.stafford@thinkpublishing.co.uk Chief sub-editor: Marion Thompson Art director: John Pender Contributors: Paul Bloomfield, Dominic Couzens, Stuart Jackson Carter, Derek Niemann, David Tipling Editorial board: Hannah Clifford, Kate Dawson, Andrew Foot, Geoff Hilton, Baz Hughes, Rob Shore, Mark Simpson Sales executive: Jamie Dawson jamie.dawson@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7201 Account director: John Innes, Think, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH thinkpublishing.co.uk

Waterlife is published four times a year, and is printed by Walstead Southernprint on Norcote Trend 70gsm, a PEFC accredited paper coming from well-managed forests and containing 40% recycled content. Views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of WWT. ISSN: 1752-7392 Average net circulation for the period Jan-Dec 2020: 85,490

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Waterlife

3

91WTLMAR21119.pgs 26.02.2021 17:48

VERSION

WETLANDS FOR THE FUTURE

REPRO OP

Kevin Peberdy, WWT Chief Operating Officer

SUBS ART PRODUCTION

As I write this in early February, I can feel a change in the air. The days are getting longer and green shoots and snowdrops have appeared in the garden. But despite the optimism brought by these signs of spring, national lockdown restrictions have undeniably made it a tough start to the year for everyone. My sympathy goes out to all of you, whatever your circumstances.

I’m particularly saddened that under Government guidance we are currently unable to open our doors as a place of natural solace during these dark days.

There are lots of surprising things about wetlands, and one is that the depths of winter can be the busiest, noisiest and most spectacular time to experience them.

Like many, I’ve been working from home and I miss the vast flocks of

CLIENT

4

Waterlife

JANUARY/MARCH 2020

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

golden plovers and lapwings that stream skyward like fireworks over the reserve at Slimbridge whenever they’re spooked by a bird of prey out hunting.

Past and future Recently, I’ve been reflecting on the origins of WWT. Not least because we’ve been thinking about the future a lot, and how WWT can best contribute to solving the big crises of our time: biodiversity loss, climate change, human wellbeing. But also because later this year, in November, we’ll be celebrating WWT’s 75th anniversary.

Though it feels strange to be planning celebrations at this point in time, it’s important to reflect on what WWT has achieved since those early days of the Severn Wildfowl Trust at Slimbridge in

1946. Sir Peter Scott and those around him were way ahead of their time in recognising that human behaviour was capable of driving a species to extinction.

In developing protected areas, including Slimbridge and then multiple other sites, and showing how they need to be managed for wetland species, particularly migratory wildfowl, Scott was a true pioneer. He initiated research into those migratory species that, through the decades since, has given us the absolute evidence of the impacts people continue to have on some of those species – and what we now need to do to save them.

As Sir David Attenborough said, “Long before words like biodiversity were coined, Peter looked out from that huge window in his house at Slimbridge and realised our

Welcome, 1

WELCOME

Conservation conversations We have come a long way. We now protect vast areas of wetlands in the UK and internationally. Extinction is a widely understood concept. There are many international treaties designed to prevent it.

It’s talked about by princes and presidents.

And it’s the subject of global mainstream entertainment, from nature documentaries to animated feature films.

After decades of research and monitoring we know the life cycles and population history of many of the species that Scott was concerned about. We know so much

more about what threatens their existence and we have much greater understanding about what needs to be done to save them.

WWT has always been a conservation charity. In fact, it has been said that our headquarters, Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, is the birthplace of modern conservation due to the myriad developments conceived there since the 1940s. And, like wider society, we’ve constantly evolved over the years as our knowledge of the world has changed.

As it became clear that individual species cannot survive unless their habitat is healthy – no matter how many of their number we could protect or breed and release into the wild – our focus expanded to cover their wetland homes. We also focused on those species most in need of our help, and which by saving we can also help a whole host of other wildlife and their habitats. We continued to make sure that our actions were based on the best evidence and information we could find or develop.

As we saw wetlands and their wildlife lost to development in some of the richest places for biodiversity across the world, we began working with local communities to

make sure their need for development and conserving wildlife could work together. We constantly found new ways to engage people at our sites and in their communities with wetlands and wetland wildlife.

We continue to evolve and adapt. We know that with greater awareness comes greater demand for action. More than any other habitat, wetlands provide solutions to many of our current issues – they can help our biodiversity crisis if protected, some of them help reduce global warming by sinking carbon, and they can stop our homes and businesses from being flooded.

Furthermore, we have increasing evidence that spending time in watery landscapes is one of the best things we can do for our health and wellbeing.

With the same grit and determination built into WWT’s DNA by Scott, we will use every one of these reasons to build a world where healthy wetland nature thrives and enriches lives.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

Graham Hann/WWT

lives are so linked with our natural world that we have to learn to love it and look after it.” This same realisation compelled Scott to work hard to connect people to wetlands and their wildlife.

Instead of putting up ‘no entry’ signs on his protected areas, he designed features to welcome people in. He encouraged close contact. The simple act of feeding a goose at our sites still remains one of the most engaging activities. Through his art and then television, he showed again and again the value of the natural world in our hands.

5

91WTLMAR21120.pgs 26.02.2021 18:08

House ad - Legacy, 1

VERSION REPRO OP

Leave nature a lasting gift

SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

A gift in your Will is a profound and generous way you can contribute to a future where wetland nature thrives.

Find out more about leaving a gift in your Will please visit wwt.org.uk/gifts-in-wills email giftsinwills@wwt.org.uk

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21152.pgs 02.03.2021 16:44

VERSION

Waterways, 1

WWT NEWS How we’re working to protect wetlands and wildlife around the world

REPRO OP

Between 1995 and 2008, the breeding population of curlews in the UK declined by 42% SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

Curlew champions

Samuel Walker/WWT

We’re thrilled to be part of a new initiative to improve the fortunes of the rapidly declining curlew across England – by empowering the passion and energy of the nature-loving public.

In March last year our patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, called a diverse group of people, including WWT staff, to meet at his home at Highgrove. The aim of the summit was to discuss how we safeguard the future of the English breeding curlew population, which is of both international importance and conservation concern.

We know people all over the UK are keen to help curlews; farmers, voluntary groups and local projects are already working to protect ‘their’ birds.

Participants at the summit all agreed that these groups play a vital role in curlew conservation, and that partnership and coordination is needed to support them and ensure they have access to funding

and the best advice. There was also universal agreement on the need for a unified voice to speak to government.

So the England Curlew Recovery Partnership was born. With a steering committee comprising major conservation organisations and landowners, and a generous start-up grant from Defra, we are racing to spring the initiative into action ahead of this year’s curlew breeding season.

The next step is to get working where it matters: in the meadows, moors, bogs and marshes where curlews make their homes.

We believe that this locally driven but centrally supported partnership will blaze a trail for conservation. We envisage local conservation groups working alongside farmers, with access to the best scientific knowledge and new funding.

If it works, the same approach could be applied to efforts to restore other species and habitats.

Meanwhile, we plan to resume work on the ground to help curlews in early 2021, coronavirus permitting. Our Severn Vale Curlew Recovery Project will continue working with farmers to help curlews in the landscape north of Slimbridge, and aims to find out whether birds we headstarted in 2019 will return as breeding adults. We’ll also make a start on new partnership projects in Dartmoor and Norfolk, thanks to supporters’ generous donations towards our Emergency Appeal.

Find out more at: wwt.org.uk/curlew MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Waterlife

7

91WTLMAR21121.pgs 01.03.2021 15:10

Waterways, 2

WWT NEWS VERSION

Could the ‘new normal’ mean that our wetlands are valued more highly and better protected?

REPRO OP ART

Ben Langdon Photography/WWT

SUBS PRODUCTION

Back to normal?

CLIENT

By Tom Fewins, Head of Policy & Advocacy

As spring approaches, hope is in the air – hope that things may be returning to ‘normal’. But should they? This may seem like a strange question. Yet events last year drove home the point that we still need to learn important lessons – and that ‘normal’ may be far from ideal.

The lockdowns laid bare not only our reliance on nature for our wellbeing, but also the inequality that exists across our society when it comes to accessing and enjoying it. The science linked the pandemic with the destruction of ecosystems, and highlighted the risks we create by putting nature under pressure. And there were numerous reminders that the climate, nature and wellbeing crises have not gone away.

Instead, they have intensified.

‘Normal’ is what got us into this situation; it will not get us out. The pandemic has brutally demonstrated 8

Waterlife

that simply maintaining our current way of living, extracting resources from the biosphere faster than they can be naturally replenished, is not an option. We need – in the popular parlance – to ‘build back better’.

That means valuing and making better use of natural ecosystems such as wetlands. Be they wild saltmarshes, boggy floodplains, urban rain gardens or bucolic farm ponds, wetlands provide essential services, from storing carbon and reducing flooding to nurturing wellbeing and biodiversity.

And because of this, WWT is campaigning to make wetlands part of the UK’s essential infrastructure for future resilience: we’re calling for a ‘blue recovery’ that will see us work in partnership with governments, businesses and wider society to create or restore 100,000 hectares of wetlands across the UK. It’s an ambitious target – but it needs to be, according to the Government’s own advisers, the Natural Capital Committee. We’ll collaborate with partners across three key areas to turn this ambition into reality:

1. INFORMATION We lack data about

wetlands and the threats they face. Working together, we’ll collate this information and provide the evidence and guidance people need to make informed decisions.

2. PLANS Most environment and climate schemes overlook wetlands. We’ll rectify this, showing that the strategic creation of wetlands brings huge benefits across society.

3. FUNDING Much money is being invested

in nature-based solutions – but so far these are largely focused on trees. Working together, we will secure the right mix of incentives and regulations to drive similar investment in wetland creation at scale.

If we can successfully address these areas this year, we stand a far greater chance of reaching that 100,000-hectare figure. But there’s one other crucial ingredient: you, our valued supporters. We need to demonstrate that there is a broad base of support for a blue recovery. Will you join us?

Please get in touch by emailing advocacy@wwt.org.uk

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21122.pgs 26.02.2021 17:49

Waterways, 3

WWT NEWS

REPRO OP SUBS

A groundbreaking WWT pilot project exploring how technology can boost citizen science research on small wetlands is under way thanks to £25,000 in Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Defra funding announced in December.

ART PRODUCTION

The new project will help build a picture of how rare European eels use small wetlands in various areas across the UK

Small freshwater wetlands are disproportionately important to biodiversity, but are highly threatened and rather poorly mapped and monitored. Now, two innovations are enabling environmental monitoring of small wetlands by volunteers, capturing powerful data that can be analysed quickly.

The first involves analysis of environmental DNA to identify the presence or absence of individual target species. This is

derived from traces, such as scales, mucus or gut contents, left behind by an organism and later extracted from water samples collected from ponds.

The second is the use of acoustic monitoring devices and small hydrophones to record underwater soundscapes to measure biodiversity.

We’re exploring how these exciting innovations could enable volunteers to do some really powerful citizen science: collecting and actually analysing data that will help to assess whole ecosystems and quantify their wetland nature.

In the long term this could be a significant contribution to conservation research.

To get involved, email laura.weldon@wwt.org.uk

Neil Aldridge/WWT

VERSION

Pond dipping goes hi-tech

CLIENT

Green light for Somerset project An ambitious programme to make the Somerset coast more resilient to climate change has launched thanks to a generous £1,582,900 grant.

Sacha Dench/WWT

The Somerset coast and its hinterland encompasses low-lying land vulnerable to flooding and rising sea levels.

The grant from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund covers three core elements. The first focuses on the restoration of 130 hectares of coastal saltmarsh and freshwater

10

Waterlife

ponds, and the creation of wetland scrapes at our Steart Marshes reserve. It also funds predator-proof fencing on the floodplain at Pawlett Hams, on the other side of the Parrett Estuary, to protect nesting lapwing during the breeding season.

The second enables us to encourage farmers to work with natural processes, helping them to adapt to, and mitigate for, the effects of climate change.

