Waterlife Oct–Dec 2016

waterlife 198 OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

waterlife The magazine of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust | 198 Oct/Dec 2016 | £4.25 | wwt.org.uk

AN EPIC J URNEY REVEALED: THE SCIENCE BEHIND THIS SPECTACULAR EXPEDITION

INSIDE THIS SPECIAL ISSUE

PLUS

wwt.org.uk

IN SEVERN HEAVEN

WIN BINOCULARS

DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

OUR VISION FOR A HEALTHIER ESTUARY

ENTER OUR PHOTO COMPETITION TODAY

JOINS US FOR A CHAT ABOUT CONSERVATION

70 GREAT YEARS OF WWT CONSERVATION IN ACTION PAGE 19

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North and Midlands

The Barn at Beal, overlooking Holy Island, Northumberland 16 Oct / 15 Jan Hauxley Nature Reserve, Northumberland 9 Oct / 20 Nov / 11 Dec / 8 Jan Low Barns Nature Reserve, Co Durham 30 Oct / 18 Dec North Cave Wetlands, East Yorkshire 2 Oct / 4 Dec Washington WWT, Tyne and Wear 23 Oct / 27 Nov / 26 Dec / 22 Jan

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South and East

Arundel WWT, West Sussex 9 Oct / 18 Oct / 5 Nov / 22 Nov / 11 Dec / 20 Dec / 7 Jan / 17 Jan Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, E Sussex 16 Oct / 19 Nov / 18 Dec / 15 Jan Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve, Kent 26 Nov / 14 Dec / 29 Jan Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, Kent 30 Oct / 31 Dec Welney WWT, Norfolk 8 Oct / 10 Dec

South and West

Farmoor, Oxford 6 Nov / 8 Jan Blashford Lakes, Ringwood, Hampshire 4 Oct / 8 Nov / 6 Dec / 3 Jan Exmouth Nature Reserve, Exe Estuary 2 Oct Portland Bird Observatory, Dorset 22 Oct / 20 Nov / 21 Jan

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CONTENTS

TAKE A WALK BACK THROUGH TIME

WWT Slimbridge was the first place in the world to keep all six species of flamingo

When an organisation is as proactive and

dynamic as WWT, it’s hard to choose just a handful of greatest moments to celebrate in an anniversary issue. Over the 70 years since Sir Peter Scott first travelled down to a marsh in Gloucestershire to see a lesser white-fronted goose, we’ve chalked up many memorable moments, successful campaigns, pioneering research projects, innovative breeding programmes, bold reintroductions and creative ways to engage people with wildlife. And everything we’ve done has had the protection of wild birds and wild habitats at its heart.

So it was almost impossible to choose what to include – and what to leave out – of our walk back through time on page 19. In went the nenes (naturally), the campaign against lead shot and the opening of each wetland centre. Out went the first aerial survey of wildfowl in 1958, the first successful breeding of flamingos in captivity in 1969, and even the fact that Martin Mere hosted BBC Autumnwatch in 2006 and 2007.

We hope you’ll enjoy our anniversary feature as much as we enjoyed putting it together. And, if we’ve whetted your appetite for more historical highlights, from November there’ll be a special celebratory page on our website at wwt.org.uk/70.

If you feel we’ve missed something from the list, drop us a line at waterlife@wwt.org.uk.

In this issue...

4 7 16 19 26 32 38 41 42 45 66

Front lines Martin Spray looks at the challenges ahead Waterways News and views from the world of WWT Wigeon post Your letters, plus our crossword and competition 70th anniversary We celebrate 70 years of conservation success Flight of the Swans What goes on before, during and after the expedition Severn heaven Our vision for a great future for the Severn Estuary David Attenborough We find out what makes WWT great for Sir David Photo competition Last chance to enter and win!

Kids’ zone Steve Backshall on the amazing migration of Bewick’s swans Down your way All the news and events at your local centre Back chat We say a sad goodbye to Malcolm Tait, who loved Waterlife

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 01453 891900 wwt.org.uk membership@wwt.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1030884 and SC039410 CENTRES For full contact details, please see page 45 WWT Arundel 01903 883355 On the cover: Sacha Dench

WWT Caerlaverock 01387 770200 WWT Castle Espie 028 9187 4146 WWT Llanelli 01554 741087 WWT London 020 8409 4400 WWT Martin Mere 01704 895181 WWT Slimbridge 01453 891900 WWT Washington 0191 416 5454 WWT Welney 01353 860711

WATERLIFE The quarterly magazine of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Managing editor: Emma Fauré waterlife@wwt.org.uk Editorial board: Katy Baird, Ray Clark, Baz Hughes, David Salmon, Rob Shore, Mark Simpson, Fiona Williams Editor: Sophie Stafford sophie.stafford@thinkpublishing.co.uk Senior sub-editor: Marion Thompson Designer: Mark Davies Contributors: Mike Unwin, Derek Niemann (text); Ben Cherry (photography) Group advertising manager: Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7247 Account director: Helen Cassidy, Think, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH thinkpublishing.co.uk

Waterlife is published four times a year, and is printed

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

Views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of WWT. ISSN: 1752-7392 Average net circulation for the period Jan-Dec 2015: 92,555

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FRONT LINES

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Martin Spray CBE, WWT Chief Executive

This November, WWT reaches the grand age of 70. An extraordinary 70 years of conservation achievement, much of it groundbreaking – and all of it undertaken with the drive and passion for which the organisation is renowned. In celebrating this milestone, it’s right to be proud as we reflect on the successes of those years.

It is, however, the perfect time to look forward to the next 70 years and the challenges ahead. Indeed, the timing couldn’t be more significant following the referendum result on our membership of the European Union. In the lead-up to the vote, the concern of all of us in the conservation world was about the potential threats from a withdrawal from the EU. What would the implications be for the natural environment from an exit from the Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies?

What would happen to the Birds, Habitats and Water Framework Directives?

Post-referendum, I believe we now need to look to the potential opportunities. Pro-Brexit campaigners were emphasising that coming out of the EU would be a great opportunity for the UK. Well, the result is the result, and I think, now, that we need to strongly embrace that philosophy and seek to make the UK the world leader on the environment.

