Waterlife 223 November/February 2023

WATER RAIL

It’s not that water rails are exactly shy. They’re just not as public as their cousins. While moorhens and coots freely sally out into the open under our gaze, the water rail is that bit more cautious. It never strays far from cover and mostly prefers to stay deep, unseen within a reedbed or marsh, where it teases us with grunts, groans and squeals. Then out it pops, looking like an extended chicken, with stretched beak and oversized feet, a high-stepping gait that suggests a skier on dry land, and a flirtatious, flicking tail. The rail has swapped its omnivorous diet of summer to a largely vegetarian winter. It turns its head this way and that, probing, prodding and pecking for seeds, berries, roots and shoots. All too easily it’s startled into dashing off and vanishing once again.

If you’re very patient this winter, you could be rewarded with the sight of one of Britain’s more elusive wetland birds at your local WWT centre Mark

HEADQUARTERS

Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT wwt.org.uk membership@wwt.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1030884 and SC039410

CENTRES

For full location, address and contact details, please visit the individual centre pages on our website – wwt.org.uk/visit

WWT Arundel 01903 883355

WWT Caerlaverock 01387 770200

WWT Castle Espie 028 9187 4146

WWT Llanelli 01554 741087

WWT London 020 8409 4400

WWT Martin Mere 01704 895181

WWT Slimbridge 01453 891900

WWT Washington 0191 416 5454

WWT Welney 01353 860711

WATERLIFE

The magazine of WWT

Managing editor: Sophie Bursztyn waterlife@wwt.org.uk

Editor: Sophie Stafford sophie.stafford@thinkpublishing.co.uk

Chief sub-editor: Marion Thompson

Art director: George Walker

Contributors: Amy-Jane Beer, Dominic Couzens, Kate Humble, Derek Niemann, James Shooter, Mike Unwin

Editorial board: Tomos Avent, Jon Boardman, Helen Deavin, Andrew Foot, Geoff Hilton, Peter Lee, Penny Read, Mark Simpson

Sales executive: Jamie Dawson 020 3771 7201 jamie.dawson@thinkpublishing.co.uk

Client engagement director: Clare Harris, Think, 20 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JW; thinkpublishing.co.uk

Front cover: Kingfisher Poshey Aherne/500px/Getty Images

3 One to watch… See if you can catch a glimpse of the elusive water rail

4 Contents Welcome to a new era for WWT from our Chair, Barnaby Briggs, and our Chief Executive, Sarah Fowler

7 Update WWT’s vision for a world where wetlands and people thrive

17 Waterlines Nature writer Amy-Jane Beer on how water awakens the senses

18 Your views Your letters, plus our top shots from your photographs

20 ID guide Learn how to identify tracks and signs by the waterside

22 Sands of time How we’re creating bigger, better-connected wetlands

28 Science in action What we’re doing to remove barriers for migrating fish

30 Meet the Directors We introduce the people who are guiding us on our journey to the future

33 Photo competition Send in your best images before the contest closes 35

favourite species to see 43

50

experiences at our 10 wetland sites

Children share their thoughts on our Generation Wild project

WELCOME

We’re really excited to bring you this new issue of Waterlife – and the start of a new era for WWT. In this edition, we’ll introduce you to some of the exciting changes we’re embracing to secure a bolder, brighter future for wetlands and the vast array of wildlife they support. We’ve always been unwavering champions for wetlands, but in today’s swiftly changing world we need to accelerate our work to restore them, bringing them back to life so they can help solve the many challenges we face, and empower many more people to do the same.

On page 7, you can read all about our new plan for the future. With your support, we’re already making vital changes in order to rise up and meet the greatest challenges head-on. You can meet some of the changemakers on page 30 and at our AGM – where we hope you’ll join us, to hear in person about our plans.

As WWT embarks on a mission to restore wetlands and unlock their power, we stand on the shoulders of our founder. Sir Peter Scott understood the need to enable people to experience the joy and sense of connection found in nature as a way to promote positive change. He said, “The most effective way to save the natural world is to cause people to fall in love with it again.”

With that in mind, we’ve also been thinking about how we can reach new audiences more effectively and inspire them to get involved. Our fresh new look – showcased in this issue of Waterlife – will help us engage more future guardians of nature with our conservation goals. We hope you like it and would love to hear your views.

At WWT, we know that change starts from a groundswell upwards, and it is you – the people who support and champion our work – who will help drive the change we’ve set our hearts on. It’s only by working together – all of us, with our partners – that we can achieve our aspirations.

So, from the heart of WWT to every single one of you, we say thank you! None of our dreams are possible without you.

INTRODUCING THE WWT GIFT CARD…

Available from our shops and online, these cards are redeemable against purchases in our shops, restaurants and admissions. They make the perfect gift and support WWT. wwt.org.uk/shop

PASSING ON THE GIFT OF NATURE

Sarah Fowler, Chief Executive

Tahirsphotography/Shutterstock

Mike Powles/Getty Images

WWT

Barnaby Briggs, Chair

CHANGING

Our Chief Executive, Sarah Fowler, reveals our new strategy for wetlands

Take a deep breath of fresh wetland air – because change is coming.

Thanks to our pioneering founder, Sir Peter Scott, WWT has been a charity dedicated to protecting the wetlands and their rich wildlife for 77 years. But today, we face a crisis.

The world is losing wetlands – and all their natural powers – at a staggering rate. In the last 300 years, 87% have been lost, and they continue to vanish three times faster than forests. The

" Our mission now is to restore wetlands and unlock their power. United behind this purpose, we can support and speed up nature’s recovery

window to avoid irreversible damage to people and nature is rapidly closing. So every action we take now counts.

Just as wildlife adapts to our ever-changing world, we must too. That’s why I’m delighted to introduce our new strategy – a roadmap for the future. As a member of WWT, I hope you’ll be proud to share our ambitions and excited to join us on this journey.

We know wetlands hold the power to recover nature, save species from extinction, tackle climate change and improve people’s lives. That’s why our mission now is to restore wetlands and unlock their power. United behind one clear purpose, we can support and speed up nature’s recovery.

We’ll make changes to the way the charity looks and talks so we can engage more people with the wonder of wetlands. We need to be more distinctive and ensure our voice is heard more clearly.

Welcome to your new WWT! Let’s explore our strategy for 2024 and beyond.

LEADING THE WAY

Our new strategy in brief

We’re on a mission to restore wetlands and unlock their power. Our new strategy will turn our ambitions into action, and turn the tide for the future. It demands change and fluid thinking from all of us, but one thing that will never change is who we are – a beacon of optimism for wetlands and our world.

Our strategy is guided by three ambitions.

1 Restore and create bigger, better wetlands.

2 Inspire more people to value, act for and benefit from wetlands.

3 Be a thriving, sustainable and effective organisation.

Let’s take a look at how we’re going to achieve these ambitions.

Jim Johnston/WWT

In a world full of challenges, wetlands are that rare thing – a solution. They are super-powered ecosystems, vital not just for nature’s survival, but ours too. Yet wetlands are the globe’s most threatened ecosystem.

As a global leader in wetland conservation, we must make the case for wetlands as a vital ingredient for life on Earth. That means showing how wetlands can solve some of society’s biggest challenges. Instead of controlling nature by pouring concrete and draining land, we can harness its power and many benefits. Through innovation and our pioneering research, and by working with and inspiring others, we will take action, get muddy and speak for change to restore and create bigger, better, more connected wetlands to create real solutions.

How we’ll make it happen

We’ll combine passion with cuttingedge research and conservation expertise to gather the evidence about

1the many benefits of wetlands for wildlife and people. We’ll find the most effective ways to restore wetlands at scale, with a target for the UK to restore 100,000 hectares of wetlands by 2050.

We’ll share our knowledge with others. We’ll work with landowners, governments, scientists and the private sector to think big and find new ways to fund and develop wetlands. We’ve already begun this journey with our groundbreaking partnership with Aviva. It has awarded WWT £21m to restore and manage coastal saltmarsh – a carbon-storing, flood-buffering powerhouse – and fund research into the many benefits this vital habitat provides.

We’ll continue to develop our sites and increase the wetlands we manage

so we can provide bigger, better habitats for wetland wildlife. We’ll also help to restore sustainable populations of flagship species that will in turn support further wetland creation.

In our global hotspots, where wetlands are facing the most urgent challenges, we’ll work with others to protect one million hectares of internationally important wetlands, focusing our efforts on East Asia, Cambodia, Madagascar and the East Atlantic Flyway. In Madagascar, for example, we’re working with the government to develop a national plan of action for wetlands. As part of this plan we’re sharing knowledge, resources and skills, and helping local communities to access funding for conservation action linked to the impact of climate change.