The third will provide training opportunities for

Steart Marshes will benefit from the new grant

the public, and enable us to engage the community with nature, as volunteers or citizen scientists, or simply as people who enjoy nature.

And we’re able to train some from the community in the ecology, creation and management of wetlands, so we’re really

excited to be leaving a long legacy after the project comes to a close in 2022.

The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is funded by Defra and is being delivered

by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21123.pgs 26.02.2021 17:50

Waterways, 4

WWT NEWS

F O C U S O N . . . S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

VERSION

The reedbed at Welney was designed to treat the waste water from the visitor centre

REPRO OP SUBS WWT

ART PRODUCTION

Greener and cleaner

CLIENT

Wetland habitats don’t just support wildlife – they also act as natural water filters. And creating engineered wetlands at our sites means we can effectively and sustainably treat our waste water. By Lucy Smith, Head of Sustainability

Some of our sites are in remote areas where removing waste water by traditional means – through sewers or collection by vehicles – would be difficult. But wetlands provide the solution. We use wetland treatment systems, which are designed to mimic natural habitats, including pools, marshes and reedbeds,

to effectively clean liquids produced on-site that can then be safely released into the environment.

We regularly analyse water samples to check that these systems are doing their job well, and keep them functioning efficiently by cutting back reeds and sedges, changing filter media and maintaining the small pumps needed in these systems.

By treating waste water on our sites, we reduce the need to remove it to treatment works, reducing our carbon footprint. Importantly, treatment wetlands support

a rich diversity of plants and invertebrates.

Reedbeds often comprise part of such systems. In the UK alone, 700 invertebrate species are associated with natural reedbed habitats, 40 of them entirely dependent on reedbeds. In short, these wetland treatment systems provide big benefits for wildlife, reduce off-site waste water disposal costs and cut carbon emissions and the use of chemicals. Win win win!

Such solutions can be useful in commercial and industrial situations, too, and WWT has designed wetland treatment

systems for businesses such as Glengoyne Distillery at Dumgoyne, near Glasgow.

Here, ‘spent lees’ (by-products of distillation) are treated to allow clean liquid to flow into the local burn and then on to Loch Lomond.

And at WWT Slimbridge, we’ve recently created the new Five Acre treatment wetland, a 2,000m2 mix of habitats that cleans waste water from farmland and our conservation breeding unit, where we continue crucial work securing the futures of endangered species such as spoon-billed sandpipers.

Shop more sustainably with us You can buy an evergrowing selection of sustainable products from WWT, in our shops at centres and online.

Your purchases generate valuable income for the charity,

12

Waterlife

enabling us to deliver our conservation goals, and promote sustainable, wildlifefriendly living.

We stock many local products, such as tempting fudges, biscuits

and toiletries. And we’re always improving and updating our ranges.

Explore what’s new at our online store (shop.wwt.org.uk) or visit your nearest WWT centre.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21124.pgs 02.03.2021 12:33

Waterways, 5

WWT NEWS

REPRO OP

WWT is pushing for the return of the beaver to our wild wetlands after centuries of absence, working to influence the Government’s forthcoming decision on the species’ status in England.

SUBS

The European beaver was once widespread across Britain, leaving its mark on geography (Beverley in East Yorkshire derives its name from the Old English meaning ‘beaver clearing’ or ‘beaver lake’)

and historic heritage – it’s depicted on the coat of arms of Oxford University, for example.

During the Middle Ages, Britain’s beavers were hunted for their meat, warm fur and valuable glandular secretions, used in perfume and medicine; at the same time, wetlands were drained, leaving them with nowhere to retreat to. By the turn of the 18th century they’d gone the way of the

ART

The loss of the beaver also led to the loss of the mosaic of lakes, mires and boggy places it so brilliantly built

PRODUCTION Shutterstock

CLIENT

Rodent retrospective c1600 Beavers are extinct in Britain. c2008 Colonies of beavers appear in the wild on Tayside in central Scotland and on the Rivers Tamar and Otter in south-west England,

14

Waterlife

having either escaped from captivity or been illegally released.

2009 A trial programme reintroduces beavers from Norway to Knapdale Forest, western Scotland.

2015 The five-year River Otter Beaver Trial starts, investigating the impacts of wild beavers, released under licence.

2016 Scottish Government announces that beavers, including the Knapdale

and Tayside populations, can remain in Scotland.

2020 Defra confirms beavers can stay on the River Otter, and indicates that it will shortly decide on the future of beavers elsewhere in England.

Brin Edwards/WWT

VERSION

Crunch time for England’s beavers

crane and the pelican, disappearing from Britain and, indeed, most of western Europe.

The local extinction of these great ecosystem engineers wasn’t just bad news for hunters. Through their dam-building and other activities, beavers can reduce flooding, bury carbon, clean water and create habitat for other wildlife.

Happily, over the past century the beaver has staged a comeback. From a few isolated relict populations, the species has recolonised – often aided by reintroduction projects – most of mainland Europe.

Following a trial reintroduction in Argyll from 2009, in 2016 the Scottish Government gave the green light for these animals to stay, along with others of unknown origin living wild in Tayside. And in England, beavers that had escaped from captivity or been released illegally around 2008 became established on the Rivers Tamar and Otter in the West Country.

A 2020 report on the impacts of the River Otter population on nature, tourism, farming and fishing concluded that the beavers’ presence was, on balance, overwhelmingly positive – and last August the Government announced that those beavers could stay.

Defra has now launched a public consultation before making its decision on the future for beavers in England. We know beavers can cause localised damage, that they will need careful management and that support must be available for landowners.

However, our view is that, where there is a sound plan and local support, beaver reintroductions should be permitted, so that the process of returning them to our rivers and streams can begin in earnest. The upsides are enormous – and their return could be a welcome boost for wetland nature.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21125.pgs 26.02.2021 17:50

Your Views, 1

YOUR VIEWS

VERSION REPRO OP

YOUR VIEWS

We’d love to hear your thoughts about wetlands, WWT and Waterlife, and share your photos, so please write to us at Your Views, WWT, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT, or email waterlife@wwt.org.uk

SUBS

trip around the reedbeds and a snack or two, before I know it the doors are being closed! It was good to reconnect with my local WWT and it rekindled my enthusiasm, so more visits are imminent.

Gerry Bennett, Lewes SAVE OUR SAND MARTINS

LOVING WATERLIFE

WWT was instrumental in bringing the Hawaiian nene back from the brink of extinction. I’ve just returned from Hilo in Hawaii, where they now seem to be doing really well on Hawaii island. On our last visit we saw at least 40 of them grazing on a golf course – currently disused due to Covid-19 – on the outskirts of the Volcanoes National Park, making full use of one of the water hazards!

While I welcome the news to reduce the number of Waterlife magazines to three per year in an effort to reduce its environmental impact, I am pleased that some hard copies will remain. With the move to remote working, I spend so much time looking at a screen now that reading an actual magazine brings me a huge amount of joy – especially one with such lovely pictures of nature.

Natalie Davis, via email

Malcolm LeGrys, via email

The Editor responds: We’re so glad you enjoy the magazine. Waterlife was recently shortlisted for Member Magazine of the Year in the PPA Scotland Awards.

The Editor responds: Enjoy our update on WWT’s sand martin nest banks on page 18.

ART

NENE IN HAWAII

It was interesting to read John Corkindale’s letter in November 2020/February 2021’s Waterlife concerning the success of sand martin banks. The UK breeding population of these lovely little birds has decreased considerably in recent years, and they need as much help as we can give them. It has taken a few years for the sand martin bank at my local WWT Arundel to be occupied, but I was delighted to visit the reserve this year and to find several nest burrows busy. A real treat to watch the birds catching insects and visiting their nests. Well done WWT!

PRODUCTION CLIENT

Steve Miller FRAS, London

A SYMPHONY OF PAPER SWANS

Thank you for the creative ideas for families. We loved your origami paper swan. My grandchildren coloured various different swans and labelled them (the black swan had to be blue!). They have played with them for weeks! We also made cygnets out of smaller pieces of paper.

We will miss the four issues of Waterlife magazine each year, as they are well thumbed by the grandchildren. Thank you for all you are doing on behalf of everyone for the environment and wildfowl.

Valerie Fyans, via email 16

Waterlife

A DAY WELL SPENT

The November issue of Waterlife coincided with a lockdown escape for me – after months of restricted practice! WWT Arundel didn’t disappoint with a good range of birds, including a peep at the pelicans awaiting the completion of their new enclosure. I sometimes wonder what I will do to fill the day, but with a good walk around, taking in most of the hides, a boat

WILD THERAPY

We live within a 20-minute walk of WWT Llanelli and have been able to visit WWT Slimbridge and Steart Marshes this year despite Covid-19. The sights and sounds of these wild wetlands have provided immense pleasure and relaxation in these troubling times. At Llanelli there are often spectacular flocks of godwits, oystercatchers and spoonbills, while at Steart, graceful egrets and a pair of wheatears posed for us. Stuart Twigg THANK YOU WWT!

I just love photography and visiting London Wetland Centre. It’s so wonderful to have this amazing facility on our doorstep.

Thank you so much for being there!

Keith Jarvis, via email

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21126.pgs 26.02.2021 18:06

OUR WILD WETLANDS VERSION

LIFE ON OUR RESERVES

REPRO OP

The bank at Arundel supports a colony of sand martins – and a few brown long-eared bats

SUBS ART CLIENT

F

rom March onwards, sand martins return from Africa to raise their young here over the summer. They nest in colonies that can comprise over 100 breeding pairs. They return to the place where they were born, but if the site is full, they will scout for potential new nesting sites.

Sand martin nesting sites are normally dry banks or sheer cliffs into which the birds can dig tunnels up to a metre long, and which terminate in a small chamber.

Where suitable tunnels exist they will be used year after year, but not necessarily by the same pair.

Increasingly, there aren’t enough suitable places for sand martins to nest – and that’s where we are helping. WWT has built several nesting banks 18

Waterlife

– the first in 2002 at London Wetland Centre. The bank was colonised quickly, with 10 pairs setting up home in spring 2004. The colony expanded, reaching around 90 pairs and maximum capacity in just a few years.

CALL OF THE WALL

The martins aren’t the only ones that like the bank. It was built with a viewing gallery at the back, which is open from mid-May, to allow visitors to watch the nesting birds without disturbing them.

Our second artificial nest bank was built at WWT Arundel in 2010 to a similar design, but has taken a while to attract nesting martins. In the first year, we were excited to see migrating birds taking an interest, but two pairs

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

that began nesting in 2011 sadly abandoned their efforts.

In 2012, we enticed sand martins to the bank by playing recordings of calls from a busy breeding colony. Research suggests that young martins search for new nesting opportunities within a 10- to 15-mile radius of their natal colony, so we hoped to attract these new breeders.

Over the next five years, plenty of martins took an interest but none stayed. In June 2017, we recorded two

A sand martin inspects an artificial nest tunnel

Sand mar been installed tin banks have at several WW centres, includ T ing here to help start ne at Llanelli, w colonies

pairs moving in, so we closed the bank to visitors and held our breath… In August, at least one chick fledged from one of the nests.

In 2018, no pairs came.

In 2019, two pairs nested and one reared five chicks to fledging. In 2020, seven pairs nested. Due to Covid-19, monitoring was reduced, but we believe that most, if not all, of the pairs successfully fledged at least one brood – and some managed two! It really does feel like the bank is now established.

In 2019, we installed a new style of sand martin nesting bank at WWT Llanelli that has been successfully adopted elsewhere.

We will wait, albeit impatiently, to see if the martins approve of our efforts.

Peter Ashley; Russ Myners; Bill Haines

PRODUCTION

New homes for sand martins

Reserves, 1

IDENTITY

In the UK, we manage over 3,000 hectares of wetland habitat on our reserves. Thanks to your support and sensitive management by our staff, our sites teem with amazing wildlife. Here are just some of the ways our reserve teams are nurturing these special places for you to enjoy

Peter Ashley; Russ Myners; Bill Haines

W

e’re working to improve the botanical diversity of several areas at WWT Slimbridge. On the ‘road fields’, we’ve agreed that the farmer will now cut the hay and then graze the sward. This management helps reduce excess nutrients, prevents a few tough species from becoming too dominant, and allows other species to establish.