It would be easy to settle for the same levels of environmental protection and policies as we have currently, assuming even that’s what is on offer!

But Britain’s wildlife is still declining, as demonstrated in the State of Nature report, and so if we have the status quo as our target, we could feasibly end with a worsening situation. But we have the

Our vision of a world where healthy wetland nature thrives and enriches lives encapsulates the work we are already undertaking and expanding chance now to press for more innovative and visionary thinking from our politicians. Is that possible? Well, let’s see what we can, and I believe have, to do.

To achieve this, the environmental movement will have to come together more effectively than ever before. We need to agree exactly what we want to achieve and to lobby for it with one strong and consistent voice. We will need to fully engage appropriate government agencies and departments, the business sector and the wider public, again working closely together as one united body. Between us all, we have a substantial supporter base from which we should enlist as much help as possible.

WWT can make an important contribution to the campaign. Our vision of a world where healthy wetland nature thrives and enriches lives encapsulates the work we are already undertaking and expanding.

Our developing UK Working Wetlands programme is establishing and promoting wetlands that benefit both people and wildlife. Our international projects increasingly involve working with local communities to help them manage their environment sustainably through improving their livelihoods.

The environmental organisations now have a big collective responsibility to the people of the UK to ensure that we have a healthy natural world in which to prosper as a society. It is a challenge, but one that could help to define the health of the nation for future generations.

WWT is looking to the future of wetlands and their wildlife

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WWT NEWS

WATERWAYS WWT

NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WILDFOWL AND WETLANDS CONSERVATION

IN MEMORY OF HUGH BOYD With the recent death of Hugh Boyd, wetland conservation has lost a true pioneer and mentor to a generation of waterbird ecologists. He was the first ‘Resident Biologist’ at the Severn Wildfowl Trust (now WWT), moving to Slimbridge in 1949 to take forward the Trust’s scientific studies, including initiating the national goose censuses and developing bird-ringing programmes.

Hugh’s main research was on migratory geese, in particular factors affecting their populations, at a time when little was known about their migration and Arctic breeding habitats.

He instigated the integration of population counts, age counts and ring recoveries for understanding causes of population change. Hugh quickly appreciated the importance of engaging with hunters to secure the return of leg-rings from wildfowl, then used to assess annual survival rates. He also introduced from North America new techniques – such as aerial surveys – that are now standard for population studies, yet were highly innovative at the time.

Hugh (left) and the late Professor Geoffrey Matthews, then director of research, loading cordite into rockets for rocket-netting geese

Though modest and self-effacing, Hugh was a key member of an ingenious scientific team at Slimbridge during the 1950s and 1960s. He was a determined advocate for conservation being based on sound science, and for research being rigorous, applied and published. During his lifetime, he published more than 180 papers and three books, and edited WWT’s scientific journal, Wildfowl.

In 1967, Hugh joined the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) where he rose to be Director of Migratory Birds (19751980). This gave him access to the Arctic breeding grounds of North American waterbirds, not readily achievable for Europe’s scientists during the Cold War. Hugh played a key role in the Canadian government signing the

Ramsar Convention and encouraged states of Central and Latin America to join. Despite his many responsibilities, he continued his research into waterfowl ecology, exploring the influence of climate change on Arctic breeding birds into retirement, as CWS’s Scientist Emeritus.

Hugh was made Research Associate of WWT, and awarded the Peter Scott Medal for his pursuit of scientific evidence and promotion of its use in conservation policymaking. He was also recognised by the Society of Canadian Ornithologists with the Doris Huestis Speirs Award, and was invested as a member of the Order of Canada.

He will be greatly missed by his family and everyone he met and inspired.

LUC HOFFMANN REMEMBERED Green philanthropist Hans Lukas (Luc) Hoffmann died on 21 July 2016, aged 93.

A keen ornithologist from an early age, Hoffmann wrote more than 60 books on birds and their habitats, and was an active and committed conservationist his whole life.

Captivated by the Camargue during his PhD, Hoffmann used his family wealth from pharmaceuticals to fund wetland conservation.

A visionary entrepreneur and scientist, he set up the Tour du Valat research centre in France, which has

trained many top wetland ecologists. Six years later, he co-founded WWF with Peter Scott, and when the threats to wetlands worldwide intensified, he helped to found the Ramsar Convention to protect them.

In 1994, he endowed the

MAVA Foundation, one of the main funders of some of the most important conservation work around the world.

His contribution cannot be underestimated and his legacy lives on in the work that continues to this day.

Alison Goddard, biographer

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WWT NEWS

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Logs and crevices provide homes and hideaways for creatures like frogs, toads and newts - vital for a healthy garden.

Permeable paving with gulleys allows rainwater to flow towards flowerbeds, marsh plants and the pond.

A pavilion doubles up as a rainwater collector to feed the pond.

Shallow drainage channels provide water for flowerbeds and trees. Little or no water leaves the garden.

A place for nature can also be a special place for you. A metal platform over the water provides a window onto the wonderful world of ponds.

Rainwater collected from the roof cascades down to tanks filled with gravel and marsh plants that clean and filter it.

The pond provides homes for a huge variety of nature including frogs, dragonflies and some amazing aquatic and marshland plants.

Clean, clear rainwater feeds and nurtures a rich wildlife pond instead of being lost down a drain.

Water dances down the ridges of this reclaimed aluminium louvre.

Before entering the pond, it is filtered through a gravel tank and cleaned by marsh plants.

After heavy rain, the pond can overflow into a series of damp hollows. These temporarily hold water, releasing it slowly over time.

We’re thrilled that our ‘Working Wetlands Garden’ won Gold and a Best Show Garden Award at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2016. Supported by the HSBC Water Programme, the WWT garden was designed

by Jeni Cairns to

Jeni Cairns (left), HSBC’s Sue Alexander and WWT’s Kevin Peberdy with the awards

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Native plants make the garden attractive

Our report was launched in Parliament

RICH IN NATURE

Water features demonstrate how to save rainwater

The plants attract wildlife to the garden

show people how they can help solve the problem of local flooding through gardening.

Many people don’t realise that the sheer speed at which rainwater runs off hard surfaces, such as roofs, patios and decking, can contribute to local drains becoming overwhelmed after heavy rainfall. And when you multiply the effects by all the homes in a neighbourhood, the sudden rush of water can have serious consequences.