BELOW

WWT will continue to restore and manage coastal saltmarsh such as this at our Steart Marshes site

" We must show that wetlands can solve some of society’s biggest challenges if we harness their power and benefits

Restore and create bigger, better wetlands

Nick Turner/WWT

2 Inspire more people to value, act for and benefit from wetlands

ABOVE

WWT creates lasting and meaningful connections with nature.

Here, our Junior Wetland Rangers meet some of the residents at WWT London Wetland Centre

Our founder, Sir Peter Scott, knew the most effective way to save the natural world was to make people fall in love with it. Whether we’re talking to scientists, landowners, farmers, engineers, big companies or visitors to our centres – we want everyone to feel connected to wetlands and appreciate their benefits.

And who better to show people the wonder of wetlands than WWT?

Our love of these amazing places is inspiring and infectious, and we aim to use it to spark a global movement of wetland champions.

How we’ll make it happen

We’ll create new experiences for people that nurture a deeper

connection with, and understanding of, wetlands at our sites and beyond. We’ve already started to raise awareness of wetlands with our Wetlands Can! campaign, which is pushing for 100,000 hectares of healthy wetlands in the UK.

Now we’ll speak with a louder, bolder voice, making wetlands relevant in today’s world and showing the wonders of these important habitats, and what needs to be done to restore and protect them.

We’ll build new partnerships with organisations that share our vision, in order to reach bigger and more diverse audiences. We’ll continue to make policymakers aware of the power and potential of wetlands, and

" We’ll speak with a louder, bolder voice, showing the wonders of wetlands and what needs to be done to restore and protect them

develop coalitions to help us campaign for change. We’ll make our work inspiring, accessible and easy to understand – and show how anyone can play their part in protecting wetland nature, wherever they live, work or study. For example, with volunteering opportunities to help us map, monitor and restore wetlands in local communities.

We’ll build a community of champions who share our love of wetlands, and help people to make changes in their daily lives that have a positive impact on these valued wild spaces.

We believe the future of wetlands restoration and protection is possible, with greater access to the skills and knowledge about wetlands and their management. Our new Wetland Learning Hub will equip professionals to do just this, as a one-stop online resource to provide education and training for the next generation of wetland conservationists around the world.

Jim Johnston/WWT

You’re invited: AGM

Thursday 23 November

11.30am–4pm

The Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS

Join us in person or online at this year’s landmark AGM, held at the Royal Institution.

This is your opportunity to hear about WWT’s ambitious new strategy for the future, listen to an exclusive talk from Aviva about our £21m partnership, and hear about the latest WWT news and conservation work from across the world.

Meet the WWT leadership team as well as fellow supporters, share your views on our work and direct your questions to Council, our Board of Trustees, Sarah Fowler, our Chief Executive, and other members of our team. You can also follow the progress of vital conservation efforts supported by your membership, including projects that are helping to protect precious species and wetland habitats worldwide.

Register your interest today to attend in person or virtually, at our AGM webpage: wwt.org.uk/agm

As part of proceedings on the day, WWT is also calling a meeting of charity members between 1.50pm and 2.15pm, at which members will be asked to vote on resolutions amending WWT’s Articles of Association. These amendments are designed to support WWT’s new strategy and help with the effective running of the charity. Full details of timings and the resolutions are available at wwt.org.uk/agm

If you have any queries, please email events@wwt.org.uk or call 07824 413335.

3 Be a thriving, sustainable and effective organisation

Our work has never been more needed. So we must also look inwards and continue to push ourselves to be better.

WWT’s people are the beating heart of the charity, and we’re committed to looking after them and holding ourselves to high standards when it comes to diversity, inclusion and fair pay.

There’s much still to be done, and we’re listening and improving together. To make sure we’re all swimming along the same stream, we’ll align our strategy, our culture and our action.

To achieve our ambitions, we also need to expand our public profile, making more people aware of the fantastic work we do for wetlands and inspiring them to join our community and support us.

But what happens behind the scenes is important, too. We’ll invest in our operations and infrastructure, using digital solutions in the right places to help our teams and bring our supporters closer. Ultimately it will enable us to focus on what matters most… saving wetlands.

ABOVE

We’re leading the way by taking direct action to bring wetlands back to life and empowering everyone to do the same

RIGHT

We will break new ground with our research to make the case for wetlands as vital allies against climate change

" To achieve our ambitions, we also need to expand our public profile, making more people aware of the fantastic work we do for wetlands

How we’ll make it happen

A key part of our future success will be to broaden support and to ensure we have the resources needed to fund our work – especially as the urgency of the nature and climate crises grows.

We’re so grateful to you, our members and donors, for your support. We’ll build on this to develop new forms of income so that we can deliver our ambitions, developing new partnerships with a wider range of organisations to make the case for wetlands and deliver change.

And we’ll review the way we keep you informed to make sure it’s not just interesting and inspiring, but environmentally sustainable too.

Finally, we’re working hard to make sure as many people as possible can join our mission and be a part of WWT, whether that’s as an employee or a volunteer. We want

to become a nurturing environment for future conservationists, so we’re exploring how to broaden the opportunities we offer to include work experience, apprenticeships and student placements.

Robin Chittenden/naturepl.com

STARTING THE JOURNEY TOGETHER

We’re very excited about our new ambitions and the soaring changes they will inspire for our world. To take these big (muddy) steps forward together, we’ll have to be bolder and braver, dreaming bigger than ever before to build on our achievements from the past 77 years.

We’re extremely proud to be setting out on this adventure with you and hope you feel as invigorated by this fresh start as we do. Our new strategy gives us the confidence, energy and determination to restore wetlands and unlock their power – for people and nature. And our three ambitions provide us with a robust plan. Our path is clear – it’s time for us to spread our wings and take flight into the future.

To find out more, visit wwt.org.uk/strategy-2030

Samuel Walker/WWT

RAISING FOR WETLANDS

As part of our plans for the future, we’ve been thinking hard about how we can make sure more people hear about the wonders of wetlands and are inspired to join a movement that is taking action to protect these precious places.

It is only with this groundswell of support that we will have the influence and resources to make the lasting changes needed.

To identify the best way forward, we commissioned wide-ranging research and sought the views of colleagues, volunteers, supporters and potential supporters. Their invaluable comments and ideas have helped to shape our mission and future strategy, as well as the way we take our message to the wider world in the future.

New beginnings

VOICES WWT

media and other digital platforms. Using our historic logo as our inspiration, we now have a beautiful and bold solo swan, winging its way towards a brighter future for the world’s wetlands.

As part of our new strategy we will be making changes to the way WWT communicates. Our goal is to ensure that we have a clear, distinctive voice that tells the story of wetlands as effectively as possible. We will continue to use WWT but will be introducing a new strapline – ‘For wetlands. For life.’ It is designed to explain what we do and why it is important to all life on Earth, in a short, pithy phrase

The new strapline comes with a change in our visual identity. As digital communications and smartphones increase in popularity, we’ve realised that our traditional logo of two Bewick’s swans can be hard to discern when it is at a very small scale such as on social

We will use new colours and designs that celebrate the variety and beauty of wetlands, and the curves and waves created by flowing water, to help us to be more easily recognisable. You will see some of these changes in this edition of Waterlife.

This new look will reflect our fresh approach to telling stories about wetlands and their huge benefits in more compelling ways, and to creating new opportunities for people to take action where they live and work. Our voice will be bolder

For wetlands. For life.

and stronger to stand out from the crowd and raise our profile. We will introduce these changes gradually over time, so please look out for them and send us your views. Now is the time for us to take action together to tell other people about how precious wetlands are to nature and people. Together, we are the voice of wetlands.

" Our goal is to ensure that we have a clear, distinctive voice that effectively tells the story of how precious wetlands are to nature and people

ABOVE

Our new logo, with the original inspiration by WWT founder Sir Peter Scott above left

Juliet Laurie, 63, a retired science teacher from Dorset, loves hill-walking with her husband and walking holidays with friends -it's her favourite way to stay active and healthy while having fun. She's been doing it for years, but it hasn't always been easy. In her forties, Juliet started to find it increasingly difficult to walk the distances she used to do comfortably.

Juliet had heard about various supplements and given them a try. 'But they had done nothing for me,' she says. Then an advertisement for Cool Joints+ caught her eye.

"I have added Cool Joints+ to my daily routine and haven't looked back."

'With my science background, I really appreciated the science credentials behind the company and the fact that Cool Joints+ was backed by published studies -so thought I'd give it a try,' says Juliet.

'I'm so glad I did ... I found that I

enjoyed my walks so much more and could walk the distances I used to much more comfortably.

'I have added Cool Joints+ to my daily routine and haven't looked back. In fact, I recently climbed Ben Nevis -something I would never have contemplated before!' Cool Joints+ contains a highly absorbable combination of sunflower lecithin and Boswellia serrata, a natural extract from the Indian frankincense tree that can help to keep joints cool and comfortable.