To stimulate more botanical richness, we’ve created bare earth in small plots into which we’ve sowed a herb-rich seed mix. As the fields mature, the plants that grow will provide seeds and cover for birds and other wildlife.

We’ve also been using ‘green hay’ from the reserve to increase the diversity of plants present. Hay is cut from a botanically diverse area of the reserve, collected soon afterwards and strewn over an impoverished area, which has similar underlying ground conditions. As the hay dries, a diverse mix of grass and wildflower seeds falls out to populate the new location.

This is a useful technique in grassland restoration.

SOWING THE SEEDS

Last summer saw species such as ox-eye daisy, self-heal, yellow rattle, bird’s-foot trefoil, red bartsia and common vetch already

Shutterstock

Flower-filled grasslands

Bugle is attractive to a range of insects

Sowing yellow rattle is a great way to improve the botanical diversity of a grassland. This semi-parasite reduces the vigour of grasses, giving other, more delicate species a chance to grow

establishing with the grass sward. In the autumn, we planted some ‘plugs’ of additional wildflowers that suit the conditions, including great burnet and bugle.

As well as these botanical improvements, we’ve dug scrapes and created small pools at ditch junctions to help retain

We hope the floral richness will attract shrill carder bees

water within the landscape and create new habitats for aquatic plants. The improvements are already increasing our records of birds, butterflies and dragonflies. Curlews, in particular, have taken a liking to the re-profiled fields.

SPACE TO GROW

We are also extending our green fingers to the sea wall – a wide vegetated earth bank.

Here, we’re using old pallets to kill off small areas of grass, leaving behind patches of bare earth, where we hope new plants will colonise, while being

careful not to affect its integrity as a flood defence. We hope that our efforts, along with changes to the grazing and cutting regimes, will benefit a range of species.

We know from previous surveys that this area has the potential to support a much greater number, and a more diverse array, of invertebrates.

We’ve already recorded the brown-banded carder bee and know its rarer cousin, the shrill carder bee, could potentially expand into the site if we can get the conditions right. We just need to improve the vegetation structure and diversity of flowering plants first.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

19

91WTLMAR21127.pgs 26.02.2021 18:07

ORCHIDS D SPOTTER’S GUIDE TO…

VERSION REPRO OP SUBS

id you know that during the summer you can easily run into the royal family at your local WWT centre?

Not the people, of course, the botanical equivalent – orchids.

Standing proud and tall, with elaborate floral bling, orchids hold a special

Orchid flowers are stunningly beautiful and not as hard to see as you might think. Next time you can visit a wetland centre, look closely and you’ll be captivated too, says Dominic Couzens

allure. And despite a reputation for being rare, you can readily see them on paths and damp ditches all over our reserves.

“People think it’s exceptional to see an orchid,” remarks Dave Paynter, Reserve Manager at Slimbridge. “But we have five species, London has six

and Martin Mere has seven. Visit in June and it isn’t that difficult to see these lovely flowers.”

Looking after orchids isn’t as hard as you might imagine. “As long as you don’t mow or graze the grassland or verge too early, before the orchids have set seed, they aren’t that fussy,” adds Dave.

ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

Now you do it Remember to look down at your feet on your next visit. The flower-fringed stalks of orchids often nestle demurely in the grass.

Shutterstock

Bee orchids have evolved to maximise their chances of luring a bee pollinator and be fertilised – and they do so with such style!

20

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Spotter's Guide, 1

Six to spot SOUTHERN MARSH ORCHID

BEE ORCHID

Mainly found in marshy meadows, but also on damp brownfield sites. Less intensely pink than northern marsh, and usually taller with a longer spike of flowers and no spots on the leaves.

Quite common at some WWT sites in June and July, especially in the south.

An incredible flower, often much smaller than you might expect from photos. Just two to seven flowers on its spike, the centre of each resembling a bee, and surrounded with a triangle of pink tepals.

Flowers in June and July, mainly in England.

COMMON TWAYBLADE The name means ‘two leaves’, and the oval leaves at the base of the stem are unmistakable. It is inconspicuous for an orchid, but still makes an impressive spike of green flowers, each quite human-like in shape. Late April to July, often in woods.

NORTHERN MARSH ORCHID The flower spike is dense, making each orchid look like a colourful, intense purplish-pink drumstick. The leaves are not spotted. Flowering in June and July, it occurs mainly in Scotland, northern England and North Wales.

The short but pretty green-winged orchid is one of the first to flower in the spring.

Look for it in May and June

Orchids have crowds of sumptuous, intricate flowers or a few ornate blooms in weird shapes Orchids stand out from other plants.

They are like ‘flowers on steroids’, with ramrod-straight stems on which there is either a crowd of sumptuous, intricate flowers making up a spike, or a small number of extraordinarily ornate blooms in weird shapes and colours.

In the latter category is the incomparable bee orchid, whose flowers resemble a bee so much that at times male insects are literally drawn to them with carnal passion. The former category – if you like, the ‘minor royals’ – include the more numerous species such as common spotted orchids. These can form large, colourful patches on our grasslands or next to ponds and rivers.

FLORAL CELEBRITIES

Richard Bullock/WWT; Shutterstock

COMMON SPOTTED ORCHID Britain’s most abundant orchid is often found in large ‘colonies’, which clothe grassy banks and wet patches with their multihued spikes, some white, some pink and everything in between.

The leaves are distinctly marked with dark spots, hence the name. Flowers in June and July all over Britain.

PYRAMIDAL ORCHID An orchid with a dense spike of intense pink flowers. Conical (pyramidal) on top when first flowering; flattens out later. Often flowers later than others, in mid-June. Usually on chalk grassland, but turns up unexpectedly in the south.

Orchids aren’t only famous for their appearance but also, in typical celebrity fashion, for their unusual lifestyles. Their germination is something of a miracle; some seeds only contain a few cells, and quickly wither away unless they come into contact with suitable root fungi in the soil, feeding on the sugars produced by their ‘host’.

And the bee orchid has its own quirks.

“Although the flower closely resembles a bee,” says Dave, “the species that usually pollinates it, a solitary bee called Eucera longicornis, is very uncommon in Britain.

So instead, the bee orchid almost invariably has to self-pollinate in this country. It saves the hassle of waiting for a bee.”

When you’re royalty, it seems, you don’t have to play by any rules.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

21

91WTLMAR21128.pgs 26.02.2021 18:08

House ad - Adoption, 1

VERSION REPRO OP

Adopt me...

SUBS ART PRODUCTION

Perfect for the nature lover in your life CLIENT

This unique and sustainable gift is a fantastic way to discover more about our ducks, geese, flamingos and otters, all while helping us to protect remarkable animals and their wetland habitats.

Every adoption includes: • an inspiring information pack • a FREE entry voucher • a wonderful poster • a cute cuddly toy • and a seasonal update twice a year

Give an animal gift adoption wwt.org.uk/adopt BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21153.pgs 02.03.2021 16:44

VERSION

I

SUBS

All images: Shutterstock

REPRO OP

t’s spring, and soon our WWT wetland sites will be bursting with new life. The waterside vegetation will be dotted with nests, the ponds and lakes will feature flotillas of swimming chicks, and the footpaths will be full of unsteady young birds and their protective parents.

It is a great time to appreciate the vulnerability of bird reproduction, as well as to enjoy the small dramas of early life. “We make the habitats as rich as possible, and the yearly brood of young is a sign of a healthy ecosystem,” says Martin McGill, Senior Reserve Warden at Slimbridge.

Look for these six wild young waterbirds as you walk around…

ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

SPRING WORDS BY DOMINIC COUZENS

to life

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

The arrival of spring brings a flush of new life – and cute young waterbirds can be seen on waterways across the UK. But can you tell all the little fluffballs apart? Here’s a handy guide to the early days of some of the new arrivals MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

23

91WTLMAR21129.pgs 03.03.2021 14:30

Spring Babies, 1

SPRING LIFE

SPRING LIFE VERSION

1

MALLARD

REPRO OP

Most of the ducklings you’ll see wandering around our centres will be mallards, our most common duck. The male leaves the female before their brood hatches, so she brings up her family alone. They can number up to 10 or even more!

The ducklings are covered with down when they hatch. For their first day of life, they remain hidden in the nest, kept warm and dry by their mother. Early the next morning she leads them to water, which can be up to three kilometres away. Here, they learn to feed themselves, mainly on midges, but also on a range of aquatic invertebrates, such as molluscs and worms, and fish eggs. If it’s cold, the mother broods them until they are two weeks old.

These early days are an anxious time, and the stressed parent may call to her young 200 times a minute as they follow her around. Predators are ever present, and sometimes males assault the females, causing the ducklings to scatter and become lost. The youngsters’ first proper feathers appear at 25 days and they can fly at about 50 days.

SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

2

LITTLE GREBE

“The surprising thing about little grebe chicks is how tiny they are,” says Martin.

“They’re like bumblebees floating on the water.” When you realise that a little grebe isn’t much bigger than a well-grown duckling, and that it has an alternative name, ‘dabchick’, which means ‘dive chick’, perhaps that’s not surprising.

Little grebes are found on ponds and ditches at our reserves, but they are shy and easily overlooked. The stripy-headed chicks have a deluxe start in life. They hatch on a floating platform, and though they can dive immediately, most of the time they ride on the back of a parent for the first week or two. The other doting guardian brings them food deliveries.

The adults recognise their own chicks and apparently have favourites. The young sometimes peer underwater to watch their parents dive for small fish – a sort of tutorial. They are independent at 30-40 days. Look for them in spring and summer, as late as September.

24

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

3

COOT

Coots are duck-like birds with black plumage, a white frontal shield and what might be politely described as a pugnacious demeanour. When coots are fighting over territory, or anything else, the water boils. They are, however, surprisingly tender parents. Both sexes build the cup nest from plant fragments, and the male often builds platforms for the family, for brooding and resting. The young are like black blobs of fluff with huge feet. They are brooded on the nest for three or four days.

From the start, they call incessantly to the adults, and it’s easy to see the hard-working parents swimming back and forth across the pools, bringing food and delivering it beak to beak. Once an adult is close, the chick, which has bright-orange down on its head and neck, as if paint has been spilt over it, begs by flapping its absurd stumpy wings and calling creakily. “Coot chicks call non-stop all day long,” says Martin.

4

GREYLAG GOOSE

“There’s a touch of Beauty and the Beast about goslings,” says Martin.

“The newborns start off all fluffy and cuddly, but as they grow, they become bigger and uglier, all leggy and gangling.”

They also tend to come in bulk; almost as soon as they hatch, goslings and their parents join other families to form large, noisy groups, with the adults moulting and dropping feathers everywhere, so you can hardly miss them. Sometimes chicks get mixed up with other families.

Geese form long-term pair bonds and strong familial bonds, too. The chicks all hatch within a few hours of each other, after being incubated by the female. Then both sexes look after the four to seven youngsters.

Both adults can be fiercely protective of their brood and may challenge you as you walk past. The goslings fledge at 50-60 days and the family remains together as a unit into the winter.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

25

91WTLMAR21130.pgs 26.02.2021 18:09

Spring Babies, 2

SPRING LIFE

Spring Babies, 3

SPRING LIFE VERSION

5

AVOCET

REPRO OP

“With avocet chicks, the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree,” chuckles Martin. “From day one they feed themselves by pecking at food. As their bills grow it’s fun to watch them try to copy the adults’ typical side-to-side sweep-feeding motion.

They aren’t very good at it, though.”

Newly hatched avocet chicks look minute among the long, blue legs of their parents; they are mainly pale, and their down looks like it’s been seasoned with salt and pepper. On WWT reserves, you will see them on scrapes, among brackish and freshwater lagoons, and you can wile away the hours watching them from a hide.

Avocets can have up to four chicks, and sometimes one parent will lead two and the other parent the remainder. Both adults are vociferous and aggressive in defence of their chicks, and an avocet nursery scrape is full of anxiety and anger, the adults continually giving their ‘kluut’ calls.