So our garden demonstrates how to save rainwater and then release it slowly, using a series of water features and 85 species of native plants that can make your

The awardwinning garden

Nature enriches our lives and we rely on its many gifts, from clean air to fertile soils. But all too often, political choices are based on financial cost, with no regard for the planet. This is especially true in times of turmoil. Politicians can quickly forget long-term challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.

So, on 19 July, WWT launched a new policy report in Parliament. We brought together politicians to propose new ways to put the true value of nature at the heart of decision-making.

The report, Rich in Nature, calls for a 25-year plan for the environment, with legally binding targets and people responsible for directing green investment in local projects. We propose an annual Natural Wealth Statement to ensure

politicians stand by their promise to invest in nature.

We believe there’s a good economic case for restoring 100,000 hectares of wetland across the UK, because of all the things wetlands do for us. Just think of the value of flood alleviation, better water quality, homes for wildlife and wild places for us to enjoy.

We have big aspirations, and we also have 200,000 members just like you to help make it happen. You can do your bit, too. Why not dig a pond, or install a water butt?

Or write to your MP and ask how they will support a long-term environment plan.

Together, we can make sure that the next generation grows up Rich in Nature.

Read the full report at wwt.org.uk/richinnature.

WILD CHINA ON TV garden more attractive for you – and for wildlife.

We hope you’ll take inspiration from our garden and use rain to create your own personal wetland nature reserve. Or if you’re lucky enough to live near to WWT Washington Wetland Centre, you can pop in and see the garden in real life later in the year.

A new documentary series – starring the spoon-billed sandpiper – is due to hit TV screens later this year. It tackles China’s relationship with the environment through real-life stories interwoven with natural history, exploring what kind of world children will inherit as China grapples with the reality of global warming and ecological collapse in its pursuit of an ambitious new future. The series follows a group of children who receive a letter that sends them on a journey into the heart of the spoonie’s battle to survive.

Watch a preview at river-films.com/CLOUDS_AND_ DREAMS_PROMO.htm, and keep checking our website for broadcast details.

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WWT NEWS Sir Peter works his magic

PICTURE THIS A big thank you to everyone who got in touch with artwork for our special Picture This exhibition, celebrating 70 years of WWT and Sir Peter Scott. The show takes place at Slimbridge from 12 October to 21 November, so do try to visit.

We received a great range of artwork – from decoy carvings to originals by Sir Peter – which, together, tell WWT’s remarkable story in the most creative way.

Many of our supporters kindly loaned us art not normally on show to the public, for which we are very grateful. Some art will be on sale to raise funds for our vital work.

Submissions to the exhibition have now closed, but if you have memories of WWT you’d like to share with us, please email eleanor.wise@wwt.org.uk, or post them to the WWT Slimbridge address on page 16.

ERRATUM Please accept our apologies for the error in the July/Sept issue of Waterlife.

Nenes live on Hawaii, which is, of course, in the northern hemisphere.

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To celebrate our Flight of the Swans expedition, we’ve got an incredible all-weather outdoor jacket, worth £300, to give away, thanks to Páramo.

Working with wildlife watchers and photographers, Páramo Directional Clothing has developed the Pájaro, a hard-working outdoor jacket that enables you to enjoy birdwatching in comfort. With unique Nikwax Analogy fabric and intelligently designed ventilation, the Pájaro offers reliable weather protection without a single rustle, enabling you to watch birds without disturbing them.

And you can take all of your essential

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Enjoy great wildlife, great friends and a great cup of tea

share the magic!

We know you’re keen members of WWT, but are you also a member of another organisation or club, such as U3A or a photography club? If so, you might be interested to know that we can offer groups such as your club a range of great benefits when they visit our centres.

For groups of 12 or more, WWT offers competitive group prices and dedicated bookings staff who can organise a bespoke visit, including tours and events, a welcome pack on arrival, group catering packages and a free familiarisation trip for the group organiser. We also provide free coach/minibus parking and free entry for the driver. And all WWT members still receive free

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admission if you visit as part of a group.

As you know, at our centres there’s something for groups to do and see all year round. And they can relax knowing that our reserves are flat and accessible, with plenty of places to unwind and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. They’ll love the delicious food in our waterside cafés!

So why not share an unforgettable experience at a WWT centre with your friends from other clubs? Perhaps you’ll inspire them to support us, too!

For more information and prices, please visit wwt.org.uk/groups, call 01453 891176 or email groups@wwt.org.uk.

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equipment with you in its generous pockets.

To be in with a chance of winning this jacket, simply answer the following question: How far do Bewick’s swans fly from Russia to the UK? Send your answer in an email with Jacket Giveaway in the subject line to waterlife@wwt.org.uk. Please also let us know what size (XS-XL) you’d like! Closing date: 15 November 2016.

Full T&Cs are on our website at wwt.org.uk/paramo.

Ben Cherry/WWT; Roland Digby/WWT (inset)

Sadly, the two chicks we hatched this summer at Slimbridge did not survive.

But our work in Russia to protect wild chicks (inset) continues

SAD NEWS In June this year, our captive population of spoon-billed sandpipers at Slimbridge Wetland Centre showed signs that they were ready to mate. And, sure enough, after a few weeks of nervous waiting, seven eggs were laid, the first captive spoonie eggs in history, of which only two were fertile.

Barely bigger than a bumblebee, the first chick hatched on 2 July, with the second chick following a day later. Both chicks appeared to be doing well, but, despite 24-hour expert care, their health deteriorated and, sadly, they died within 60 hours of hatching. Both have since undergone a specialist post-mortem to determine the cause of death, the results of which we are still awaiting.

The deaths are particularly upsetting for the team at Slimbridge because it has taken three years for our 22-strong captive flock to attempt to breed. This has huge implications for the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper as a species, because only around 200 pairs survive in the wild. The purpose of the flock at

Slimbridge is to create a captive ‘ark’ of breeding birds to keep the species alive if attempts to prevent it from going extinct in the wild are not successful.

Head of Conservation Breeding Nigel Jarrett said: ‘We’re devastated. We’re just trying to keep in mind that this has still been a positive step towards establishing a viable breeding population of spoonies for conservation.’