Dr Miriam Ferrer PhD, head of product development at FutureYou Cambridge, the company that created Cool Joints+, explains: 'Boswellic acids are poorly absorbed by the body, so we have combined them with lecithin phospholipids which increases absorption by up to four times compared with other standard extracts.'

It's certainly made all the difference

to Juliet: 'I love to walk on a daily basis and I've found that Cool Joints+ has given me the confidence to walk further, going from one mile a day to five miles and then eight or nine or more, which is really fantastic.'

Future You CAM8RIDGE

Cool Joints+

"'Boswe/lia serrata RESIN helps to keep joints cool and comfortable [on hold claim 1D:4000]

Immerse yourself in nature, wherever you are. Waterlands, the wetland podcast, streaming now.

WATERLANDS

" Now is the time for us all to work together

Now more than ever before, we’re aware of the challenges our planet faces, and the need for strategic, cohesive action to counteract the damaging effects of climate change.

WWT’s practical, science-based approach to conservation has resulted in many successes over the charity’s history. Those achievements – combined with its experience, expertise, energy and bold thinking – offer real solutions to the problems faced in the UK and globally.

WWT’s new strategy, as reflected in its refreshed brand and strapline, pays homage to its legacy, while making a clean, clear, modern statement to everyone – supporters and people unaware of the charity’s work – of its unwavering focus on wetlands as nature’s solution.

Leading the way

Aiming to create 100,000 hectares of wetland in the UK might sound ambitious – but we know WWT doesn’t make empty promises. We know that when we’re told these new and restored wetlands will increase biodiversity, provide economic and community benefits, and create more wild spaces for wildlife and people – a proven way of supporting good mental health – that they will, indeed, do all those things.

Wetlands defend us against floods, reduce pollution entering our rivers, and capture carbon – some even more effectively than forests. They support protected species around the world, including migrating birds, and provide livelihoods for one billion people. For governments, businesses and individuals, there’s no doubt that investing in wetlands is money wisely spent.

Spread the word

As a member of WWT, you’re already a champion of what we do. You already know how vital these often-overlooked and undervalued places are. You have chosen to support us because you know that when WWT says it will do something, it will do it. And you also know that, for a small charity, WWT punches well above its weight.

But we need more people to know what you know – and we need your help to achieve this. Bring your family and friends to our centres to discover the beauty of these wild places. But most of all, be a voice for wetlands. Tell people how wetlands help stabilise our increasingly unstable world. Now is the time for us all to work together – with our partner organisations and other charities – to share knowledge and resources to build a healthy future for generations to come.

Together, we can do anything

Your support is invaluable to our work. By being a member, you’ve already done so much, for which we are all so thankful. Please don’t think us ungrateful when we ask for even more from you. We are absolutely not. But there is a huge challenge ahead, which we all share, and the more of us who unite to tackle it, the less of a task it will be.

With many thanks

Kate Humble, President of WWT

"The world is an astonishing, sensuous place

When David Pickett first walked into the tiny fragment of woodland on the northern edge of Powhillon Farm – recently brought under his direct stewardship as Reserve Manager at WWT Caerlaverock – it triggered the ‘peat sensors’ in his feet. I can feel what he means. There’s a give and spring in the ground that is delightful to walk on.

Even so, when he pushes hard on his walking stick (an enviable hazel staff with a comfortable thumbnotch that doubles as a device for pushing down fence wire while we hop over), I’m amazed how smoothly and easily it sinks full length into the ground. It comes up smeared with black and reeking with the rich, vinegary scent of pickled bogmoss.

That simple demonstration reminded me of the extent to which knowing a place is a multisensory process. Wrapped up against the elements, sensibly shod, sticking to the trail or, worse still, basing our world view purely on what we glean from screens, books or what others tell us, we forget that we are blessed with such extraordinary faculties. We marvel at the visual acuity of eagles, the olfactory prowess of sharks and dogs, the hearing of owls, the magnetic sense

of migrant birds, and forget how few species match us for all-round sensory ability.

We can differentiate millions of colours; know the individual voices of thousands of people; recognise the personal scents of those we know well, even after they’ve left a room. We can taste single parts per million of some chemicals, and our fingertips can detect surface changes one atom deep by sensing differences in heat transfer and electrical conductivity.

Water transforms

Water is a carrier of so much sensory input. I feel that most intensely as a swimmer, but you don’t have to immerse yourself. Simply crouching down to get closer makes a difference. Feel the coolness of air immediately above a watery surface. Inhale its scent. Watch what it does to light, or imagine yourself with the body of a fish or the beak of a wader – sensitive to every vibration.

Too often we dub sights, smells and flavours as good or bad, but ignore what they are actually telling us. And that’s a shame, because the world is an astonishing, sensuous place, and when we do pay attention, decisions we have to make about how we treat it become so much easier.

More ways you can help our wetlands

As a member of WWT, you’re already helping us fight climate change by restoring wetlands. But you can also take action, such as adding a water feature to your garden or going peat-free. Find more ideas at wwt.org.

mum from North Yorkshire.

Your views

We love to hear your thoughts about wetlands, WWT and Waterlife, and share your photos, so please email them to us at waterlife@wwt.org.uk or write to the address on page 4

Otter snuggle

I took this photo of the Asian short-clawed otters at WWT Washington. I just couldn’t resist the cuteness of these guys sleeping together.

Derek Corbrick

Star of the show

I loved the feature on grey herons in the latest Waterlife magazine. This shot of a heron flying above the water was taken last winter at WWT Slimbridge. Robert Bryant, Stroud

Starting early

This action shot was taken by my seven-year-old grandson, Jacob, at WWT Martin Mere. We started coming when he was three. Now he’s an avid birdwatcher and photographer. All the family love visiting. Our membership repays us time and again with happy memories. Judy Gill

Young duck fan

My family enjoy our WWT membership and visit our local centre almost weekly. My 18-month-old daughter is fascinated by birds, especially ducks. She even enjoys looking at the magazine, pointing out the ‘duckies’ to us often. There are some excellent pictures in the magazine.

Adam Fairbairn

TOP SHOTS!

WINNER

I’m an amateur nature photographer. I photographed this black-headed gull at WWT Slimbridge last winter.

Daniel Callejo Rossi, Bristol

Enjoy more of Daniel’s photography on flickr – just search using his full name

RUNNER-UP

In January, I spent a day with WWT looking for water rails. I was not disappointed –they were displaying well for the camera and I got many good snaps.

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Daniel wins a copy of Where to Watch Birds in Britain by Simon Harrap and Nigel Redman, worth £25 and available in our shops and online.

Rob Salem

We love to see your photographs taken 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!

How to identify

TRACKS AND SIGNS

Many wild creatures leave behind visible tracks and other signs of their presence after they’ve left the waterside. Use your detective skills with the aid of these telltale clues to solve the disappearing act

HEDGEHOG

Both the toes and claws leave an impression, though the ‘thumb’ print can be so faint you only see four toes. The hind footprint just touches or slightly overlaps the forefoot print. The pads leave a deep print.

BEAVER

Big-footed beaver prints are about 15cm long and 10cm wide. Look for splayed toes tipped with claw marks, and webbed back feet. Sometimes the animal’s tail will half-obliterate the prints!

WATER VOLE AND RAT

Though the footprints of these two species are almost impossible to tell apart, both with toes held well apart, water vole droppings are short, blunt-ended pellets, whereas longer rat poo is usually pointed at one end.

OTTER

In soft mud, otter tracks show the webbing between the toes. Clear prints may reveal tiny claw marks. Droppings often have shiny fish scales present and may be deposited on rocks or ledges as territory markers.

COOT

Tracks unlike those of any other bird. The front-facing, lobed toes leave impressions like a string of broad beans. Including the stubby, backward-facing toe, this giant print can be 15cm long.

WATER SHREW

In the tiny footprint of this and all other shrews, the distance between the five toes and the back of the foot is much shorter than in mice and voles. The forefoot is smaller and the toes are well spread.

AMERICAN MINK

Similar footprints to otter, but half the size at about 3cm long. Toe pads show steep arc and are often asymmetrical. Cylindrical, twisted poo tapers at one end. Smell to distinguish it from otter – mink poo is even more stinky.

Brown rat Water vole

Right foot

GULL

Three, slightly lobed, asymmetrical, forward-facing toes. The webbing in black-headed gulls creates a trapezoidshaped print. They have concave webbing between toes that are thickest in the middle.

WADER

Though species of wader are difficult to distinguish, the family print shows three widely spaced toes – so spaced that there is almost 180 degrees between the inner and outer toe.

FOX

Foxes leave a dog-like print, though they are easily told apart. If you draw an imaginary ‘X’ as shown above, between the front and back (outer) pads, in a fox there will always be a clear gap.