These birds are semi-colonial, so families may be dotted about on a lagoon, each one a contained unit.

SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

6

MOORHEN

A moorhen chick may hatch into several different domestic arrangements.

Sometimes it’s looked after by a male and a female, sometimes by two males and a female, other times by two females and a male, and occasionally by both its parents and older siblings from a previous brood.

And since moorhen females often lay eggs in their neighbours’ nests, it may be raised by entirely unrelated foster parents!

Moorhen chicks are almost identical to those of coots – black balls of fluff with legs, and brightly coloured down on their heads. Sometimes you can’t tell which they are until you see the adult feeding them. There are five to 10 chicks in a clutch, and these are brooded off and on for two weeks. They can swim by their third day. The various parents feed them for three weeks. The chicks are often divided, with one adult looking after its ‘share’ of the clutch. You can easily watch this domestic bliss on the numerous ponds and ditches at our centres.

26

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21131.pgs 26.02.2021 18:09

VERSION REPRO OP SUBS

BLUE CITIES WORDS BY PAUL BLOOMFIELD

ART

As the world’s urban population booms, it’s more important than ever that cities and towns encompass water – or blue space – for happier, healthier people

A

mong the tropical forests of western Cambodia, five intricately tiered towers soar above the world’s largest religious monument: the Hindu-Buddhist temple of Angkor Wat. Spanning nearly 163 hectares, this spectacular 12th-century structure is the centrepiece of a vast archaeological complex – but arguably not its greatest marvel.

That accolade goes to Angkor’s advanced water management system of basins, dykes, canals and the enormous reservoirs called barays – the largest of which is nearly 8km long and 2km wide. This feat of hydrological engineering supported possibly the biggest city in the pre-industrial world, with perhaps one million residents. It’s a similar story at another ‘hydraulic city’, Tikal, in what’s now Guatemala. At its peak, the largest urban centre of the Mayan civilisation may have been home to 100,000 people – just one of several cities supported by increasingly sophisticated irrigation systems.

PRODUCTION CLIENT

Hong Kong is one of the wettest cities in the world. But this ‘sponge city’ protects itself from flooding with a sustainable drainage system, or blue-green infrastructure, that harnesses a more natural water cycle 28

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Blue Cities, 1

URBAN BLUE SPACE civilisations of the past,” observes Rob Shore, WWT Head of UK Programmes.

“When those systems started to break down, when people began to over-manage water and take it too far out of the systems, they started to experience problems. Today we see some of the same scenarios playing out in some of our big cities.”

When water management systems fail, societies fail – and for reasons beyond the obviously practical. We know that healthy wetlands provide a host of benefits to nature, as well as helping manage flooding, pollution and water quality, heat and local climate. But urban wetlands, or ‘blue space’, are also crucial to the wellbeing of the population. And that doesn’t just mean alleviating thirst or flooding, or a vague sense of happiness. It encompasses myriad

Urban wetlands, or ‘blue space’, are crucial to the wellbeing of the population, so we’re championing their creation and enhancement in the UK

effects that have concrete impacts on the success of societies. That’s why WWT is championing the creation, conservation and enhancement of urban wetlands in the UK. EMBRACING BLUE SPACE

“We want cities that embrace blue space, rather than push it to the margins, divert it underground or culvert it,” says Rob. “A whole host of benefits accrue from blue space, one of the biggest being more prosperous urban areas because residents live healthier, happier lives.”

“Studies indicate that people find blue space especially restorative,” observes Dr Jonathan Reeves, WWT Principal Research Officer. “A lot of work has already been done that shows people who live by the coast report higher levels of wellbeing.”

It’s easy to see why a seaside stroll might blow away the cobwebs – and we’re now exploring how engagement with water in urban environments might also give a mental and emotional boost.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

29

91WTLMAR21132.pgs 02.03.2021 10:42

Shutterstock

Another thing these world wonders have in common: over-engineering their water systems meant they were unable to cope when disasters struck. It’s believed that extended droughts, coupled with the effects of deforestation for agriculture and construction, placed unsustainable strains on Tikal, which declined from around AD 850.

Angkor Wat’s infrastructure sustained severe flood damage in the early 15th century, exacerbated by deforestation and overpopulation, following a prolonged drought. In both cases, large-scale manipulation of water resources enabled the growth of huge urban populations and probably contributed to their downfall.

“Integrating water into society has been critical to the success of some of the great

VERSION

LIVING WALLS HELP COOL, INSULATE, REDUCE NOISE, TRAP POLLUTION AND PROVIDE HABITAT

GREEN ROOFS ATTENUATE AND FILTER RAINFALL

-

REPRO OP

Urban wetlands helping people and nature thrive WILDFLOWER-RICH TURF

SUBS

URBAN WETLANDS ARE GREAT FOR INSECT-LOVING BIRDS AND BATS

TREES ABSORB RUN-OFF, CLEAN THE AIR AND PROVIDE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE

BRIDGES, TRAILS AND CYCLEWAYS INCREASE PUBLIC ENJOYMENT

REEDBEDS HELP CLEAN WATER

DAMP AREA

ART

POND ACTS AS A WATER-RETENTION BASIN AND WILDLIFE HABITAT

LONG GRASS SLOWS FLOW OF WATER RUN-OFF FROM THE ROAD

PRODUCTION CLIENT

WATER COLLECTS IN BUTTS AND HELPS WATER PLANTERS

RAIN GARDENS COLLECT ROOF WATER AND PROTECT THE SEWER NETWORK

DO CHAN INT

RFACES PERMEABLE SU PAVERS CK SUCH AS BLO TO DRAIN ALLOW WATERTHE GROUND TO NATURALLY IN

PIPES FEED CLEAN WATER FROM UNDER PERMEABLE PAVING INTO PONDS TO SUSTAIN THEM ALL YEAR

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

BEDS LEAN ER

OPEN ACCESS

ASS W OF -OFF OAD

BADLY DESIGNED PONDS ARE SURROUNDED

BY CONCRETE

BIORETENTION AREAS FILTER POLLUTED ROAD RUN-OFF, REDUCE FLOODING AND NOISE, AND PROVIDE HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE

DOWNPIPES CHANNEL RAIN INTO PONDS

BADLY DESIGNED GUTTERS DRAIN INTO THE STREET, WITH NOTHING TO ABSORB OR SLOW THE FLOW

91WTLMAR21133.pgs 01.03.2021 16:40

Blue Cities, 2

Illustration: www.sjcillustration.com

EABLE HARD, IMPERM ROOFS, SURFACES – VE D AREAS ROADS AND PA OOD RISK FL SE EA CR IN –

GRASSY DEPRESSIONS AND CHANNELS SLOW AND FILTER RUN-OFF

VERSION

tion from Constant stimula take a y can living in a big cit l health toll on your menta

REPRO OP SUBS PRODUCTION CLIENT

“The mechanisms are yet to be determined, but the thinking is that time by water might be especially beneficial in helping us reset psychologically – restoring our attention, or being more productive or creative, for example,” says Jonathan.

“Since blue space often sits within or alongside green space, it can be tricky to differentiate the impacts of the two – but we’re trying to do just that.”

A CALMER BEAT

Jonathan and his colleagues undertook pioneering studies at London Wetland Centre, fitting participants with heartrate monitors and headsets reading electroencephalographic (EEG) signals.

“Currently, we’ve been unable to get clear results from the EEG headsets,” says Jonathan. “But the heart-rate assessments and survey responses indicate that the people who reported feeling higher stress levels benefited most from being in a blue space, even for just 10 minutes.”

That point is increasingly relevant.

Today, about half of the world’s population – some four billion people – live in cities, and that number is rising. So what part can wetlands play in these expanding urban areas?

Countries such as the US and Canada, Australia and, notably, China are already making strides. Indeed, in 32

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Scientific evidence suggests that exposure to blue spaces – living near them, visiting them or just enjoying the view – is beneficial to our wellbeing and mental health

2015, China began implementing its ‘sponge cities’ concept to tackle flooding and related water management issues across 30 locations. And in 2018, Ramsar announced the accreditation of 18 ‘wetland cities’, including six in China plus others in France, Hungary, South Korea, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Tunisia, which have ‘taken exceptional steps to safeguard urban wetlands’.

“All the current examples of good practice are in other countries,” says Rob, ruefully. “The UK is not yet grasping the blue space agenda.”

A 2018 report from the Office for National Statistics found that an average of 30% of Britain’s urban areas comprised

Wildlife is quick to return to newly created wetlands

‘natural land cover’ – but only 5% is publicly accessible, and a measly 1% is blue space.

That has to change. So a key focus of our new Blue Recovery campaign – a plan to create or restore 100,000 hectares of wetlands across the UK – is urban areas.

We’re already developing urban programmes such as the Saving the Salt Hill Stream project in Slough, launched in 2016.

This innovative partnership with Slough Borough Council, the Environment Agency and Thames Water has inspired dozens of local people to help regenerate a waterway previously clogged with litter and vegetation, and in the process ‘daylighting’ it – bringing it fully overground once more.

The result is a living stream in which dace, perch, chub and roach are thriving, with kingfishers, egrets and damselflies along its banks. But beyond improving biodiversity and flood protection, it’s enhanced the wellbeing of the community.

Similar impacts are anticipated in Bridgwater, Somerset. Here, we’re developing a project that will engage and empower communities to be custodians of

Shutterstock; Sam Stafford/WWT; Andy Graham/WWT; Russell Cooper/NaturePL

ART

“People who reported feeling higher stress levels benefited most from being in a blue space, even for just 10 minutes”

Shutterstock; Sam Stafford/WWT; Andy Graham/WWT; Russell Cooper/NaturePL

This sad stream in Slough’s Salt Hill Park needed help to become a vibrant waterway...

...and through the efforts of local people it is now a thriving habitat for wildlife as well as providing flood protection

“A key focus of our new Blue Recovery campaign – to create or restore the UK’s wetlands – is urban areas” their own blue spaces on The Meads, a 30-hectare tongue of grazing marsh stretching into the town centre.

“It’s a conversation with local people about their lives, flooding and climate change – and how we can work with nature to help alleviate issues,” explains Andy Graham, WWT Project Manager of Community Wetlands. “We co-design the interventions, then deliver and manage them together. Local people become citizen scientists of that wild place. We’ll teach them how to do it, give them the kit, and work with them to collect the data. One of the biggest objectives is to leave behind a legacy: a knowledgeable community of people Slough’s Salt Hill willing to act for stream has been wetlands and their released from natural environment.” underground pipes

There’s a bigger picture too: demonstrating that such work makes financial as well as social sense. “The visible, tangible results – the cleaned-up, natural waterway in Slough, for example – are the icing on the cake,” says Rob. “The fundamental aim of the project is to build capacity in local authorities as well as in communities. A lot of the transformational

change, particularly in policy, comes when an authority understands the benefits of urban wetlands in terms of social cohesion, reducing healthcare costs and other drains on its budget, so the work is cost-effective.”

In the longer term we also aspire to create wetlands in larger urban areas such as Manchester, Liverpool or Birmingham.

But we’ve a lot of work to do in the meantime – and you play a vital role. Your support helps us develop these ideas, and to deliver campaigns such as our Blue Recovery project.

“Those bigger changes need to happen, but you can do a lot in your own home,” suggests Rob. “You could create your own mini-wetland, with ponds and other water features in your back garden, or join local volunteer groups to help bring about the crucial wide-scale changes.”

“In the end, that’s what we want people to do,” adds Andy. “We want a million people to take action for wetlands.” Turn over to find out one way you can be part of the blue revolution. n MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

33

91WTLMAR21134.pgs 26.02.2021 18:01

Blue Cities, 3

URBAN BLUE SPACE

Blue Cities, 4

URBAN BLUE SPACE VERSION REPRO OP

Make your own backyard wetland

SUBS

In even the smallest city garden or backyard you can create your own pocket of blue space – a Lilliputian drainpipe wetland that’s a compact oasis for minibeasts.