No one has ever attempted to keep the sandpipers in captivity before, let alone breed them, but WWT is world class in conservation breeding and it was a huge achievement for the team to get to this stage. WWT will continue to learn from this year’s breeding efforts and try to produce healthy and strong chicks again next year.

In the meantime, WWT staff continue to work with Birds Russia and the RSPB in Chukotka to help protect wild spoon-billed sandpiper chicks from predators and harsh weather. This summer was the fifth season of the ‘headstarting’ project, which

takes eggs from incubating birds into captivity and raises the chicks by hand to fledging.

Our headstarting’s contribution to chicks fledged is now 20%.

The team successfully hatched 30 healthy chicks, which were all released successfully back into the wild a few weeks later. Every additional chick that fledges is a boost for the species, which has been brought to the brink by habitat loss and illegal hunting.

Surveys throughout the birds’ range, from the Russian Far East along the Chinese coast to Myanmar and Bangladesh, indicate that the wild population has started to stabilise thanks to our efforts and action to tackle hunting.

Get updates on our headstarting project by signing up to the blog: saving-spoonbilled-sandpiper.com/news.

ross or so ution

Here are the answers to last issue’s crossword.

Across: 1. Depose 4. Attlee 9. Veteran 10. Ennui 11. Ten 12. Three 13. Total 14. Paul Gallico 19. Imams 21. Tasty 23. Cob 24. Amigo 25. Lie-down 26. Sights 27. Lycees Down: 1. Duvets 2. Peter 3. Surreal 5. Trent 6. Lunatic 7. Edible 8. Untreatable 15. Amazing 16. Lottery 17. Lilacs 18. Cygnus 20. Scott 22. Score

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WWT NEWS

INSPIRING WETLAND CHAMPIONS Thanks to you, we’re working to save some of the world’s most threatened wildlife in Madagascar.

A key part of this mission is rescuing the rarest duck on Earth – the Madagascar pochard – from the very brink of extinction.

But to make a lasting difference, we need to secure lasting change. This autumn, we’ll be working with local schools in Madagascar to do just that. By donating, and also by taking on sponsored challenges to raise funds, WWT’s members have helped ensure we can deliver a really ambitious programme of work.

So what will we do? We’ll build links with teachers from schools near wetlands. We’ll show them how to teach pupils to value and care for nature. And, thanks to the donations we’ve received, we’ll be able to equip schools with all the resources they need to do fun, interactive learning.

WWT’s Robyn Silcock, who’ll be leading the project on the ground, said, ‘We’re so grateful to everyone who’s supported our work in Madagascar.

The funds raised will make a truly lasting difference, and help ensure the world’s precious wetlands are valued and protected for years to come.’

If you donated or fundraised for us, thank you so much!

If you’d like to help us connect children with native wildlife, it’s not too late to donate: l £10 could buy essential items of stationery. l £100 could pay for lots of equipment for fun, interactive learning sessions. l £500 could fund a teacher-training workshop to share knowledge across the region.

To find out more, visit wwt.org.uk/challenge.

who donated. As terrified as I was A massive thank you to all our before the race, it was incredible. incredible supporters who helped I’ll be signing up again next time it raise funds for WWT this summer! comes around.’

By running marathons, going Meanwhile, on the Isle of Man, on epic walks and tackling the Edward Giles was running a Tough Mudder challenge, gruelling, hilly marathon. And you’ve all made a how did he find it? ‘I can honestly huge difference. say it was thoroughly enjoyable, Jenessa Baber, who despite the ankles feeling a little successfully completed worse for wear now.’ Way to Tough Mudder South go, Edward!

West, told us how Jenessa We’re delighted our supporters it felt. gets a bit challenged themselves and ‘I’m so proud muddy! got involved. To find out how that I not only hit my you could also fundraise for fundraising target, but WWT, just visit the web page exceeded it! Thanks wwt.org.uk/champions. so much to everyone

Tired but triumphant

Waterlife

Support us!

YOU’RE OUR HEROES!

Overcoming obstacles together

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These children are the wetland champions of the future

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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Membership discounts cannot be applied retrospectively. Bookings must be made via the booking hotline number 0800 0355 108. Proof of membership will be required at the time of booking. Offers cannot be extended to any unrelated third party, are subject to availability & may be withdrawn or amended at any time without prior notice. From time to time FOCL may run special offers which cannot be combined with this discount, including selected group travel deals. All guests booked under this scheme are requested to refrain from disclosing the fare paid whilst on board. Offer is for first-time cruisers with Fred. Olsen only. Fred. Olsen Oceans members are entitled to a 5% Waterlife magazine discount subject to the same terms & conditions, to be applied after the standard Oceans discount, where applicable. In this instance, Oceans Terms & Conditions apply. Closing date for this offer is 31/12/2016. E&OE.

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The cranes spent every daylight hour searching for food

LUCKY THEY HAVE LONG LEGS A flock of cranes that ended up at the centre of Somerset’s biblical floods in 2014 has given researchers a rare insight into how they cope with extreme weather.

Many of you will remember the storms that battered south-west England over the winter of 2013-14, causing a once-in-200-years flood.

The resulting high water levels forced people to leave their homes and threw farmers into disarray.

The cranes – released by the Great Crane Project between 2010 and 2014, and fitted with GPS tags with accelerometers to allow us to record their behaviour – were being monitored by researchers from WWT and our partners at the University of Exeter and RSPB, to understand how they use the wetland landscape and

what food resources they use. So we were well placed to be able to study in detail how they coped with the extreme weather. And, in June, the results of our research were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Though shallow winter flooding is normal on the Somerset Levels, the high waters forced the cranes out of their usual roosts and feeding sites and onto drier land. At first, the birds spent most of their time feeding on the remnants of the year’s maize harvest on Stan Moor, one of the few parts of the Somerset Levels and Moors that wasn’t completely inundated. But, as the cold weather arrived, they began to spend more time – up to two extra hours a day – searching for food along the margins of the flooded areas.

Andrea Soriano, the PhD student who carried out the research, said: ‘Climate change means we’re seeing extreme weather occur more frequently. Monitoring the effects of these events is essential so we can design and implement successful conservation plans.’