GOOSE

Three-toed prints with concave webbing between lobed toes. Inward-facing prints fairly close together are indicative of the goose waddle! Numerous fibrous droppings are frequently stained with whitish urates.

HERON

Leaves an enormous print, 15cm or more long. The three forward-facing toes are asymmetrical, sometimes showing webbing between the middle and one outer toe. Tracks are usually in a straight line.

BADGER

Heavy-footed badgers leave distinctive tracks, the long-clawed toes held straight and close together; the broad front pad always well sunk into mud. The fifth toe print is sometimes hard to see.

DUCK

Unlike larger-footed, thicker-toed swans and geese, the webbing between the three slender duck toes is almost straight. The outer toes are slightly curved and tiny claw marks are visible.

PASSERINES (PERCHING BIRDS)

Virtually all passerine footprints have three thin, forward-facing toes and one reversefacing toe. Each toe is separated from its tiny dot of a claw. The intersection of the toes is not always apparent.

DISCOVER MORE

These beautiful illustrations by Denys Ovenden are taken from the Collins Pocket Guide to Freshwater Life: Britain and Northern Europe, published by Collins (RRP £20). Available to buy at our gift shops and in our online shop at wwt.org.uk/ shop, where each purchase gives back to wetland nature.

freshwater life

Gull pellet includes fish bones and shell fragments

Dropping

Right foot

Right foot J

Rising sea levels associated with the climate crisis will have a profound impact on Caerlaverock’s dramatic coastline over the next 50 years, with an increased risk of flooding

sands

time of

After almost eight decades of restoring, creating and protecting wetlands, it’s clear that the only constant is change. WWT has ambitious plans to create bigger, better-connected wetlands. Amy-Jane Beer pulls on her wellies and heads to Caerlaverock to discover more PHOTOGRAPHS BY

JAMES SHOOTER

The chances are, just reading the name ‘WWT Caerlaverock’ has you thinking of wintergreen pastures and spectacular throngs of geese filling the sky with noise and drama. But it’s not geese with which this reserve is literally synonymous: Caer is Scots Gaelic for ‘castle’, and laverock means ‘skylark’. To visit in summer, and creep out onto the saltmarsh towards the vast mudscape of the Solway Firth, is to be drenched in skylark song. It pours down, heard even above the whistle of wind and the ceaseless white noise of a million shifting rushes and reeds.

Perspective here is everything. From a sitting or supine position, the saltmarsh feels lively and complex. Plants lean in, crowd around, whisper. All are species tolerant of occasional inundation with saltwater. Some are familiar, like clover, bird’s-foot trefoil and silverweed; others less so, like parsley-leaved water dropwort, arrowhead and dainty rushes.

But when I stand up, the same place seems suddenly empty and enormous. Swathes of club-rush ripple like the pelt of some huge shaggy beast, and to the south I can see nothing but sky all the way to the Lake District fells. To the west, and much closer, is the distinctive hulk of Criffel, an isolated hill overlooking the Solway Firth. The larks have a different view again.

If I could look down from where they sing, this apparently endless marsh would be revealed as just a narrow fringe of green, pocked and permeated by a thousand creeks and pools before the vast expanse of flat mud and the brackish ebb and flow of the estuary.

If I could switch again, and behold the place as Criffel does, with a geological perspective as broad in time as it is in space, the whole landscape would begin to ripple and shift. Tide by tide, the creeks and pools would come and go; year by year, the courses of the Solway and the Lochar Water would flex and lash like writhing snakes; and decade by decade the water would rise and fall.

A great era of research

Caerlaverock was first leased by Sir Peter Scott in 1970, which makes the reserve the same age as me. His original intent was to increase numbers of overwintering geese, which had begun grazing the recently improved cattle pastures. His ambition was realised to spectacular effect. Goose numbers boomed (until hard hit by avian flu in the winter of 2021), allowing a great era of research. Much of what is known about Svalbard barnacle geese dates to ringing and observations conducted here from tiny fibreglass roadmender’s huts repurposed as hides.

Those years since Scott first leased Caerlaverock have seen the world changing faster than at any other time in human history, but these changes are nothing compared to what is coming

The natterjack ponds seen here are ephemeral and Hebridean sheep help keep the sward diverse

Saltmarshes are the ecological guardians of the coast. Their sinuous, grassy channels fill and drain with saltwater as the tides ebb and flow, cleansing the water by filtering run-off

Those 53 years have seen the world changing faster than at any other time in human history, but these changes are nothing, perhaps, compared to what is coming. A new report, Predicting Future Climate Change, by WWT’s Senior Research Officer, Sietse Los, provides some insight into what the climate emergency might mean for our wetland habitats. At Caerlaverock, the changes are likely to include sea-level rises of half a metre by 2100. By the year 2300, the entire footprint of the original reserve might be tidal.

For all the challenges this will bring, change has always been part of the picture in this shifting waterscape: water rising and falling, species coming and going, tides of human intervention. What all our wetlands need in order to continue holding water, sequestering carbon and providing resilient habitat for multitudes is to be bigger and better connected.

Fortunately at Caerlaverock, opportunities abound. Soon after leasing the reserve in 1970, Sir Peter bought three

small farms to the north, just across the Lochar Water, to enlarge the area managed for wildlife. For 50 years these were rented to tenant farmers, but all have now been taken back in hand, effectively making the reserve almost 50% bigger.

A guided tour

Reserve Manager David Pickett starts a tour by showing me a skylark-eye view of the site: a satellite image showing the familiar bright-green goose pastures, the scattering of pools, the winding course of the Lochar, the saltmarsh and the tidal mud. He explains that the landscape was once far wetter than it is now. The higher ground to the north was raised bog, and the tidal fringe was saltmarsh. Between the marsh and the bogs was species-rich wet grassland.

In more recent centuries, the bogs were planted with conifer forest, floodbanks and drainage were installed to reclaim some of the saltmarsh for farming, and much of the grassland was ‘improved’ for grazing.

bigger and better

The urgent need to think and act beyond our centres is recognised at a strategic level by WWT. Senior Project Manager (Waterscapes) Ellie Jones says,“To reach their full ecological potential and achieve resilience in the face of environmental change, our wetland centres need to form part of healthy, connected and functioning landscapes. Within WWT’s Waterscapes programme, we’re working increasingly with our neighbours, local communities and other partners to restore thriving wetland ecosystems in the landscapes around our centres, with enormous benefits for both wildlife and people.”

The same principles will be applied to our work with international partners. The movements of migrant birds at reserves like Caerlaverock are a powerful reminder that wetlands never exist in isolation. Tomos Avent, Head of International Programmes, says: “WWT works with multiple partners along flyways to share knowledge and resources, prioritise action, advocate for conservation and fight threats to key wetlands along the birds’ flight paths. Rich, healthy wetland networks are vital for the current and future needs of migratory waterbirds, and cooperation all along the flyway will become even more important as birds adapt to the challenges of climate change.”

Since coming to Caerlaverock almost two years ago, David has found himself asking the same question about almost every aspect of the job: why are we doing this now? It’s important, he says, because so much changes over time (climate, technology, ecological understanding, budgets, policies, public attitudes). Decisions and practices that made sense years ago might need revising.

“For a long time we’ve been using the agricultural practices that drew the geese here in the first place, ploughing and resowing the pastures every three years and working to maximise the grazing. We’ve been ‘farming’ the land for geese. At the time Caerlaverock was established, barnacle goose numbers on the Solway Firth stood at about 3,700 [following a nadir of c400 in the 1940s]. That figure has now risen to a robust 40,000. These techniques have been highly effective, but not terribly wild.

“We’ve also been rushing water draining from the former bogs and falling as rain through modified channels, pipes or drains to the river and the sea, while at the same time using a pump in dry summers to bring water from the river to top up the Folly Pond. We’ve been tidying up when nature wants to be, dare I say it, a bit scruffy.”

David Pickett and his dog, Finn

Now, thanks to support for wetland restoration from the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot, and with the new land brought under direct WWT stewardship, David sees all kinds of opportunities to create a ‘Wilder, Wetter Caerlaverock’ that will be more diverse, dynamic and resilient. These are likely to involve slowing water down, bringing it back to the surface and restoring natural hydrological and ecological functions. The effects of a recent natural breach in the floodbank on Powhillon Farm, which may once have been regarded as disastrous, are now being viewed with keen interest.

The wildflower meadows alongside the Lochar Water, currently a sea of red clover and yellow rattle, give an indication of how the famous goose pastures might have looked pre-intensification. Easing off on pasture management might reduce the appeal of the site for geese, impacting their numbers, but the enlargement of the site should mean no overall loss of provision. And by managing the land for other species, we will boost biodiversity in ways we cannot yet predict – so we will monitor the effects and adapt our plans.