Use your imagination to craft a water feature that suits your space

ART

1. Make a floodplain PRODUCTION CLIENT

Cut a hole in the bottom of a plastic container – an old washingup bowl or crate. Place over a drain, or fit a hose to water the garden with outflow; add gravel, a pervious membrane, then garden soil.

4. Add aquatic plants Obtain suitable attractive native plants according to light, soil and water flow. Plant aquatic species in a large mesh pot in the pond container, and wetland plants into the soil of your floodplain box, allowing space for growth.

2. Add a pond Place a second, similar box on top, propping it under a gutter downpipe to fill after rain. Cut a hole in the end to drain into the lower ‘floodplain’ tub. Drill another hole higher or lower if the water doesn’t overspill regularly.

5. Beautify your boxes Shore up and clad your boxes. Bricks make a stable structure, resilient to heavy weather and passers-by. Try to incorporate wood, stones, mud, plants and hollow twigs. Leave cracks and crevices to host minibeasts and amphibians.

3. Install a filtration box Fill an old mesh flowerpot (or make multiple perforations in a solid pot to ensure water can flow out quickly) with gravel. Place it in the ‘pond’ container alongside the downpipe, propping it up so it’s proud of the maximum water level.

6. Test, adjust and enjoy!

Fill the pond to test the flow, adjusting the set-up till water spills nicely through the system.

Then saw the drainpipe to the right height, fitting a replacement shoe (spout) if needed. Let the pond fill with rainwater and enjoy!

For more details, visit: wwt.org.uk/drainpipe-wetland

34

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21135.pgs 26.02.2021 18:01

IDENTITY VERSION REPRO OP SUBS ART PRODUCTION

View

CLIENT

We need nature now more than ever, and the winners of our annual photo contest showcase the richness of our wetland wildlife with impressive creativity

T

he global lockdown has stopped nature photographers from travelling abroad with their cameras. But for many of us, this has simply encouraged us to redirect our lenses towards the familiar, rediscover the local and reconnect with the sometimes overlooked. Carrying a camera when exercising has provided a welcome escape into nature, and challenged us to express ourselves in more creative ways.

Many of you have told us that you’ve never been more grateful to be able to visit your local wetland centre when lockdown eased – to revel in being surrounded by nature and reconnect with all the things once taken for granted. Hopefully, this challenging time will help to remind us how 36

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

finder

vital nature is to our health and wellbeing, our enjoyment of life and our creativity.

Your entries to our annual photography competition showcase a revitalised passion for wetland wildlife – from the exquisite stained glass of a dragonfly’s wing and the monochrome patterns of a lapwing flock in flight to the tender care shown by a spider for her silk-shrouded eggs.

Many of you have told us that you have never been more grateful to be able to visit your local wetland centre when lockdown eased

We were blown away by your creativity and the standard and number of entries.

It was so hard choosing the shortlist and the winning and commended images published here. Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted – and particularly to Denis O’Keeffe, who captured this spectacular image of two icons of our waterways in a fight to the death. And also to 14-year-old Keira Jo Callaway, who has won our inaugural young photographer category with her amazing image of fighting coots (see pages 40 and 66).

Denis wins a pair of Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 binoculars and Keira receives a gift voucher to spend at cliftoncameras.co.uk. Huge thanks to Swarovski for sponsoring Denis’s prize. n

WINNER SLIPPERY SUPPER

BY DENIS O’KEEFFE WWT LLANELLI

THE REST OF THE BEST

See more of ou r favourite shots from th is year’s contest at ww t.org.uk/ waterlifepho to

Denis says: “I was sitting watching this heron from Llanelli’s Michael Powell Hide for more than 15 minutes when it caught this large eel!

Holding the wriggling fish firmly, the bird came towards me, to the bank just outside the hide, to eat it. The heron continued to fish and caught another eel. Patience is the key to wildlife photography and my patience was certainly rewarded.”

The jury says: “This is a rare and special moment that Denis has frozen in time for us to share. Both heron and eel are pin-sharp and making beautiful shapes, the churning water testimony to Denis’ split-second timing when it came to capturing this unexpected and frenzied action.

Well done, Denis!”

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

37

91WTLMAR21136.pgs 26.02.2021 18:03

Photo Comp Winners, 1

PHOTO COMPETITION

VERSION

RUNNERS-UP FLAMBOYANCE (Right)

BY ANDY SMITH WWT SLIMBRIDGE

REPRO OP SUBS

Andy says: “I’d visited Slimbridge many times before, but this time the flamingos opposite the restaurant caught my eye.

I wanted a group shot where the background disappeared and the birds’ stunning colours were enhanced.”

The jury says: “As well as the vibrant colour and feather detail, the uniformity of the flock’s behaviour is key to the success of this image. The single bird with its head up makes it.”

ART

MALLARD MADNESS (Right)

BY TRACEY GRAVES WWT WELNEY

PRODUCTION CLIENT

Tracey says: “At the last swan feed of the year, the swans had already left on migration, so the ducks enjoyed a complete feeding frenzy. It was an overcast day, so the light was challenging, as was deciding where to point the camera – there was so much action!”

The jury says: “This exciting image captures the energy of a flock.

The mallards’ stunning colours – yellow, green, orange – pop from an otherwise subdued palette. With water flying and wings beating, you feel like you are in the moment with them.”

GHOSTS OF THE FENS (Left)

BY PAULA COOPER WWT WELNEY

Paula says: “I used a long exposure to capture the movement of these whooper swans on the floodlit lagoon. This can be a risky technique as you take loads of images but only a few work.”

The jury says: “We loved Paula’s atmospheric and original view of a swan feed. The whoopers are making exquisite shapes that accentuate their ghost-like forms against the dark water.”

38

Waterlife

JANUARY/MARCH 2020

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

MATING NOT DROWNING (Below)

BY DAVE STENING WWT CASTLE ESPIE

Dave says: “All the waterbirds were fighting and courting on Swan Lake in February. To get this shot I lay almost flat on the deck and rested my lens on my camera bag, which wasn’t comfortable. I took over 100 photos in about 30 seconds, but this head-on shot, showing the birds’ eyes, was my favourite.”

The jury says: “The birds’ eyes demand the attention. At first it appears comical, then you can’t help but pity the female, only just keeping her head above water. Sharp and interesting, this shot tells an intriguing story.”

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

39

91WTLMAR21137.pgs 26.02.2021 18:08

Photo Comp Winners, 2

PHOTO COMPETITION

VERSION

YOUNG WINNER COOTS DISPUTE (Right)

BY KEIRA JO CALLAWAY 14 YEARS OLD WWT SLIMBRIDGE

REPRO OP SUBS ART

Keira says: “In October, the main lake was crowded with squabbling wildfowl. These two coots were fighting vigorously, chasing each other around.

When the stronger bird (on the left) pecked out a clump of feathers, the ‘loser’ broke free and escaped across the lake, only to be chased off by another challenger! He had a bad day.”

The jury says: “Keira has captured the coots’ kung fu fighting technique perfectly. The birds make a pleasing shape, their feet are up, battle ready, and the water is boiling. Well done, Keira. Keep up the good work!”

The jury would also like to commend:

PRODUCTION

Nicola Lambert, age 14, for her photo of a Hawaiian goose; Dylan Jenkins, age 11, for ‘Mr and Mrs Mallard’, and Charlie Allen, age 7, for his grey heron.

THE REST OF THE BEST

CLIENT

View the shor tlisted entries from this year ’s competitio n at wwt.org.u k/ waterlifepho to

A BIG APPETITE (Left)

BY MAGGIE BULLOCK WWT MARTIN MERE

Maggie says: “In late June, I read on the website that a cuckoo had been spotted at Martin Mere. On the path to the new hide, I saw the young bird calling for its parents. I wanted to get a shot without scaring the chick but it was hard – the cuckoo kept moving and I had to stay away from other visitors.

Eventually it settled on a fence post and a tiny reed warbler flew in with food. They stayed like this for only a few seconds but it was a delightful spectacle.”

The jury says: “We love the intimacy of this image. The birds are focused on each other, the warbler’s bill is full of goodies, and the astonishing difference in size is showcased. The light is well balanced and the backdrop of umbellifer stalks is beautiful.”

40

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

SAY CHEESE (Above)

SPOT THE FROG (Below)

Adrian says: “This harvest mouse was photographed in the Back from the Brink zone at Slimbridge. It was hard to get because the mice move so quickly and rarely stay still. Shooting through the glass was also a challenge.”

The jury says: “Captive or wild, tiny harvest mice are hard to photograph. This image shows interesting behaviour, is sharp and well composed with a blurred backdrop – not easy under the conditions.”

Lindsey says: “I was walking the trails in the Wildside area when I saw this frog camouflaged in the weed. It seemed content to stay put so I experimented with different compositions, angles and perspectives to find one I liked.”

The jury says: “Lindsey has used her time with this frog to find a compelling and intriguing composition. She’s handled the light on the water brilliantly. An elegant use of black and white.”

BY ADRIAN DIXON WWT SLIMBRIDGE

BY LINDSEY MUNR0 WWT LONDON

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

41

91WTLMAR21138.pgs 26.02.2021 18:03

Photo Comp Winners, 3

PHOTO COMPETITION

VERSION

Whooper swans pair for life.

Their courtship display involves the male and female facing each other, with quivering wings half-opened and raised.

Each bird bends and extends its neck, and both give loud trumpeting calls

REPRO OP SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

HOW TO TAKE BETTER PHOTOS...

SPRING COURTSHIP In our course for nature photography enthusiasts, wildlife photographer David Tipling offers his helpful tips to improve your wetland pictures taken at our centres

Images by David Tipling

S

pring comes early at our wetland centres. By March, courtship is in full swing for many species of waterfowl and it offers some of the most exciting bird photography opportunities of the year.

Trying to anticipate what will happen can go a long way to capturing that special shot. Males of some species will show off when a female swims close, but often these displays are over in the blink of an eye. Keep focusing on a single individual, so you are ready when something does happen.

A picture of a displaying bird is often more interesting if you’re able to include him with 42

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

a female, as it gives context to the photograph and the behaviour. Try to aim for a great enough depth of field so that both birds are sharp. If this isn’t possible, an accompanying female in soft focus can – in the right position – add to the creativity of the picture.

Female ducks will often give a sign that they are ready to mate. For example, a female mallard will lean forward with her neck outstretched in a submissive posture. By recognising this behaviour and focusing on the female, you can capture complete mating sequences. When this happens, keep shooting – you can delete the bad shots later. Enjoy spring with your camera!

Get the white right Some of our wetland centres offer wonderful opportunities to photograph courting whooper swans. Check your histogram when exposing for white birds to ensure you don’t overexpose and lose feather detail in their plumage. This is easily done if you rely on auto-exposure and the birds are small in the frame.

Goosander

Your wild photos

Aim for high speed Fast movement in a displaying or mating pair of waterfowl requires a fast shutter speed to freeze the action. This male goosander performed a very elegant but fast head movement to impress the female looking on. It required a speed of 1/1000 sec to capture a sharp shot.

Great crested grebe

THE WINNER “Photographing dragonflies in flight is much harder than when they are perched, as they hover only briefly before shooting off at high speed.

After many attempts, I was delighted to capture this southern hawker at WWT Slimbridge in one of the pools near the Kingfisher Hide.” Colin Rayner

More is better If your camera allows you to set how many pictures you can take a second, then set it to the highest rate when photographing action. The great crested grebe’s weed dance is a good example of a subject where the more images you take, the more likely you are to capture a really special shot.

Shelducks

ht

RUNNER-UP “If you’re patient, there’s a good chance of seeing a beautiful nuthatch at WWT Arundel.

They seem to be regular visitors.”

Keith Humphrey WIN! WIN! WIN! Colin wins a copy of The Wildlife Photography Workshop by Ross Hoddinott and Ben Hall, worth £11.89. Well done, Colin!

Shoot with the sun A shelduck’s head can look almost black on a dull day, but in the sunshine its head feathers shine a beautiful bottle green.