Fortunately, the cranes proved to be remarkably resilient, adaptable and tough, characteristics that will serve them well as they gain a permanent foothold once again in the Levels and Moors, and face the challenges of a changing climate.

WELCOME BOOST FOR GREENLAND WHITE-FRONTED GEESE As you know, conservation is better when we work together. So we’re grateful for the continued support of Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky for our Greenland white-fronted goose project.

Glengoyne will support a new research programme in western and northern Scotland to understand the cause of the species’ rapid population crash, and test potential solutions.

We’re also delighted to welcome multimodal transport operator

Samskip as a partner in this vital research. With their help, and with major funding from Scottish Natural Heritage,

Exeter University and WWT, we’ll tag birds with neck collars to monitor their survival and assess breeding success among Scottish wintering flocks.

Some will be fitted with GPS devices so that we can track their movements.

Together, we’ll work towards a brighter future for these geese.

Greenland whitefronted goose

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

and great-grandchildren will benefit from similar donations left by other people who find your centres to be precious places of beauty, relaxation and mindfulness.

Mrs PA Morgan, Llanelli Mrs Morgan and her grandchild visit Llanelli

Thinking of the future As a child, I became interested in wildlife when my parents took me to visit the newly opened WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre to learn about birds and their habitats.

Now I have grandchildren and we spend many happy hours at WWT Llanelli. They build dens out of willow, and identify wild birds and feed the tame ones. These activities are so educational and help young people appreciate the importance of protecting nature and wild species.

I’ve decided to remember WWT in my will so that you can continue your valuable work to benefit nature and people in the present – and in the future. I hope my grandchildren

forbade me to ring the bell on the heron’s behalf!

Betty and Fred McCullough, Bangor, Northern Ireland

Down memory lane I have been a member of WWT for many years Knock, knock! and a frequent visitor to Who’s there?

Slimbridge. When I visited HOW YOU CAN HELP Slimbridge in 1951, the small Thank you, Mrs Morgan, for leaving collection of exotic wildfowl was so a gift to WWT in your will. Gifts in impressive that, 30 years later, we wills are so important to us – they started our own collection with the help to protect valuable wetlands for help of the then Wildfowl Trust. This people and the planet. To find out more included black-necked swans, whose about leaving us a gift in your will, young were collected each year by please contact David Salmon on Trust staff. There were few buildings 01453 891150 or email david.salmon@ on the site at the time and there was wwt.org.uk. nothing like the palatial conveniences Slimbridge offers today – just one loo in a shed and a polite notice that read: The waiting game ‘We will not hold you to ransom with While in Galway city, we were walking on the quayside when we a slot machine on the door, but if all is spotted this heron pacing up and satisfactory, a donation will help with down the pavement oblivious to the cleaning.’ pedestrians and traffic. Passing this John Flood, Stroud doorway, it always paused for a couple of minutes as if waiting for Where did you drop it? something or someone – then off it I thought you might like this would go, pacing up and down until photograph of a pair of ducks feeding it invariably returned to gaze at this at Slimbridge in July. We thought it door. My wife and I were enthralled by this unusual behaviour, but she We’re just quackers!

don’t miss wwt will month!

November 2016 is WWT Will Month, when we’re working with participating solicitors across the country to provide a free will-writing and updating service for WWT supporters.

This is the perfect opportunity to write a will free of charge – and to support our vital work if you wish. Find out more at wwt.org.uk/willmonth.

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

send us your best photos!

Waterlife

LETTERS

crossword We’ve got this great prize for the winner of our crossword, set by WWT member Tim Bonsor. It’s a lovely selection of exclusive Bewick’s swan bill pattern stationery, worth around £23. Send your crossword (photocopied if you wish) to the address opposite by 15 November 2016 and the first 197 the solution to last issue’s puzzle correct entry drawn after that date wins.Issue Meanwhile, is on page 11; congratulations to the winners, Mr and Mrs P Francis.

July-September 2016

1 2 3 4 5 Across 1. The _ _ _ _ _ _ goose is 6 1 The ------ goose is common in the UK although very common in the native to North America. (6) 7 8 UK although native to 4. They are built by beavers N America. (6) to provide food and 4 They are built by protection.

(4) 9 beavers to provide 7. You’ll need one in food and protection. a 5 down. (8) (4) 8. Mammal and invasive 10 11 12 13 7 You'll needspecies one in athat WWT works 5 down. (8) to counter. (4) 9. A devastating human 8 Mammal and 14 15 16 activity that is aggravating invasive species which climate change and WWT works to counter. (4) destroying wildlife 17 18 habitats. (13) 9 A devastating This seasonal visitor 10. human activity whichisismore commonly heard aggravating climate 19 20 than seen. (6) change and destroying 13. ‘If winter comes, can wildlife habitats.

(13) _ _ _ _ _ _ be far behind?’

10 This seasonal visitor(6) – Shelley. is more commonly Down 15 To deduce or 6. No chance of finding 14. Very localised sets of Down heard than seen.

(6) 1. These days it usually one of these in wet atmospheric conditions. (13) 1 These days it usually conclude from lands. (6) signifies a small and valley 7. One piece of bureaucracy evidence 13 'If Winter1comes, signifies a small valley 11. To exploit. (7) withoutreasoning. a stream or birds don’t have to (5) can ------ be migrating far without a stream or river. (5) 12. Did you go on one worry about. behind?' - Shelley.

(6) (4) river. (5) 16 The beliefs or ideals of the wildflower and spot where 2 UK holiday 18. A spectacular way to which guide a 14 Very localised sets (2,6) 2 UK holiday spot you might _ _ _ _ _ _ walks held at well hearorthe see swans. community of atmospheric where you WWT sites in June? (6) bittern business. boom. (7,6) has anmight well 19. WWT Welney (5) conditions. (13) hearnatural the bittern boom.

15. To deduce or conclude 3. Enjoy la _ _ _ _ _ vita exhibition on the (7,6) of this 17 One piecehistory of in Italy. (5) from evidence and and culture bureaucracy migrating reasoning. (5) marshland area.

(4) la ----- vita4.