Resilience is a matter of options and contingencies, like the many threads in a web or the creeks in a marsh. Take

"

With the new land brought under direct WWT stewardship, David sees all kinds of opportunities to create a ‘Wilder, Wetter Caerlaverock’ that will be more diverse, dynamic and resilient

Caerlaverock’s beleaguered population of natterjack toads. In the 1970s, they thrived in the ‘borrow pits’ created when soil was dug to build screening banks so visitors wouldn’t disturb the geese. There were sometimes so many it was hard not to tread on them, remembers David. Over time, they’ve dwindled and now numbers are lower but stable.

Toads in a hole

The ideal natterjack pool is shallow enough to warm up quickly in spring and dry out in late summer, preventing colonisation by predators such as sticklebacks, which require permanent water. But natural succession and increasingly unpredictable weather mean that optimum pond depth varies year on year. What’s needed are pools of varying depths and ages to provide more flexible opportunities as conditions fluctuate. Building resilience also means thinking about

where the toads might breed and hibernate in future as sea levels rise. So the Nature Restoration Fund is supporting the creation of more suitable habitat for Caerlaverock’s natterjack population.

What does ‘more connected’ look like in practice? It might mean thinking well beyond reserve boundaries and seeking opportunities for collaboration and consensual change at

More than 15,000 barnacle geese overwinter in

Hector Ruiz Villar/Shutterstock

The wildlife garden

The natterjack toad is rare in the UK and found in only a few locations

the Caerlaverock area

Rudmer Zwerver/Shutterstock

In summer our wildflower meadows come alive with blooms that support butterflies and other important insects. More than 300 species of moth have been recorded at Caerlaverock

this is happening at Caerlaverock, where the Forestry Commission is restoring a raised bog on a felled plantation on the northern boundary, and the Caerlaverock Estate is making changes to boost wildlife and improve climate resilience. We’re working with all our neighbours to share knowledge and coordinate management actions to benefit biodiversity across the Caerlaverock landscape.

The power to restore nature Caerlaverock is also role-modelling a remarkable make-do-and-mend approach to habitat creation. This matters because being better connected is also about people: about outreach, education, inspiration and empowerment. Even small changes can be profound, and I noticed some as soon as I arrived. The space around the visitor centre – previously an expanse of grey stonechip and clipped grass – is looking distinctly shaggy and vibrant. There’s a new area of wildflower meadow and a proliferation of troughs and tubs, brimming with a rainwater channel from the surrounding rooftops and sprouting with wetland vegetation. They include repurposed stone drinking troughs hauled in from the farms, and other types of tank and container – even an upturned hard hat containing a miniature

We rely on the generous support of our amazing volunteers. They offer their time and experience to spend time in nature, make friends and enrich lives

weedy pond. It’s a bit eccentric, comical even, but the message that no meadow or body of water is too small is a powerful one. These are habitats anyone could make at home.

The view from the covered picnic area now includes a new pond fed with rainwater from its roof. On a rerouted path through the wetland garden, David stops at the point they ran out of the weed-retardant geotextile that lies underneath the stone chips. “Instead of buying more, we used fleece from the reserve’s sheep – it seems to have worked really well.” A bench by the path is made with timber from an old log-hide, and the edging boards were scavenged from a skip. Volunteers made tree sparrow nestboxes with the offcuts.

A similar make-do approach has been applied to planting and sowing. The rainwater gardens contain vegetation transported from around the site, and as we head out from the garden to the wildflower meadows we meet a team of volunteers collecting seeds. “Why buy seed when we have our own?” says David. “Our amazing volunteers do incredible work – and they enjoy it. People learn from the experience, have fun and feel invested in the site.” The word that springs to mind seeing all this is ‘amateur’ – in its

original sense of something done for, and with, love. “I hope we’ll inspire people to make changes of their own,” says David. “We talk to visitors about why we no longer use pesticides for gardening, and weeds are controlled by hoeing. We leave the spiders’ webs in the visitor toilets and have put up a sign explaining why.”

Wildlife, of course, doesn’t care if habitat features are unbranded, unvarnished and ad hoc. Thinking bigger and more connected isn’t just about land, I realise. There’s an open-ended expansiveness to this non-prescriptive and responsive approach, which feels less like management, more like support. It is perhaps not only wetter and wilder, but wiser.

Our new mission

To learn more about how WWT plans to make changes and work smarter to build optimism for the future, turn to page 7. You can also find out how to join us at our AGM (page 10) and meet our Directors driving the change (page 30).

FREEING FISH TO MIGRATE

Migratory fish face many obstacles along their journeys, so we’re stepping in to help by reconnecting waterscapes. The Severn Estuary performs a vital role as a superhighway, and we’re taking action to give fish back their freedom

You might never have thought about this, but there are a lot of frustrated fish in Britain’s rivers. “You can sometimes see them swimming forlornly against barriers, trying to make their way upstream or downstream,” says WWT’s Wetland Science Manager, Dr Hannah Robson.

Britain’s fish, especially those that migrate, such as eels and salmon, are often thwarted by human-made constructions. Our riverine arteries were once freerunning, but today they are disconnected and fragmented. “There are all kinds of obstacles a migrating or dispersing fish might come across,” says Hannah.

“Take mills, for example. Back in the day, engineers diverted rivers, created weirs and blocked up channels to maximise water flow through mill wheels. They weren’t thinking about the effect on wildlife, but in some places the damaging impact on a particular species of fish will have continued for years, even after the mill was no longer in use. The same can apply to locks and sluices.”

Removing the barriers

To help Britain’s fish, and promote habitat enhancement across the countryside, WWT has been working on ways to open up channels for free movement. In the Severn Vale, we’ve been working in partnership with the Environment Agency, Severn Rivers Trust, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and the Stroud Valleys Project to address barriers in one of Britain’s most important river catchments.

“Salmon are famous for their migration upriver to breed,” says Hannah. “If there is

a significant barrier, they can’t reach their spawning grounds and have to make do with conditions further downstream, which may be much less advantageous.”

Eels are also famous travellers. “They do the reverse journey to salmon,” Hannah points out. “The adults go out to sea to spawn, and it’s the young stages (known as glass eels) that travel upriver. Eels are adaptable travellers, they can even leave the water and slide over land for short distances. However they too have been badly affected by habitat fragmentation and disconnection caused by humanmade barriers in rivers.”

Even more modest dispersers, such as brook lamprey, which move up and down along river corridors, can be badly affected by barriers. And, of course, every species of fish will benefit from the restoration of high-quality, well-connected habitat.

Removing barriers to fish movement is simple in theory but labour intensive in practice. “Not only is it important to locate new barriers that have not been mapped before, we also need to identify which

obstacles within a catchment pose the biggest problem. Then we can work out which ones to deal with first. This depends on knowing not just where the barriers are located, but also what condition they’re in and what mitigation options are possible,” says Hannah.

Even when you’ve found and assessed a barrier, you have to decide what, if anything, you can do to mitigate it. “We’ve been working at three sites in the Severn Vale and each one needs a different solution to maximise the benefits for wildlife,” says Hannah. “Each site has its own topography, ecology and history – we’re learning all the time we work with experts to design and implement the most appropriate solutions.”

Three mills along the River Frome, in Gloucestershire, offer good examples of the variety of solutions. “At Fromebridge Mill we’ve put in a multi-species fish pass,”

" You can sometimes see them swimming forlornly against barriers, trying to make their way upstream or downstream

WORDS: DOMINIC COUZENS

The construction of a multi-species fish passage will enable eels and other fish to migrate

Between 1970 and 2016, populations of migratory fish in Europe declined by an average of 93%.

how do we do it?

1 LOCATE THE BARRIERS

Barriers take various forms, but many date from old industrial workings, such as this stone-block weir. Existing data on barrier location is a little out of date, and there’s no substitute for walking surveys that physically track along the river looking for anything that might prevent fish swimming upstream or downstream.

2 ASSESS THE BARRIERS’ EFFECTS

The easiest way to determine the effects of a barrier is to examine the structure itself. This can be done using tools such as the River Obstacles app, which was designed to be used by citizen scientists as well as professionals. It can also be useful to combine barrier data with insights from fish surveys to see which species are present and in what numbers.

says Hannah. “At Arundel Mill in Stroud we simply installed an eel bristle pass. And at Bonds Mill we’ve restored a historic river channel, or ‘palaeochannel’, to reconnect the river above and below a structure. The work at Fromebridge and Bonds Mills has opened up 6km of river to fish traffic.”

There’s still a lot to do, but so far the results are encouraging. This exciting work cannot help but improve the habitats – not just for fish but for many other freshwater animals and plants. It’s clear that connectivity is the future. n

3 BUILD FISH PASSAGES

If a barrier is having an impact, the next step is to determine which fish species need help and what they need. The solution varies according to the location. Sometimes a whole new structure, such as a fish pass, may need to be built, but at other times a historic channel can simply be restored.