Waterfowl are looking their best in spring, so try to shoot with the sun behind you so that their colours, which are sometimes iridescent, are at their most stunning.

We love to see what you’ve photographed at our centres. Please send your best shots to Waterlife and they could be published in a future issue. Just email your high-res images and a short story about what you photographed to waterlife@wwt.org.uk.

We can’t wait to see what you can do!

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

43

91WTLMAR21139.pgs 01.03.2021 16:01

Photo Masterclass, 1

PHOTO MASTERCLASS

VERSION

Steve ll Backsha

REPRO OP

with

PRODUCTION

Dress to impress

CLIENT Shutterstock

Bird feathers have to be strong for non-stop outdoor use. Imagine how tough feathers must be to cope with driving rain and powerful winds. Think how many times a bird beats its wings.

Those tough feathers are made from the same substance as human hair – it’s called keratin. Think how strong your hair is for something so thin. And just as your body contains something called melanin, which decides what colour your hair will be, so a bird’s feathers are coloured by substances

Waterbirds like these mallards have amazing feathers that are warm and waterproof

Some bird species make a fashion statement for spring by growing colourful feathers. They’re advertising the fact that they are healthy and would be a good mate. The great crested grebe puts on one of the best shows, sprouting natty black tufts on top of its head and an awesome ruff of orange feathers around its face.

Other birds that grow dazzling feathers for the breeding season include egrets. These birds grow what looks like mad hair – white plumes that zing out of their head, back and breast. Both grebes and egrets will shed their fancy feathers by the end of summer.

DID YOU KNOW? 44

Waterlife

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

in its body. Birds make their feather colours in their skin!

Take a good look at a feather. On either side of the shaft that runs down the middle you can see lots of barbs shooting out at an angle. Here’s where things get clever. Each barb is held in place by tiny hooks called barbules – a kind of natural Velcro. If the hooks come undone through wear and tear, a bird can zip them up again with its beak (known as preening). This is such a miracle of design, that scientists are studying feathers to copy them in things we make.

Shutterstock

ART

Does your coat keep you warm and dry?

Is it colourful? How do you fasten it up?

Birds wear coats of many colours and they even have a kind of Velcro to zip them up. Don’t believe me? Read on to discover the wonderful world of feathers. And then visit your nearest wetland centre and check them out for yourself. Stay well!

FEATHER FANTASTIC

Shutterstock

SUBS

Hello there

Scientists have found evidence that shows birds are the direct descendants of dinosaurs. They now think that perhaps the scariest dinosaur of all, the Tyrannosaurus rex, was covered in feathers.

Play waterbird colour count

JOKE SPOT

BIRD COLOUR WHEEL Shutterstock

The next time you visit a WWT wetland centre or another wetland, why not test your spotting skills? How many colours can you find on wetland birds in one trip?

Give yourself a point for each colour. Look for the green and blue in a mallard, the red in a moorhen and the brown in, well, lots of birds.

Go Wild, 1

KIDS’ ZONE

Can you spot a moorhen and its striking bright-red bill?

Which side of a duck has the most feathers? The outside!

RED

Gone missing?

How can a bird as bold and bright as a kingfisher stay hidden as it perches on a branch over the river? The answer lies in its feathers being not quite what they seem. That brilliant blue shouts at you when you see a kingfisher in the open.

A GOOD FIT?

By late summer, many feathers are pretty worn and tattered, like your old clothes.

Most species lose their old feathers now and grow new ones in their place. If you find a feather, you can usually tell where it belonged on a bird. A long feather will be

But its sparkle is a trick of the light called iridescence. When the light strikes each feather, it creates an effect that makes it appear blue. But in shade the bird’s feathers show their true colour – a dull grey that’s hard to see among branches.

from a wing or the tail.

Short, curly feathers still hold the shape that they made around the bird’s body. Little, fluffy, wispy feathers are down feathers.

These grow beneath the other feathers – like a thermal vest under a jumper.

WARNING A bird’s feathers can sometimes give others a clear message. The red breast of a robin may look cute to us – we stick these adorable birds on our Christmas cards – but it’s a warning to rivals that this bird is not to be messed with. Robins are very territorial and often fight each other.

When young birds leave the nest, it’s a dangerous enough world, with plenty of things wanting to eat them. The last thing they need is adult birds attacking them because they’re wearing a red front. While they’re learning how to cope with life out of the nest, young robins have spotty brown feathers so other robins leave them alone.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

Waterlife

45

91WTLMAR21140.pgs 26.02.2021 18:06

Shutterstock

Shutterstock

Shutterstock

e g m f

VERSION REPRO OP

Get away from it all

SUBS

Fancy some time away? Look no further, our WWT holiday homes are nestled in some of the most beautiful areas of the UK, are surrounded by wildlife and help support our vital conservation work.

ART PRODUCTION

After a long winter, spring is finally here. With the daffodils and the spring blossoms comes a feeling of hope, the chance to shake off what’s left of darker days and look forward to the future. Planning a break is a great way to start and we have three very different destinations for you to choose from.

CLIENT

The wilderness of Scotland, with its abundance of nature and dramatic landscape, is a real treat for the senses and the perfect place to escape the everyday.

WWT Caerlaverock, on the Solway Firth, is 1,400 naturefilled acres of amazing wildlife and breath-taking views. In the summer the wildflower meadows are spectacular and the butterflies abundant.

Or perhaps you’ll choose the big skies and endless horizons of the East Anglian Fens?

There’s no better spot to invite reflection and calm. Add to that the cosy comfort of Wigeon House at WWT Welney and you have the perfect recipe for a relaxing wildlife retreat.

Situated alongside the Severn Estuary and the Cotswolds Hills, WWT Slimbridge offers spectacular wildlife views all year round. Bewick’s Lodge is set within Sir Peter Scott’s former home and has magnificent views over the famous Rushy Lake.

Whichever one you choose for your next holiday you will be helping us to continue the vital conservation work we do restoring and saving wetlands around the world for wildlife and people.

Caerlaverock

Wigeon House, Welney

Be inspired by nature and explore the wilds of Scotland.

Relax into nature with the peace and tranquillity of the Fens.

Book now wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock

Book now wwt.org.uk/welney

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Bewick’s Lodge

Relax and unwind in Slimbridge, the birthplace of modern conservation.

Stay at Scott House Bewick’s Lodge for an unforgettable wildlife experience.

Book now www.BewicksLodge.co.uk

91WTLMAR21154.pgs 02.03.2021 16:52

House ad - Accommodation, 1

Wake up to Wildlife

SCOT T HOUSE

VERSION

BEFORE YOU VISIT please che

REPRO OP SUBS ART PRODUCTION

Listen out for the loud ‘peep-ing’ call of oystercatchers, then look for their bold black and white plumage

CLIENT

“We’ve just had a wonderful first visit. We looked for kingfishers and water voles on a boat safari and had fun feeding the geese. It was beautiful and tranquil – a real nature fix and a perfect place to visit” leighleighSussex Make sure to visit our new Coastal Creek aviary

FAMILY FUN

48

Waterlife

wwt.org.uk/arundel

ck ou r for th updat e latest e s at wwt.o rg.uk/ visit

In March, the wild wetlands awaken with fresh shoots greening the landscape and splashes of bright coltsfoot, primrose and daffodils dotting the pathways.

In early April, sand martins swoop across the wetlands on their way north, with some making their homes in our nesting bank. Listen for willow warblers, chiffchaffs and blackcaps singing for territory in the hedgerows and the sedge and reed warblers churring in the reedbeds.

In May and June, listen for oystercatchers and lapwings calling to their young on the wet grasslands at the Lapwing and Ramsar hides. Fluffy blackheaded gull chicks demand food from busy parents in the small colony on the gravel islands at the Sand Martin Hide.

The quiet peeps of clumsy ducklings and moorhen chicks sound along the water’s edge of ponds and ditches while dragonflies zoom in the reedbeds. Bees buzz at the bug hotels and butterflies flit by along the Tranquil Trail, waving to welcome you back to wetlands.

The NEW Pelican Cove exhibit opens this spring!

Meet the incredible Dalmatian pelicans – really big birds with even bigger appetites – that once roamed wetlands here in the UK. Join our keepers in the feed bay to see these giant waterbirds up close on Pelican Islands.

Explore the NEW Coastal Creek aviary,

info.arundel@wwt.org.uk WWT Arundel

websit e

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

Romney Turner

Arundel, 1

ARUNDEL Wetland Centre

Arundel West Sussex BN18 9PB 01903 881530

a walk-through experience with a wader window, real waterfalls and a built-in diving duck tank!

Watch amazing avocets and long-legged redshanks from inches away. Hear the waterfalls

burbling while the scaly-sided mergansers play and tiny blacknecked grebes bob the waves.

Harlequin, long-tailed or common scoter?

Spot which duck is diving on the day you visit in the NEW daily duck fish feeds with our friendly WWT keepers. This spacious state-of-the-art aviary is a whole new way to discover wetlands at WWT Arundel.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21141.pgs 02.03.2021 11:11

Caerlaverock, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

info.caerlaverock@wwt.org.uk WWT Caerlaverock

wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock

REPRO OP

FAMILY FUN

SUBS

The whooper swans are getting ready to leave for Iceland, and are affirming their pair bonds, mirroring each other’s actions and seeing off other swans by bobbing their heads, flapping their wings and whooping loudly! The cygnets are looking more like adults each day, although their bills give them away, as the yellow colour hasn’t quite come through yet.

Listen out for the ‘bleating’ sounds of teal, as the colourful drakes

ART PRODUCTION Alex Hillier

CLIENT

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

Keep an eye out for frogs and their spawn

perform their amazing displays for females on the Folly Pond. Take in the sounds of whistling wigeon

BEFORE YOU VISIT please check o f

feeding out on the grass, and watch the tufted ducks as they dive – where will they reappear?

Signs of spring are everywhere in April as frogs emerge to lay frogspawn and migrating birds return

from southern climes. See if you can hear the distinctive chiffchaff call, and the descending notes of the willow warbler all around the reserve! Can you spot the first swallows on their return from Africa?

As the weather warms, flowers bloom down the avenues, with yellow glowing primroses and lesser celandines among the pungent aroma of wild garlic and the first ferns unfurling.

Look for badger tracks as cubs emerge from their setts for the first time and explore their new world – the Caerlaverock wetland!

or the

ur we bsite lates wwt.o t updates a rg.uk/ t visit

As the whooper swans prepare to depart for the summer, they are making the most of their final feeds on the Whooper Pond, along with the other beautiful waterbirds such as mute swans, tufted ducks, mallards, wigeon and teal.

See the barnacle geese on the fields around the reserve feeding up before their long 2,000-mile journey back to Svalbard to breed.

In April and May, the warblers start to return – listen out for the different calls of chiffchaffs, blackcaps, sedge warblers and willow warblers, as the wetlands come alive with their songs!

Watch house martins and swallows collecting mud from the Folly Pond to build their nests on the buildings around the reserve, and look out for returning ospreys fishing on the Solway.

Whooper swans fly to Iceland for the summer

You may spot a friendly hare lolloping down the avenues or, if you’re lucky, an otter fishing in the Whooper Pond! In May and June, take a wander around the wildflower meadow, with red clover, yellow rattle and buttercups among the rushes.

The reserve is also host to a multitude of insects, from buzzing bumblebees and iridescent beetles to darting dragonflies.

“A lovely reserve to enjoy at any time of year. A warm welcome, superb views of house martins and swallows from the tower, wonderful scenery and well-placed hides. We will return, thank you” valerie b MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Richard Hesketh

VERSION

CAERLAVEROCK Wetland Centre

Caerlaverock Dumfriesshire DG1 4RS 01387 770200

Waterlife

49

91WTLMAR21142.pgs 02.03.2021 12:14

Castle Espie, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

REPRO OP

Sam Stafford/WWT

VERSION

CASTLE ESPIE Wetland Centre

Castle Espie County Down BT23 6EA 028 9187 4146 info.castleespie@wwt.org.uk

WWT Castle Espie

wwt.org.uk/castle-espie

BEFORE YOU VISckITour

SUBS

he please c for the te si web ates at d latest up k/visit .u rg o wwt.