3 Enjoy inTo vanish into thin birds don't have air. (13) 16. The beliefs or ideals 20. to Tidal channels Italy. much (5) worry about.affected (4) 5. It brings torrential rain to that guide a community by the ebb and 4 To vanish into thin or business. (5) the Far East. (7) flow way of the tide.

18 A spectacular air.(6) (13) to see swans. (2,6) 5 It brings torrential 19 WWT Welney has rain to the Far East. (7) surprisingly informative day. should an exhibition on thebe given the title: ‘You’re sure 6 Nodropped chance of natural history I enjoyed meeting so many this and is where you it,finding dear?’ one of these in wet culture of this like-minded people and WWT John Edmonds, Leicestershire lands. (6) marshland area. (4) London made a terrific studio.

11 To exploit. (7) 20 Tidal channels

Across

A valuable lesson

much affected by thea drawing 12 Didworkshop you go on at one I spotted WWT ebb and flow of the the wildflower andofLondon in theofJuly/Sept edition tide. (6) ----- walks held at Waterlife and WWT I just managed to get the sites in June? last ticket. Artist (6) Judith Gordon was

a delightful teacher, enabling all six novices to follow in the footsteps of Sir Peter Scott – drawing ducks and pond plants. Judith and the participants shared their knowledge about WWT, birds and wetland plants, making it a

Judith was superbly generous and encouraging. Showing off my drawings from the class has been an opportunity to tell my friends and family about WWT London.

I can’t wait to get back to the wetlands and test my new duck-drawing skills. Thank you, Waterlife, for introducing me to the workshop.

Lynden Campbell

spotting skills We didn’t show that distinctive beak for last issue’s mystery bird – only the legs – but that didn’t stop many of you from guessing correctly. It was, of course, an avocet. Well done to all those who got it right, but the first name to be drawn from the hat as our winner was Mrs Susan Joseph. Congratulations.

This issue, we’re really testing your plumage recognition by not showing our mystery species’ most diagnostic feature.

Do you know who sports these beautiful feathers? Send your answer to the address opposite, and the first correct entry drawn out of the hat after the closing date of 15 November 2016 will win a copy of Watching Waterbirds.

Lynden’s duck drawings

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TOGETHER WE DID IT 70 years of conservation in action 1946-2016

70TH ANNIVERSARY Scott discovers largest pink-footed goose breeding site

Peter Scott arrives at Slimbridge Peter Scott – the son of Antarctic explorer Captain Scott – visits a marshland on the edge of the Severn Estuary on a quest to see a lesser white-fronted goose. He sees not only two of the geese, but the potential for much more.

A year later, Peter founds the Severn Wildfowl Trust, an organisation ‘for the scientific study and conservation of wildfowl’ and opens his new Slimbridge centre to the public.

1945

1947

Hugh Boyd is appointed WWT’s first full-time biologist He conducts extensive research into wildfowl in the UK and Iceland, introduces key monitoring schemes and spearheads many international collaborations. He’s known for his pursuit of scientific excellence and encouraging less experienced scientists (see page 7).

1949

Membership of the Severn Wildfowl Trust reaches 1,000

The first WWT bulletin

1950

During an expedition, Peter Scott and his team discover the single most important nesting site of the pink-footed goose. The site at Thjórsárver in Iceland is extremely remote, and the team catches and rings more than 1,000 geese. In 1969, plans to build a dam here are dropped after successful lobbying

by WWT.

X-rays used by WWT for the first time reveal that many of the geese screened carry lead shot First X-rays of wildfowl carried out by WWT reveal that several species ingest lead shot. Of the 244 mallards studied, 7% have lead shot in their gizzards.

Membership reaches 5,000

1951

First nenes arrive at Slimbridge As nene (Hawaiian goose) numbers crash to only 32 in the wild, Peter Scott persuades Mr Herbert Shipman to part with two of the small flock he keeps in his garden in Hawaii. The birds are sent to Slimbridge, where they breed successfully.

In 1962, their offspring are released back into the wild, sparking a revival of the world nene population.

There are more than 2,000 today.

1953

1957

1961

The BBC broadcasts live from Peter Scott’s studio Peter and his family present the BBC’s first live TV wildlife programmes from his studio overlooking the lakes at Slimbridge. From here, he shares his love of the British countryside with millions of viewers.

The first flamingos arrive at WWT Our first flamingos – greater, lesser and Chilean – were brought to WWT by Peter Scott. These were followed by 10 Caribbeans (called Cuban flamingos at the time) the following year, and then by the two rarest species in 1965 – five Andeans and three James’s. Back then, it was believed that flamingos were close relatives of ducks, geese and swans. This is why Peter included all six species in the collection.

Bewick’s swan study starts Dafila Scott shares her memories: ‘In February 1964, soon after wild Bewick’s swans began visiting Slimbridge, my father wanted to learn more about them. He moved some captive birds to the pond in front of his house – the next morning, the first wild Bewick’s arrived. When another wild bird flew in, my father noticed that it had more yellow on its bill. He began to draw the swans’ bill patterns and give them names.

He realised we could now follow their lives. We discovered that individuals usually return to the same wintering grounds. It was lovely to see old friends arriving each autumn, sometimes bringing cygnets with them.’

1964

1966

WWT Martin Mere and Washington open

Caerlaverock is opened to the public With numbers of Svalbard barnacle geese declining, WWT takes over the management of this important site on the wild north Solway coast.

We support the species’ recovery and provide long-term protection by reducing disturbance from illegal shooting.

1971

1973

One of our longeststanding volunteers, Don Ashton, was there.

He says, ‘When Martin Mere was purchased by WWT, I was invited to see what was planned for the site.

I thought it had tremendous potential – so I became a member before the centre even opened. Then I wanted to do more, so I became a volunteer. I had to lead guided walks, sign up new members and sell grain for the birds. One of my highlights was when I gave a “live” interview about volunteering for the BBC (though afterwards my mother complained that I wasn’t smartly dressed in a collar and tie!). I’ve enjoyed every second of my time volunteering at Martin Mere.’