4 MONITOR THE NEW PASSAGES

Once a new fish pass has been installed, we monitor the area to ensure it’s having the desired positive effect on the fish. We do this in a variety of ways; with cameras, fish surveys and by testing samples of water for environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNA helps us detect specific fish species and fish community diversity.

Brown trout

Stroud

New route open for fish

Fromebridge Mill fish pass

River lamprey

Fromebridge Mill weir

An Atlantic salmon tries to leap the Shrewsbury Weir on the River Severn on its migration upstream to spawn

Rostislav Stefanek/Shutterstock Manuel E Garci/Shutterstock

WWT

improvement

"WE'RE DO-ERS

BY NATURE

We’re on a mission. We have big dreams and big dreamers who will help guide us along the way. Here are their goals for the future – come to the AGM to share yours!

"

We will develop a movement of people taking action

As we’ve developed our plans for the future, we’ve thought a lot about how we can encourage more people to enjoy and value wetlands, even if they’re not able to visit our sites. We commissioned research to understand the issues better and I was struck by the results – most people are willing to take action for nature if they have the right information and opportunities.

This is at the heart of our new plans. We’ll expand our work to explain the critical role wetlands play in sustaining life on Earth. And we’ll encourage and support people who want to get involved, wherever they live. We have already received some wonderful ideas from our supporters. We’ll also continue to build a global network of wetland conservationists. Together we need to give wetlands a louder, bolder voice.

Corinne Pluchino Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications

" There's never been a better time for wetland restoration!

The restoration of Steart Marshes in 2014 not only created a vast new wetland area for wildlife, it also shone a light on the wider benefits of saltmarsh – such as its ability to reduce the impact of climate change. At the time, opportunities to repeat such an ambitious development were limited by the complexity and cost. But today the landscape has changed as recognition has grown that restoration on a large scale can make a real difference, not just to wildlife but also to our own future. In your last issue of Waterlife, we revealed that WWT is restoring a huge new coastal wetland in partnership with Aviva, transforming poor farming land into a wildlife haven that will also serve as a vast store for carbon and help prevent flooding.

Even more exciting – to me at least! – is that this project could help us showcase why investing in wetland restoration also makes good business sense. And that will help us to do it again… and again... and again. With your help and our partners, we could actually make our dream of creating 100,000 more hectares of healthy wetlands in the UK a reality.

Kevin Peberdy Deputy Chief Executive

Sarah Fowler Chief Executive

"

Restoring flagship species will help us drive wetland restoration

Healthy wetlands provide spaces where water-loving wildlife can thrive – and our efforts to protect these habitats play a vital role in helping nature recover and flourish.

WWT has a long history of direct action supporting wetland species across the globe, and is hailed as a leader in conservation breeding. Recently, we’ve played a critical role in protecting threatened key UK species, including Eurasian curlew, European eel and black-tailed godwit.

And we’ll continue work restoring flagship species that will help us drive wetland creation and restoration. In doing this WWT will contribute to wider local, regional and national benefits – from the pride felt by land managers who adapt the way they work to be more wildlife-friendly to the economic boost experienced by communities from increased ecotourism.

Watch this space for new and exciting species recovery projects – and wetland restorations – ahead!

Alex Lane Director of Operations

"

WWT's wetland centres are a window into our world

I’m really excited about the role our 10 UK sites will play in delivering our new strategy, and engaging and inspiring you – our members – and visitors with the wonder of wetlands. No two sites are the same, from our beautiful visitor centre overlooking our Dalmatian pelicans at Arundel to the stunning reserve at Welney, a key site for species recovery. My focus now is on ensuring that each of our sites

evolves to offer everyone an even deeper connection with the power of wetlands: what they are, why they matter and what we can do to help them. And our sites will celebrate wetlands, exciting hundreds of thousands of people about the importance of these incredible wildlife habitats, their ability to capture carbon, and the health and wellbeing benefits they offer.

Tim McGrath

Director of Conservation

Martin Dawson Interim Director of Finance and Support Services

"

WWT is a well-run charity led by talented people

As a custodian and advocate of wetlands for more than 75 years, WWT is in it for the long term. To be successful over such a period and in an increasingly challenging world requires a well-run charity – one that is financially resilient, innovative and able to grow.

Each day we must make the best possible use of the money we receive. And to deliver increasingly urgent change in the face of a climate crisis, we must get ever-better at evidencing and communicating the benefits of our work in order to secure the funding we need.

None of what WWT has achieved so far – or plans to achieve in the future – is possible without a team of committed, knowledgeable, passionate people, including our amazing volunteers. And, of course, you, our members. Rest assured, we are committed to making your support count – for wetlands, for wildlife and for people.

JOIN US AT THE AGM

There has never been a more exciting time to be part of WWT. As a member, you are a key part of our plans for the future – and we want to tell you all about them, in person, at the AGM. So come and talk to us at the Royal Institution, London, on Thursday 23 November. Find details of how to attend at wwt.org.uk/agm

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FREEZE-FRAME

You’ve not got long to enter our 2023 photo competition and show us your best work from the past year. You could win a great pair of Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 binoculars, worth £970

This summer saw the usual wondrous variety of wildlife at our wetlands. From kingfishers zooming past in a flash of metallic blue to the melancholy notes of summer warblers invisible in the reedbeds, and waders feeding busily on the mudflats, everywhere an abundance of new life stirred the senses.

Many visitors enjoyed making the most of cool evenings and precious time in nature by staying on-site later, enabling photographers to catch the glow of golden light and our birds’ roosting behaviours.

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to look through your photos from the summer and send your best shots in to our photo competition. Remember, images must have been taken at a WWT centre between

1 April and 30 November 2023 and, as always, you must be a member to enter (you’ll need your member number ID).

You’ve only got a few weeks now until 30 November 2023 to enter. A shortlist of winning and commended shots will be published in the March/June 2024 issue of Waterlife, and the overall winner will be awarded a pair of Swarovski Optik CL Companion 8x30 binoculars worth £970. The winner aged 16 and under will receive a pair of Viking Otter 8x32 binoculars, courtesy of VIKING OPTICAL.

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

Common blue butterflies

WWT London

By John Cookson (2022 shortlisted image)

It's not too late to find your best photos from the summer and send them in to our photo competition

Make the most of every wildlife sighting with the Swarovski Optik CL Companion 8x30 binoculars. These elegant binoculars are perfect for seasoned birders and novice nature lovers. They offer lightweight, rugged durability and amazing performance, and fit perfectly in your hand. Enjoy unique wildlife experiences wherever you go. swarovskioptik.com

Common tern

WWT Martin Mere

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Drawn to Water

Enjoy browsing our range of beautiful souvenirs inspired by wetland nature, including an illustrated print reproduced exclusively for WWT, as part of our Drawn to Water: Quentin Blake at WWT partnership.

WONDERS WETLAND

Wetlands are a haven for some of the UK’s most spectacular wildlife. Here are seven of our favourite species to see

WORDS

BY MIKE UNWIN

Kingfisher

A typical kingfisher sighting is short and sweet: a sharp whistle heralding a flash of electric blue as this dazzling bird zooms away low over the water. A better view reveals that telltale dagger bill, which can both capture fish in a plunge-dive and excavate a riverbank nest tunnel. Kingfishers thrive along slow-flowing rivers with good marginal vegetation and water clear enough for fishing. Their presence is a key indicator of a healthy wetland ecosystem. WWT centre sightings: all centres

Avocet

Few wading birds are more distinctive than the avocet, with its bold black-and-white plumage and unusual upturned bill. It uses the latter to sieve tiny invertebrates from the water, sweeping methodically over the surface of brackish and saline lagoons and estuaries. Extinct in Britain by 1840, this elegant bird returned in 1947 to breed in Suffolk and has since spread more widely around eastern and southern England. WWT centre sightings: breeding at Slimbridge, Martin Mere and Washington (not normally present in winter)

Emperor dragonfly

This dashing predator is the UK’s largest dragonfly, with a wingspan of 10.5cm, and easily identified by its bright blue-green colouration. From May to September, it patrols high above ponds, lakes and slow-moving rivers, using impressive speed and agility to snatch flying insects in mid-air. You may spot emperor dragonflies over wetlands across England and Wales – and, more recently, in southern Scotland, where they have been lured by our warming climate.

WWT centre sightings: all centres

Otter

Any otter sighting is special, the animal’s playful agility often making for a captivating encounter. Deteriorating water quality saw these fish-eating predators disappear from much of the UK during the 20th century, but by 2011 they had returned to every English county – living proof that wetland conservation works. Your best chance to see them are on the Scottish coast, where otters are more active during daylight.