ART PRODUCTION

Can you find the fairy door on your woodland adventure?

Spring sees Castle Espie burst into life. Courtship rituals are all around – all sorts of birds sing in the trees and over the meadows, and terns returning to breed show off their elegant aerobatics, diving into the water to capture their next meal.

We also welcome the return of our large colony of black-

FAMILY FUN As the days grow longer and the wildlife starts to spring back to life, there is lots of fun to be had for all the family on a day trip to Castle Espie.

Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the reserve from the discovery hides, seeing who can spot the most

50

Waterlife

headed gulls, which nest around the reserve.

Wildflowers start to bloom in our woodlands, including several species found only in Ireland.

We love to hear about what wildlife you’ve spotted at Castle Espie, so don’t forget to tag us on social media during your next visit!

wildlife, while enjoying the spectacular views across Strangford Lough.

Look out for ducklings and other young birds learning all about their new surroundings and see if you can find any frogs lurking beneath the water at our

“In this ‘new world’, we were searching for an outdoor activity and alighted on Castle Espie. It was a great place for children, with plenty to keep their imagination running and interesting birds to look at.

It felt very safe too” trin0209

Pond Zone. Then follow the signs past the wishing tree and deep into the woods on a woodland

Who can be the first to spot a frog?

adventure, where our fabulous treehouse, zip wire and dazzling green swamp awaits you.

Once you’ve built up an appetite stretching your legs and filling your lungs with fresh air, enjoy a picnic at one of the many outdoor benches or treat yourself to a selection of snacks from the Kingfisher Kitchen.

Ted McKee/WWT

CLIENT

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21143.pgs 26.02.2021 17:44

Llanelli, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

REPRO OP SUBS ART PRODUCTION Andrew Bluett/WWT

CLIENT

In spring, our wetlands burst into colour. Bright-yellow marsh marigolds appear first, followed by soft pastel-pink cuckooflowers and yellow flag irises. Trees come into blossom – look out for the velvety-soft willow catkins and sprays of blossom on the blackthorn and hawthorn.

As the days get warmer, early dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies emerge.

Listen out for the captivating songs of migrant warblers and the raucous chorus of the hundreds of black-tailed godwits and black-headed gulls that call our stunning Millennium Wetlands home. Watch for the tumbling courtship flights of our breeding lapwings and be moved by their distinctive calls.

Thanks to the habitat management work of our reserve team and volunteers, we are seeing more and more lapwing chicks fledge here every year. Let’s hope 2021 is their best year yet.

The sights and sounds of spring are all around, so pull on some wellies and enjoy everything that our wonderful wetlands have to offer at this magical time of year.

Jump and splash in puddles and listen to the squelch of glorious mud underfoot. Look for buds and blossoms as

52

Waterlife

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

wwt.org.uk/llanelli

please test for the la website t a updates .uk/visit wwt.org

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

FAMILY FUN

BEFORE YOU VchIeSckITour

The elusive resident otters can sometimes be seen playing and hunting on the reserve, making the most of our amazing habitats and the wealth of fish that live in our healthy waters.

Make sure you regularly check our website or social media for sightings and you may even be lucky enough to see some rare visitors like avocets, spoonbills, grasshopper warblers and little gulls!

they appear on once bare branches, and keep an ear out for the symphony of birds singing their hearts out to let their neighbours and rivals know that this is their patch!

As the season continues, the birds will be rewarded

Spotting a spoonbill sweeping its unique, spoon-shaped bill from side to side in the water is a real treat!

“We visited Llanelli recently after a very long absence.

It was as serene and as beautiful as we remember.

Staff were friendly. Covid-19 precautions were first rate.

We have now invested in a season ticket again” CymruTravels

for their hard work with the arrival of this year’s fluffy new babies! Chicks, ducklings, goslings, owlets and cygnets are the next generation of wetland birds, and their parents work long shifts to help them survive.

Look out for tired adults flying back and forth with food. Keep visiting to watch their babies grow and develop. As we head towards summer,

the flamingos may even have some adorable chicks for you to admire!

It’s not just the birds that have a job to do…

Hold on to someone’s hand and take a careful look around the edges of ponds and lakes to see if you can spot any spawn.

We have frogs, toads and newts on our reserve, so see if you can spot the difference between their jelly-covered eggs.

Nigel Snell/WWT

VERSION

LLANELLI Wetland Centre

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

Frogs lay their eggs in clusters like this. Toads lay their eggs in long strings like a necklace!

91WTLMAR21144.pgs 26.02.2021 17:42

London, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

REPRO OP SUBS ART PRODUCTION

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

wwt.org.uk/london Super cute and super fluffy: how many ducklings can you count?

FAMILY FUN Spring is a brilliant time of year when new life begins. Many birds, insects, amphibians and reptiles start looking for mates and perform elaborate courtship displays to attract a suitable partner.

Small mammals emerge from hibernation and birds sing to attract females.

Larger mammals that have mated in autumn give birth to their young.

SW13 9WT 020 8409 4400 info.london@wwt.org.uk WWT London

Look out for fluffy ducklings and fledgling birds on the reserve. And all this happens against a stunning backdrop of blooming wildflowers.

It’s the perfect moment for you and your family to get outdoors and be inspired by nature. Come and enjoy all the seasonal spring highlights from

gambolling lambs to chirping birds – you’ll find wildlife emerging all around the centre.

Why not start your day by exploring our pond zone? Pond dipping is an adventure! Grab a net, dip it into the pond and let the fun begin.

Experience the beauty and wonder of the insects flying above the pond, and also the magical world waiting to be discovered beneath its still surface.

Richie Lort/WWT

VERSION

LONDON Wetland Centre

London

BEFORE YOU VIeSckITour

CLIENT

h please c for the te si b e w ates at d p u latest .uk/visit wwt.org

From the fragrant aroma of wildflowers to the delightful song of the chiffchaff, London Wetland Centre comes to life in spring.

Wheatears and wagtails make regular appearances on the grazing marsh, and newly arrived warblers flit around the reedbeds. Look and listen out for willow, sedge, grasshopper and garden warblers, plus blackcaps and whitethroats.

The great crested grebe’s dramatic ‘weed dance’ is a highlight of spring We’re excited to see the numbers of breeding sand martins increase every year.

They nest in our specially designed colony bank on the Wader Scrape, where they forage for insects on the wing. Head inside the hide and enjoy flick their heads from side to side, bob a ‘behind-the-scenes’ peek into their in unison, and swim low and slowly nests, via the CCTV cameras. towards each other in the water.

In spring, it’s hard not to be Get your camera ready for this enchanted by the great crested wildlife spectacle. grebe’s courtship dance. The birds Keep a close eye on our cows out face one another, their striking on the reserve. Sunshine-bright-yellow orange and black plumes erect, then

Saleel Tambe/WWT

“Visited on Sunday morning – you forget you are in central London. Beautiful place, well taken care of.

Close to Barnes railway station. Will be back” Domi wagtails are likely to be seen darting around, feeding on the insects the cattle disturb as they graze. It’s also a great time to see orchids, irises and snake’s head fritillaries, as well as many other wildflowers coming into bloom in our sustainable gardens.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Waterlife

55

91WTLMAR21145.pgs 26.02.2021 17:38

Martin Mere, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

BEFORE YOU VchIeSckITour

REPRO OP

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

please for the website dates at latest up .uk/visit rg wwt.o

SUBS

Our nature reserve provides a real treat for your senses this spring.

Wildflowers add colour and aroma to a nature trail that takes you along walkways and through our meadows.

Look for lapwings and avocets on the mere, enjoy the show as birds decked in their finest plumage perform their courtship displays, and be amazed at the birdsong you can hear while sitting on the benches on the trail.

Raptors such as marsh harriers, hobbies and peregrine falcons can be seen hunting over the wetlands – a sure sign of the reserve’s healthy ecosystem and rich biodiversity.

Dragonflies, butterflies and bats are on the wing, brown hares race across the fields and waders return to breed and feed.

Head to the reedbed walk, accessible from the Harrier Hide, to discover some secretive and rare species, and enjoy an immersive journey through our wetlands. Listen and look out for grasshopper and Cetti’s warblers, water rails, bitterns and bearded tits as well as marsh harriers and great crested grebes.

ART PRODUCTION CLIENT Shutterstock

FAMILY FUN

Wandering around our centre is a feast for the senses in spring.

Hear the eider duck’s comical ‘ah ooo’ call, smell the lavender that attracts hordes of butterflies to our eco-garden, see all the cute fluffy ducklings, goslings,

WWT Martin Mere

wwt.org.uk/martinmere

Shutterstock

VERSION

MARTIN MERE Wetland Centre

Martin Mere Lancashire L40 0TA 01704 895181 info.martinmere@wwt.org.uk

Peregrine falcons are formidable hunters that prey on other birds in mid-flight

“This was a brilliant day out – the animals look like they have a great time too! The place is massive and so well presented, clean and tidy and very well kept. It’s great feeding the ducks – some of them are so friendly they will eat from your hand.

Really great place to visit!” NorwichSarah The reedbed walk is also home to our new Gordon Taylor Hide, which offers spectacular, up-close views of our summer migrants. But it’s not just our feathered friends that this hide will help you discover. There are

cygnets and flamingo chicks as well as our cheeky otters, then taste

also regular sightings of beautiful roe deer, otters and stoats on the reserve.

The reedbed walk truly is one of Martin Mere’s best-kept secrets (just don’t tell anyone!).

some fantastic food in the Mere Side Café.

Every weekend, you can immerse yourself in our pond-dipping experience and see what creatures you can find lurking in our ponds, or grab a Our flamingos paddle and enjoy will be caring our award-winning for new young this summer canoe safari as you glide along looking for insects and life at the water’s edge.

We hope we’ll be able to offer visitors a unique opportunity to enter the duckling nursery and learn all about how eggs become ducklings during May half-term, but please check our website nearer the time.

Enjoy running wild along our wild walk, as you explore the reedy maze and find hidden swings and balancing beams deep in nature.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Waterlife

57

91WTLMAR21146.pgs 01.03.2021 16:07

REPRO OP

FAMILY FUN

SUBS

Spring is the perfect time to get up close to adorable ducklings, goslings and cygnets around the grounds, plus see if you can spot all six species of flamingo!

Learn all about our marvellous mammals at Back from the Brink – look out for the secretive water voles and see how many cute harvest mice you can count.

Experience Slimbridge this spring with our new app – Wetland Heroes.

ART PRODUCTION

Find out more about our amazing animals and see how many packs you can unlock on your visit.

The more you explore Slimbridge, the closer you are to becoming a Wetland Hero!

This May half-term, meet the nene – the world’s rarest goose – at our NEW Mission Possible exhibit. Explore a Hawaiian landscape and learn how WWT founder Sir Peter Scott brought this species back from the brink of extinction. Peek behind the scenes of our duckery and see the eggs and ducklings

BEFORE YOU VchIeSckITour

Slimbridge, 1

WWT Slimbridge

wwt.org.uk/slimbridge

please for the website dates at latest up .uk/visit rg wwt.o

being raised. Find out about the amazing work WWT does around the world to save endangered species from extinction.

Explore the Estuary Tower Hide and take in the stunning spring sights of the Severn Estuary.

Visit the Arctic Adventure experience and find out about life on the Arctic Tundra, where WWT studies wildlife including Bewick’s swans.

Splash about at Welly Boot Land or go wild in our Riverlife outdoor

play areas in the spring sunshine.

Discover the world of amphibians at Toad Hall and learn all about our watery wonders!

Look out for nenes at the new Mission Possible exhibit

WWT

VERSION

SLIMBRIDGE Wetland Centre

Slimbridge Gloucestershire GL2 7BT 01453 891900 Pre-book events online at wwt.org.uk/slimbridge events.slimbridge@wwt.org.uk

CLIENT

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

Shutterstock

Enjoy the first signs of spring at Slimbridge with the arrival of swallow, house martins and sand martins swooping through the air.