Annual visitors T Arundel to T centres opens to the public reach 500,000

1975

1976

1977

1978

Sir Peter Scott is knighted for his services to conservation ‘Electronic egg’ is hatched The ‘electronic egg’ is developed at Slimbridge in partnership with the University of Bath. It improves the hatching success of rare species of wildfowl by measuring the positioning, humidity and temperature of developing eggs in incubators in the duckery.

Our first education officer is appointed This is a major advance in WWT’s conservation programme. Ted Jackson is based at Slimbridge, where he’s responsible for hosting local school parties and helping them to identify our wild and captive birds.

Membership reaches 10,000

First expedition to Arctic Russia Though Arctic Russia was effectively out of bounds due to the Cold War, Peter Scott arranged to visit the breeding grounds of Bewick’s swans. He got there too late. The swans had left and all he found were empty nests and broken eggshells. But the visit advanced international relations and opened the door for today’s Flight of the Swans (page 26).

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Lead fishing weights are banned in England and Wales

Llanelli opens to the public

Declining mute swan populations are attributed to poisoning from ingesting discarded lead fishing weights while feeding. A ban on lead fishing weights between 0.06g and 28.35g greatly reduces waterbird exposure to lead and ultimately allows mute swan numbers to recover in the UK.

At Llanelli, on Wales’ Carmarthen Bay, we restore three coastal lagoons and build several ponds. These attract thousands of waterbirds and rare species such as scarlet tiger moths, great white egrets and spoonbills.

Twelve years later, Carmarthen Bay is declared the UK’s first marine Special Protection Area after our surveys show its importance for common scoters, a rare and declining sea duck in the UK that forms one of its few large winter flocks in the bay.

10,000 barnacle geese overwinter on the Solway The long-term protection provided

by WWT Caerlaverock helps the Svalbard barnacle goose population to reach 10,000 after falling to just 300 in 1948.

Membership reaches 20,000

1982

1985

1987

Our name changes to Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust

1989

1990

1991

1996

WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre is designated a Ramsar site

Water vole study starts

After only 10 years under WWT management, our reserve at Martin Mere is recognised for the international importance of the pink-footed goose (below), pintail and teal populations wintering here – a remarkable achievement.

Water voles are declining at an alarming rate, so we begin a programme to boost populations of these charismatic rodents at our centres. We also reintroduce them to sites, such as London, from which they have been lost. Today, you can most easily see ‘Ratty’ at WWT Arundel, which has a bumper population.

WWT Castle Espie opens Our first centre in Northern Ireland, Castle Espie is a great opportunity to engage new audiences with the importance of wetlands and the largest collection of ducks, swans and geese in Ireland.

It provides an early wintering site for almost the entire Canadian population of light-bellied brent geese.

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Crash in Bewick’s swan numbers revealed

Our new eco-friendly centre opens at Welney

Use of lead shot is restricted Following a long campaign by WWT and our partners, lead shot is banned in England (1999) and Wales (2002) for shooting wildfowl (and coot and moorhen) and over listed wetlands. In Scotland (2004) and Northern Ireland (2009), it becomes illegal to shoot with lead over wetlands.

This saves the lives of thousands of waterbirds.

A new £3.5m eco-building and bridge replaces the old visitor centre just outside the Ouse Washes. A more recent project to restore flood meadows greatly increases what is already a hugely important site for waders, ducks and migratory swans.

Greenland white-fronted geese are tagged As numbers plummet, we tag Greenland white-fronted geese for the first time to understand how they use their winter sites, and identify their flyway stopover sites and breeding areas. We also develop GPS collars to track rare geese.

Membership passes 200,000

1999

2000

2006

2008

2010

Eurasian cranes released into the wild

WWT London Wetland Centre opens An oasis for wildlife and people in the heart of London’s suburbs, one year later, WWT London wins a BA Tourism for Tomorrow global award.

Madagascar pochard rediscovered Believed extinct since 1991, just 25 survive in the wild. Three years later, WWT brings a number of clutches into captivity to prevent imminent extinction. There are now 75 in the breeding programme, and we’re rehabilitating a new release site.

We raise the alarm when a survey shows that more than a third of Bewick’s swans have disappeared since 1995. Now, just 18,000 remain.

Illegal hunting, power lines and lead poisoning may have contributed to the declining numbers.

Major wetland restoration at Castle Espie unveiled Visitors enjoy the results of a £4m project to create a new ecologically sustainable visitor centre and to restore wetland habitats within the reserve, connecting it to Strangford Lough.

2011 2013

2015

Spoon-billed sandpipers arrive at Slimbridge

WWT’s aviculturists hand-rear The Great Crane Project 13 spoon-billed sandpiper chicks hand-rears 21 Eurasian in northern Russia, and bring them cranes at Slimbridge and releases them into the wild to Slimbridge to establish an ‘ark’ population in case – the first of 93 between the species goes 2010 and 2015, some of extinct in the wild. In which returned to settle.

2016, the first eggs Absent in the west of are hatched, but Britain for 400 years, more the chicks don’t than 80 now live in SW survive (page 11).

England. In 2015, three pairs raised chicks to We leap into action to stop fledging for the Baer’s pochard going extinct first time.

Amid fears that the species is on the brink of extinction in the wild, a task force is established to help save the species, and a study undertaken to verify the genetic purity of captive birds with a view to starting a breeding programme.

T teart arshes opens OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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70TH ANNIVERSARY

THE FUTURE

Today, Sir Peter Scott’s vision for WWT has never been more important.

In the future, we’ll continue his legacy, tackling the conservation challenges of tomorrow and working to protect the wild places he loved so much

RESTORE THE BLACK-TAILED GODWIT POPULATION AROUND THE OUSE WASHES A new EU-funded project will aim to turn around the fortunes of black-tailed godwits in the UK. The breeding population on the Ouse Washes, Norfolk, has declined to just three pairs due to increased flooding destroying nests.

So we’ve created new habitat and now we’re working in partnership with the RSPB to help the godwits recover. Using all of our expertise in headstarting, from 2017-2021 we’ll collect eggs from other sites, hatch and rear the chicks in captivity and then release birds at Welney and at an RSPB site.