WWT centre sightings: Llanelli and Slimbridge

Danny Green

imageBROKER/Willi Rolfes/Getty Images Edwin

whooper swan

The deep honking of whooper swans brings a blast of the frozen north to UK shores every winter. These magnificent birds arrive in October from their Icelandic breeding quarters to settle on coastal marshes and low-lying wetlands across northern and eastern England, Scotland and Ireland. Large flocks roost on open water and graze in nearby fields, commuting back and forth in formation. Come March, the urge to breed sees them depart on their long journey back north. WWT centre sightings: Caerlaverock, Martin Mere and Welney (all have commentated feeds too); rare at other centres

Love wetlands?

Hear more on our podcast, Waterlands. Scan the QR code or go to wwt.org.uk/podcast

Marsh harrier

There’s no mistaking a marsh harrier as it cruises low over a reedbed in search of prey, its wings held in a diagnostic shallow V. This wetland raptor was exterminated from Britain during the 19th century. After a pair bred in East Anglia in 1911, however, concerted conservation has seen the species recolonise wetlands nationwide. The spectacular mid-air food exchange of a breeding pair is a sure sign of a nest hidden in the reeds below.

WWT centre sightings: Arundel, Martin Mere, Slimbridge and Welney, although possible at any centre

Common crane

Once a common sight across Britain the crane disappeared by the 1600s, a victim of hunting and the draining of its habitats for farmland. Today, after a 400-year absence, its bugling calls once again resound over healthy wetlands in East Anglia, the Somerset Levels, Slimbridge and a few other wetlands, thanks partly to WWT’s pioneering reintroduction programme in Somerset, a partnership project with RSPB and Pensthorpe Conservation Trust, funded by Viridor. Crane pairs renew their courtship every spring with flamboyant displays of leaping, bowing and pirouetting.

WWT centre sightings: Slimbridge and Welney; rare at other centres

Mike Powles/Getty Images; Mikalay Varabey/Alamy Stock Photo

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Poorsleep?Achesandpains?Here'sthesolution...

A father's love and devotion leads to incredible patented pillow

ANEAR tragedy has led to ao amazing new development in sleep technology. When Georgia Miles was recovering from a lifethreatening accident, her father Alexaoder looked everywhere for a pillow that would keep her comfortable throughont the night.

After purchasing dozens of different types and finding none that worked, Alex, a renowned furniture aod domestic product designer, decided to engineer his own.

UNIQUEBREAKTIIROUCH

He made a breakthrough when he realised that all pillows spread out aod flatten down as the weight of the head rests on them. This flattening progresses through the night, leaving the head aod neck poorly supported -aod sleep interrupted. This is why maoy people find themselves half awake and 'pillow-punching' in the middle of the night, desperately trying to get comfortable.

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The innovative model that Alex designed has internal ties that hold the filling in place, aod pull the pillow in aod up to cradle the head aod neck. This provides extra comfort aod support that lasts through the night aod ensures that you get the most benefit from ao undisturbed sleep.

, , I can honestlysay thatyour pillowhasmadethe worldof difference... andfullyendorse yourpillowas beingquiteunique in its abilityto maintain ._ __ ,__. supportthroughoutthe night.''

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MADEINTIIE UK

Made in the UK, the Gx Pillow comes in a choice of two levels of support: Medium-soft, which most people seem

AlexanderMiles,inventoroftheGxPillowpicturedwithhisinvention to prefer, or Medium-firm for those who like a little more resistaoce. Alex's desperate desire to help his daughter Georgia has led to a pillow that has also transformed the lives of thousaods of people. So if you have spent a lifetime looking for the perfect pillow, your search may well be over!

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' ' I cannot believethat after 40 years I have finallyfound the best pillowever!!!! It simplystays put and so comfy, fabulous,must buy more for hubby and a spare. , ,

GET CLOSER TO NATURE...

drawn to water

Pull on your boots and discover the magic of our wetlands this autumn with Quentin Blake’s illustrations as your guide! Pick up one of our Drawn to Water illustrated trails and explore each centre’s seasonal natural highlights, from quiet spots with breathtaking views to close-up encounters with wildlife.

Dates: This autumn

WHERE: OUR NINE

CENTRES (EXCL WWT STEART

Release the wild inside!

New to birdwatching, or just want to see more birds from our hides? From 1 November, join our guides every Wednesday morning to enjoy the best wildlife from three hides. Spot shy snipe at the Ramsar Hide, look for lapwing at the Sand Martin Hide and hunt hungry herons from the Scrape Hide. You’ll also see winter migrants and popular residents, such as kingfishers!

WHERE: ARUNDEL

There’s something for everyone...

EMBRACE THE OUTDOORS

Experience the sight, sound and spectacle of swans, ducks and geese at daily swan feeds from now until March. Watch the antics of our whoopers close up from our observatory, and learn about how we monitor their life histories, characters and families, and incredible annual migration from Iceland.

WHERE: CAERLAVEROCK

Christmas is coming!

WWT’s centres are here to spread festive cheer, and our popular Elf Academies are open to young recruits in December. At WWT Arundel you can Sail to Santa, while WWT Castle Espie will share the joy of giving by providing gifts to children who would otherwise receive nothing on Christmas Day. Bring along a gift for our elves to wrap, make greetings cards and listen to a story from Papa Elf! Meanwhile, Santa Claus is popping in to meet the elves at WWT Llanelli. At WWT Washington, you’ll learn everything you need to know to gain your Elf Diploma at our workshops, then graduate with a hot drink and tasty treat. The magic starts here. WHERE: ARUNDEL, CASTLE ESPIE, LLANELLI, WASHINGTON

Swan spectacular

See our autumnal wetlands through the eyes of our expert wardens on a seasonal guided walk. Learn about migrating birds, fungi, tree life and more, as well as finding out how we create and manage our habitats to attract an array of important UK wildlife. See our website for walk dates, times and themes.

WHERE: WASHINGTON

NATURE’S GREAT SHOW

Don’t miss the spectacle of marsh harriers coming in to roost at WWT Arundel – the largest gathering in Sussex. From now until February, from about 3-4.15pm, these majestic birds fly in, long and low, and drop into the reedbeds for the night. Watch from the comfort of the Scrape Hide, or the long path.

WHERE: ARUNDEL

Alex Hillier/WWT

Ken Turner

Ben Cherry/WWT

Adam Finch/WWT

Ben Cherry/WWT

Free your creativity!

If you’ve been inspired by Quentin Blake and want to get creative this season, join artist Helen Norman on 20 January for a mindful collage workshop in WWT Slimbridge’s Art Hub. Participants can bring along their own picture to use as subject matter or choose from Helen’s collection of images and paper textures. Suitable for all abilities, this course is the perfect way to relax and make a beautiful impressionist collage to take home. WHERE: SLIMBRIDGE

Drawn to Water: winter

Let Quentin Blake’s illustrations guide you through the magic of wetlands on a new winter illustrated trail. From a morning walk with the satisfying crunch of ice underfoot to a peaceful spot where you can get closer to amazing winter wildlife, there’s always something new to discover at this time of year.

Pick up a Drawn to Water illustrated guide on your next visit and find plenty of adventures worth leaving your nest for.

And if you’re drawn to water, just like Quentin Blake, you can get involved with our wintery art activities for all ages and abilities. From 16 December to 24 February.

WHERE: OUR NINE CENTRES (EXCL WWT STEART MARSHES)

Magical swan feed

Wonder at the mesmerising sight of our graceful swans feeding under floodlight at evening feeds on Saturdays and Sundays, from 5 November 2023 to 26 February 2024. Peek through spyholes in the walkway as you cross the bridge to the hides from the centre, the calls of winter birds filling the air. Pick your spot in the heated hide or embrace the elements in side hides as you hear about our special winter visitors from our expert. Watch the birds as the grain is scattered and discover more about the fascinating behaviours on display. Truly an experience not to miss.

WHERE: WELNEY

Discover a new sense of connection

Drawn to Water offers a unique opportunity to explore some lesserknown works from the popular illustrator’s personal archive. Discover beautiful illustrations, all rendered in Quentin’s iconic style, using everything from pens, inks and washes to quills from the birds he illustrates. Children who have been inspired by Quentin’s art can get creative in our art hub, or make their own fantastic art creations using easels set up in the Lecture Theatre.

The exhibition will be shown in two parts. Part one runs from now until 11 December and includes 29 of Quentin’s prints. Part two runs from 20 December 2023 to 24 February 2024 and offers the chance to enjoy a further 25 prints. WHERE: MARTIN MERE

You said…

" What a wonderful place! In a time when connecting to nature is more important than ever, Slimbridge is such a spectacular place to do that. Please visit and support them

Rosie-Beth Hickling

©

NATURE TO LOVE

one of our 10 WWT sites to see stunning wetland wildlife spectacles and deepen your connection with nature. These are just some of our favourites...

Witness the spectacle of over 20,000 light-bellied brent geese feeding avidly on the shores of Strangford Lough.

Join our guides before the sun rises to witness the awakening of our whooper and Bewick’s swans.