Listen out for the sounds of our summer warblers, including grasshopper, reed and sedge warblers,

In spring the skies come alive with the sounds of sand martins

58

Waterlife

and the iconic call of the first cuckoo.

Look out for the adorable ducklings, goslings, cygnets and other chicks.

Take a trip to the Estuary Tower to see a variety of wading birds passing through on migration north. Dunlin, ringed plover, curlew, common sandpiper, sanderling, black-tailed godwit and greenshank can all be seen on the estuary most days.

For wonderful wildlife views visit the estuary during a

high tide and you may see hundreds of birds being pushed off the mud by the water and flying overhead to find a suitable roost.

A trip to Slimbridge wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Kingfisher Hide to see our kingfisher parents busily darting around to feed their young. Keen birders should keep their eyes peeled and their fingers crossed for rare species such as a purple heron or Temminck’s stint.

“What an amazing place Slimbridge is. I was enthralled by the collection of amphibians and also by the harvest mice, which were incredibly cute. The varieties of flamingos in their bright plumage were breathtakingly beautiful. So much to see and do for the whole family, while preserving nature.

A fab day out” Susan B

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21147.pgs 02.03.2021 11:13

Washington, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

REPRO OP

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT Sam Stafford/WWT

Our breeding terns are always fun to watch

Early spring sees the cycle of new birdlife soar into action across our wonderful wetlands, with elaborate courtship displays, hectic nest-building and a chorus of musical birdsong offering natural entertainment for all.

As the season unfolds, Wader Lake and its nearby meadows become a haven for wildlife. Spiky-haired grey heron chicks are fledging and learning to hunt, Red Listed lapwings are bickering over territories, and graceful avocets are busy displaying and mating on the shingle islands.

Our common tern colony arrives full of energy and ready to rumble, offering fantastic views as they jostle noisily for space, perform aerobatic flirting and prepare for the arrival of chicks. The presence of these boisterous birds helps protect smaller species such as little ringed plovers, as they keep watch and defend their patch fiercely against any predators. From June, common tern chicks begin hatching, adding to the cacophony made by their parents.

The sound is incredible and they’re a real treat to observe!

FAMILY FUN As spring approaches, new life is all around. Birds are displaying, nesting, breeding and fledging, as youngsters begin to test their flying skills.

Young herons patiently sit around the shores of Wader Lake, common terns begin to arrive and perform their noisy aerobatic displays in

WWT Washington

wwt.org.uk/washington

BEFORE YOU VISIT plea

se check our websi te for the latest upd ates at wwt.org.u k/visit

“Super, sunny day trip to this lovely family attraction. Very good safety procedures in place. Plenty of birds to see and all labelled and informative. Thoroughly recommend and will be returning soon” 186478Marilyn As the warmer days unfold, wildflower meadows spring to life, offering a multitude of sights, sounds and aromas. Exquisite furry bee orchids can be found scattered around the site

search of a partner, and small woodland birds find a safe retreat to incubate their tiny eggs.

It’s the perfect time to get outdoors and take in the season’s highlights with

(look where you put your feet!), while sunshine-bright yellow rattle and elegant foxgloves prepare for vibrant visitors, such as white-tailed bumblebees and peacock butterflies.

the family. The sound of flowing water as young ducklings take their first swimming lessons and the smell of grass and freshly emerged flowers really play a sweet symphony for your senses.

As plants bloom, insect life begins to flourish.

Butterflies delicately stretch their wings in the warming breeze, the calming drone of

bumblebees sipping sweet nectar from flowers is all around, and dragonflies effortlessly dart across the glistening water’s surface in search of food.

Our hides help bring you closer to the action, then there’s food and drinks to enjoy as you wander, and a play area finale for the kids.

It’s a real adventure, with lots for the whole family to enjoy!

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Waterlife

John Preston

VERSION

WASHINGTON Wetland Centre

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

59

91WTLMAR21148.pgs 26.02.2021 17:30

Welney, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT VERSION

WELNEY Wetland Centre

Welney Cambridgeshire PE14 9TN 01353 860711 info.welney@wwt.org.uk WWT Welney

wwt.org.uk/welney

SUBS ART CLIENT

Commission Air; Ray Mathias

PRODUCTION

Breeding black-tailed godwits are a rare sight in the UK, restricted to the wetlands of the Ouse and Nene Washes.

These long-legged, long-billed waders migrate to Europe each spring from West Africa. Arriving back dressed smartly in rufous-orange plumage, the males are ready to display. They take to the sky, flying and calling over their patch of wet grassland, but become more secretive once nesting begins.

Project Godwit has helped give the UK population of black-tailed godwits a boost by ‘headstarting’ chicks – helping them through the difficult early months so that more youngsters make it to adulthood.

Each spring we record the leg-ring combinations of birds that return to the UK. This allows us to identify Project Godwit individuals within the population.

From March onwards, monitoring becomes increasingly important – we’re always grateful for visitors’ records of the birds they’ve spotted.

Insect activity increases from April, as butterflies, moths, damselflies and dragonflies take to the air. Look out for

FAMILY FUN Enjoy wetland wildlife this spring in the safety of Welney’s wide, open spaces. Now that you’ve become an expert at finding and watching wildlife in your garden during lockdown, you can test your skills at Welney.

As our winter birds leave, so summer birds arrive.

Watch swallows and

Welney is Britain’s largest area of seasonally flooded land and looks spectacular in winter; (above) our godwits migrate between the UK and West Africa

BEFORE YOU VISIT please che

COME AND STAY WITH US (WHEN YOU CAN!) For the first time since the early days of WWT Welney, visitors are able to stay at the reserve.

Wigeon House, a cosy cottage that was previously the home of the reserve warden, has been turned into comfortable accommodation for up to four people. Relax in the private garden surrounded by the calls of wetland birds.

adorable families of lapwings, avocets and redshanks. Listen out for snipe drumming on still days, warblers singing among the reeds and the unmistakable call of the cuckoo.

house martins feeding on the wing as cattle return to graze the Washes.

As the birds prepare to breed, they can be seen collecting soft mud from the edges of waterways and pools. They use it to repair or build their nests in the eaves of the hides and on other structures on the reserve.

The reserve is alive with insects

Book a guided tour with a warden to discover the season’s highlights and what it takes to look after 526 hectares of habitat.

Bat detectors, moth traps and explorer backpacks are available for you to use on request. Wigeon House is available to book through Airbnb: airbnb.co.uk

By June, flowering plants will add swathes of colour across the Washes and the first broods of ducklings and cygnets will be exploring the pools and waterways around the reserve.

as spring turns into summer. So as you roam around during your visit, go on a bug hunt – look in the grass and soil, under tree bark, in flower heads

Swallows eat insects flushed by our cattle

ck ou r for th updat e latest wwt.o es at rg.uk/ visit

websit e

and under leaves to see what you can find.

Some creatures are adapted to life beneath the water, so you need special pond-dipping equipment to see them.

How many different animals can you find?

Some of the most fascinating species on the reserve are only active after dark – moths! Join us to check the lures set overnight to meet them.

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Waterlife

Shutterstock

REPRO OP

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

61

91WTLMAR21149.pgs 26.02.2021 17:28

Steart, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT VERSION

STEART Marshes

Steart Marshes Somerset TA5 2PU 01278 651090 info.steart@wwt.org.uk

WWT Steart Marshes

wwt.org.uk/steart

REPRO OP

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS

SUBS ART

As the weather warms up from March, we start to see real change on the reserve. Most of the wintering birds have left on migration, but we see hints of spring in the return of birds such as the unmistakable spoonbills, which frequent the saline lagoons of Otterhampton Marshes.

The first hirundines to return from Africa – sand martins and swallows – swoop over our freshwater marsh, feeding on the fresh flush of insects.

As we move into April, splashes of yellow, purple and white can be enjoyed all around the reserve as clumps of marsh marigolds, tall spears of purple loosestrife and white carpets of scurvy grass come into flower.

May and June bring us the fruits of hard-working nature – close encounters with families of swans patrolling the ditches. The hard-tospot camouflaged little ringed

PRODUCTION

“We went for a walk here and it is lovely. We saw waders and egrets from the hides, and used the benches along the way for a picnic. There are toilets by the car park and useful information boards. Muddy in places” lyndac00per

BEFORE YOU VISIT WWT S teart is an

site so openac ca but ple nnot be clo cess sed, ase re ad statem ent be our latest wwt.o fore visiting . rg.uk/ visit

plovers and the unmistakable balls of mottled feathers with long legs that are avocet chicks feed with their parents in front of the Quantock hides.

After plenty of landscape work was undertaken over the winter to improve the islands in this part of the reserve, we are hoping for a bumper year of chicks, offering even better views for our visitors.

CLIENT Charlie Waring/WWT

Mute swans escort flotillas of fluffy, grey cygnets along our ditches. Over the first six months of life, the young will gradually turn brown and after a year they’ll be largely white

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Waterlife

63

91WTLMAR21150.pgs 26.02.2021 17:26

Back Chat, 1

BACK CHAT

VERSION REPRO OP SUBS

MY wild life

ART

Waterlife chats to the youngest winner of our photo competition about coots, Crunchies and the importance of patience

PRODUCTION

I started taking photos two years ago.

My grandad taught me how to use a camera, and how different settings and lighting affect a photo. He’s taught me everything I know and I still have more to learn.

CLIENT

The most helpful thing he taught me is patience. If you’ve taken lots of photos and they don’t turn out well, try something different, change your position or settings – just don’t lose patience and scare the birds away!

I love photographing animals in

action. They’re unpredictable, so it’s rewarding when you’ve set up everything and you get the shot, and save the moment to share and keep.

relocate if nothing turns up. I always carry seed to encourage the birds to move into the best areas for a photo.

I cope with waiting in the cold by My most memorable photo was of

Keira Jo Callaway age 14, winner of the youth category of WWT’s Wildlife Photography Competition

a heron fishing. It inspired me to capture more moments that show animals doing what they do best.

A close second was of a swan at Slimbridge that practically attacked Grandad to get some seed. Hilarious!

Grandad appointed me ‘Queen of

Coots’ because I got a great picture of a coot with a perfect reflection at Arundel. Capturing that photo boosted my confidence and encouraged me to take more photos.

It’s hard to predict what animals will

I live in the New Forest surrounded

by nature. There’s always something to capture right outside the door!

My favourite thing to photograph is

birds. You can get incredible photos of their wings. I love the way they fly and seeing how they behave as they land and interact with water. Water creates amazing reflections and makes a great backdrop for photos.

I travel light, carrying my camera,

lenses, batteries and memory cards.

Lugging heavy equipment all day gets tiring and makes it harder to 66

Waterlife

when Grandad and I looked back through nearly 1,000 pictures!

do, so I set up in a good position and make sure my equipment is ready.

I use all my senses to see and listen for what the animals are doing – this helps me be ready when they come into shot. I take many photos to capture the perfect flap of a wing or the extension of a leg.

When taking my winning coot photo

(page 40), the biggest challenge was getting a clear, sharp shot despite all the splashing water. I kept spraying and praying with the shutter button.

It was sunset when I got the perfect shot, but we didn’t realise until later

listening to my favourite music.

It keeps me in the zone so I can enjoy being out there. Plenty of snacks such as Crunchies and Doritos also help keep our spirits up!

If I was a bird, I’d be a kingfisher so

I could keep flying around to help Grandad get the perfect shot he’s been wanting for ages.

The pandemic has been hard. I’m

grateful my Grandad takes me out to enjoy nature. It gives me something to look forward to. There’s more wildlife now that there are fewer people outside. It’s been amazing to see nature ‘coming back to life’. I try to focus on the good that came out of 2020, rather than the bad.

My top tips for young photographers are to get help from an experienced photographer who can share their skills, passion and things you can’t learn from a book. Be patient.

Always be ready to take a photo as everything can change – but what you hope will happen never does.

Focus on your surroundings – a second can cost you a good shot.

Nature won’t wait for you!

MARCH/JUNE 2021

BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

91WTLMAR21151.pgs 01.03.2021 17:04