The reserve is open late on 8 and 11 November to see pied wagtails, marsh harriers and little egrets come in to roost.

Barnacle geese: Alex Hillier/WWT

B. Barnacle bonanza

See thousands of barnacle geese and whooper swans enjoy the Solway Firth’s tidal pools, saltmarsh and grass.

F. Spectacle of numbers

Winter is the time to witness up to 30,000 ducks, swans and geese feeding and roosting on the Tack Piece.

Migrating pink-footed geese refuel in their thousands, as hundreds of whooper swans arrive with their cygnets.

C. King of birds

In autumn, sightings of our kingfishers peak. Try Wader Lake, the gully, the River Wear and the saline lagoon.

Magnificent migratory gadwall ducks flock here in staggering numbers, making a spectacle not to miss.

A range of guided walks are available including history of the site, birdwatching, dusk/ night walks and 4x4 tours.

D. Season’s surprises!

Over winter, the estuary fills with up to 50,000 wintering waterbirds, including the elusive bittern.

A. Magic on the mud

J. Enjoy guided walks

H. Evening roosters

G. Duck drama

E. Swans awake!

I. Pink-footed geese

Nick Turner/WWT

Bill

At last, using your smartphone can be easy, simple and stress-free

Modern mobile phones -smartphones as they're called -can do so much more than just make phone calls.

From browsing the web to being a sat nav... making video calls to sharing photos ... But using them isn't always as easy as youa want -and that's putting it mildly!

Do the manufacturers do it on purpose?

Sometimes it can seem like the manufacturers deliberately make them complicated. It can drive you absolutely bonkers.

Whether you have problems with the basics or you're trying to do something slightly more advanced, it can be easy to use them ... once you know how. But until you've been shown, it can be like talking a different language.

That's why weve published these books: iPhones One Step at a Time, Android Phones One Step at a Time and Doro Smartphones One Step at a Time.

Plain English ... and that's not all

They explain how to use the phone, in plain simple language with pictures of the screen showing you exactly where to tap or slide your fingers. No jargon!

These books show you the things most people want to know about -how to keep in touch with friends, or stay up to date with news, plus the very basics of using them ... the things that make using

...

a smartphone simpler, easier and less frustrating.

All explained nice and simply, in plain English.

Only half the story

That's only half the story but we don't have room to explain here. We've put together full information on the books -who they're for, what they cover and so on. What's more, the books come with a free gift - but there's no room to explain that here either.

Don't buy now, do this instead

The books are only available direct from the publisher. Send off now to get a completely free, no-obligation information pack. It'll explain what the books cover and how they could help you. Call us on 01229 777606 (weekdays 8.30am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-l.30pm). Or pop the coupon in the post today using the address on the coupon to get your full information pack. If you prefer, email WL1023@helpfulbooks.co.ukand ask for a free infopack.

Either way, we'll put it in the post to you straight away (don't worry, well keep your details private).

Best order your info pack now and soon you could be getting so much more from your phone -with much less hassle.

Formore info on what's covered,how the book couldhelpyou and how to get your copy

'' Thanksfor afantasticsmartphonebook. Verypleasantstaffasusual.

l thtnkthtsbookshouldbesoldwtthevery smartphone.l havelearntsomuchfrom tt,the tnfoyougetwtththephonetsnon-extstent. Smartphonesarequttecomplex,andyour booksspeaktn platnEngltsh. I I

JamesBarnes

99.2%of readers say they would recommend them to a friend.

Yesplease,I'd like to find out more about how usingmy smartphone could be a doddle, whether I havean iPhone,an Android phone or even a Doro. Pleasesend me the free infopackwith no obligation...

Name

Address Postcode

(SJ Postto: The HelpfulBookCompany, 13BDevonshireRoadEstate,Millam, Cumbria,LA184JS

(SJ Emailyour name and addressto: WL1023@helpfulbooks.co.uk Or call 01229 777606

D (Butbestdo it now,beforeyouforget)

We use the details you give us to send you infonnation on the products mentioned. We store the details securely and only share them with the Royal Mail for posting the infonnation. Full privacy notice at www.helpfulbooks.co.uklprivacynotice

SLIMBRIDGE TUDORARMS

RealAle,RealFoodPubwith 14well appointedensuitebedmoms ENGLISHTOURISTBOARD4*

10MinuteStmll Imm WNT Slimbridgeandsituatedadjacent to Gloucester-SharpnessCanal CaskMarqueaccreditedsince2015.

T: 01453 890306

E: enquiries@thetudorarms.co.uk W: www.thetudorarms.co.uk

PEMBROKESHIRE ROSEMOOR COUNTRYCOTTAGES

In a lovelyvalleyin the PembmkeshireCoastNational Park,Victorian-built Rosemooroffers characterful accommodationin spaciousgmunds. Unpolluted beaches,Skomerand tidal wetlands nearby(2 miles). Our own 30-acre Nature Reserveis home to badgers, otters and a great variety of birds and plants.

John M. and Jacqui Janssen Rosemoor Country Cottages & Nature Reserve

Walwyn's Castle

Havefordwest SA62 JED

Web: www.caerlaverock.com

Tel: 01437-781326

E-mail: rosemoor@walwynscastle.com www.rosemoor.com

HolidayLets set within a National ScenicArea of outstandingbeauty availablefor short breaksor weekly bookings,all within 1/2 mile of WWT Caerlaverock, NNR and CaerlaverockCastle

The Curve - a stylish, off grid cabin for two, overlooking the Solway Coast. Complete with a bird watcher's telescope, a wood-fired hot tub, and star-gazing deckchairs, the cabin offers complete escapism. Erriff - a luxury townhouse in Glencaple, with stunning views over the River Nith. Cosy up with friends and family around the wood burner or head upstairs to soak away the day in a sumptuous freestanding bath, while enjoying views of the night sky. Erriff sleeps 10 (beds for 8 adults, plus two cabin beds for children).

ACCOMMODATION

The Snug and Cassia at Mill Barn - Somerset

Cosy, clean character lets for two. Ideally situated on the doorstep of wwr Steart and Stockland Marshes, working wetlands that are attracting unusual avian visitors such as black winged stilts, avocets, spoonbills and glossy ibis. Beautiful peaceful setting, perfect for bird lovers, ramblers and cyclists.

Address: Mill barn Stockland Bristol

Bridgwater Somerset TAS 2PY

Phone: 07906722312 or 01278 653073

Email: the.carrolls@live.co.uk

Website:

https://www.millbarnruralretreats.com

CAERLAVEROCK

Ground floor flat for two in Glencaple close to WWT.Very comfortable with wood-burning stove and small sunny garden. In winter barnacles fly past morning and evening and are seen feeding on the merse. Flocks of ducks and waders are here in large numbers. In summer ospreys nest nearby. Good walking and cycling.

www.glencapleholiday.co.uk

tel: 01387770348

email:sue_greiglayahoo.co.uk

Short-Term Licence Number DG00039F

Because

Kites, Redstarts,

My wild life

Generation Wild

helps children develop a sense of connection with nature. Waterlife hears how it has been winning hearts and minds

We’ve learned that it’s not enough to simply teach children about nature. If they’re to love it, they need to see it, touch it, hear it, smell it and, most importantly, feel part of it.

Every year, WWT’s nature-connection project, Generation Wild, provides these experiences for 15,000 school children from economically disadvantaged communities, using immersive storytelling and nature-based activities.

Here’s what they told us after getting involved.

Getting outside

It’s amazingly fun. It gives us so much more to do, instead of being inside on our electronics (phones).

A sense of freedom

I felt really free and it was nice to feel like a toddler again rolling around on grass!

Spending time with family

I love feeding the ducks with my nana.

A moment of calm

It gets my brain working and keeps me calm on another level, distracting me from my worries.

Feeling special

What I like best about this activity is that dancing in the rain can make you feel like you’re always special.

A sense of fun and happiness

Lying still and listening to the sounds of nature made me feel joyful.

Feeling good about yourself

It made my heart feel good inside. [Child who carried a spider outside for the first time instead of killing it]

Noticing nature

I like to go outside to play football with my brothers, but when it’s half time, I listen to the birds and trees.

Changing perceptions of nature

Some animals might seem dangerous but inside they are kind.

"

Empathy with other creatures

My present [for an animal] was a note saying: ‘Dear insects. I love that your fauna is beautiful and lovely and we’ve got your back.’

A sense of kinship with nature

It was cool since I have a friend [their special tree] that will never tell anyone my secrets.

Feeling part of nature

I felt like the ground was connecting with my feet.

A love and care of nature

What I like the best about making friends with a tree is that it makes me feel we should never cut them.

The project has had a massive impact; nature and the children have helped each other.

Dancing in the rain can make you feel like you’re special

School children getting closer to nature through the Generation Wild project

Nigel Wilson/WWT