2016

2020

TRANSFORM THE WAY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE WETLANDS AND WILDLIFE AT SLIMBRIDGE As part of our new Living Legacy £6m project to capture the attention of today’s generations, we’ll restore the popular duck decoy and build a living wetlands theatre to transform the visitor experience at Slimbridge. New areas will be opened to the public, we’ll restore the Scott house and the Holden Tower. Peter’s original cottage will be transformed into an interactive exhibition and we’ll introduce a new summer walkway and Land Rover safari to help visitors explore Slimbridge in new and exciting ways.

TAKE OUR VISION AROUND THE WORLD Around the globe, we’re helping governments and business to build wetlands that benefit people and even save money. In the heart of Dubai, WWT Consulting is building a new wetland centre at Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary. The UAE’s first Ramsar site, the sanctuary faces pressures from pollution and urban development, so we’re working to preserve the wetlands by designing new habitats and restoring degraded ones. In time, this will be a vital wild oasis in the heart of this iconic city.

TACKLE CONSERVATION CHALLENGES HEAD-ON Using our specialist knowledge and expertise, we’ll work to predict and tackle the issues affecting the world’s wetlands. We’ll work to prevent declines in rare species before they become critical, help restore numbers, and inspire new generations of wetland champions.

2025

2030

2035

CAMPAIGN ON MORE ISSUES AFFECTING OUR WETLANDS From this year, we’ll be stepping up our political activities.

First, we’ll need a UK agriculture policy to replace the EU Common Agricultural Policy, so we’re calling for farmers to be rewarded for investing in nature, as well as for their produce. We’re also working to embed the value of nature in public policy. As the government plans its infrastructure investments for the next 50 years, we want to ensure it recognises the value, and invests in the upkeep, of the goods and services nature provides. In times of change, we all need to pull together, so we’re bringing together a network of environmental experts to make sure vital issues, such as farm funding and scientific research, feature prominently on the political agenda.

and beyond PROTECT THE NATURAL WONDER OF THE SEVERN ESTUARY The Severn is one of the UK’s great natural wonders, but it’s coming under increasing pressure.

So we’re working with our partners to create a vision that will see the estuary sustained, restored and supported for the future.

You can find out more on page 32.

Get involved

As we celebrate our 70th anniversary, we’d love to share your photos, stories and memories of WWT and our work for wetlands through the years. Why not tell us why you support WWT and what wetlands mean to you? Just write to us at waterlife@wwt.org.uk.

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F L I G H T O F T H E SWA N S

Now that Flight of the Swans is under way, we explore the pioneering research behind, and conservation benefits of, this incredible expedition – and marvel at the Bewick’s swan’s amazing adaptations for migration

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

18,055

The number of feathers per bird – the most feathers of any British bird

Bewick’s swans have declined dramatically since 1995

2.6

Our scientists have focused their efforts on Russia, to find out if breeding success – or failure – is the cause of the swans’ decline WWT is working to avoid us seeing the back of Bewick’s swans forever

es/WWT Richard Taylor-Jon

25,000

2010

swans will return to our wetlands from their summer in Arctic Russia.

But our joy will be tinged with trepidation. For two decades, this bird has seen an alarming decline in numbers, and it seems that they are still falling. Will the flocks that arrive this autumn be smaller?

Among the pools, lakes and channels of the Arctic tundra, Bewick’s build their nests. It’s there that our international team of scientists have so far focused much of their efforts, to find out if breeding success – or rather failure – has been the root cause of the swans’ decline.

Our researchers have found significant differences from year to year. In summers when rodents were plentiful, Arctic foxes, pomarine skuas and rough-legged buzzards left the swans alone. But in years of furry dearth, the predators risked parental wrath to plunder the swans’ nests.

In colder summers, when heavy snowfall lay on the ground for longer, breeding was lower; sometimes, adults would simply abandon their nests.

We would see fewer young reach WWT Welney, Slimbridge and Martin Mere and other winter refuges in western Europe. Warmer summers brought bigger broods and more young fledged successfully.

BEWICK’S SWANS IN NUMBERS

29,277

In just a few weeks’ time, Bewick’s

Pulling together data from a period spanning 26 years, we were able to look at the bigger picture. And the results were wholly unexpected. We found no long-term trends to link the fall in numbers with breeding.

The problem, whatever it is, lies elsewhere.

With your support, we will continue to scrutinise other stages in the swans’ lives. In the Arctic, where the birds breed, moult and feed-up prior to migration, the tundra is being opened up to oil and gas exploration.

The inevitable infrastructure of buildings and roads enables the tundra to be more easily accessed by hunters from further afield. They may shoot the swans, unaware that they’re protected. A third of the swans checked in Britain carry lead shot in their bodies. Is illegal shooting a factor in their decline?

Thankfully, climate change does not currently seem to be implicated in the swans’ decline. But other dangers may lie in wait along their migration route. Perhaps they are competing with other swan species at refuelling wetlands?

By flying the swan’s migration route from Russia to the UK, we will be able to highlight the plight of Bewick’s swan and hopefully spur people into action to help safeguard their future.

1995

During Flight of the Swans, Sacha Dench, WWT’s Head of Media, will fly the entire migration route of the Bewick’s swan – and here’s the reason why…

EGGS

The average clutch size per nest

9 years Average lifespan

2

Only two pairs of Bewick’s swans out of 4,000 couples studied over a 50-year period have been known to ‘divorce’ OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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Bewick’s swans are built for longdistance journeys.

For Sacha, flying is not so easy...

Engineered for migration

Snow is falling, as it does every

month of the year, but now ice is filming over the pools of the Arctic tundra. Winter’s wind blows from the east and it’s time for a woman and the Bewick’s swans to leave.

For the next 10 weeks or so, Sacha will be a motorised bird, a flying mate to the Bewick’s swans that are migrating from Arctic Russia to Britain. For Sacha, riding a paraglider equipped with an engine no bigger than that of a small scooter, it will be a 7,000km expedition along the same route, clinging to the coastlines of 11 different countries. It will also be a high-flying eye-opener to some of the dangers and difficulties facing her fellow avian migrants.

Though Sacha has gone through a year of intensive training, the swans are better equipped to start the journey. Freshly moulted into

BEAK Lightweight beak, hollow bones and feathers keep swan below 7kg

BODY CAVITY Non-essential organs (eg reproductive organs) shrink to reduce weight

WINGS Large, broad wings tilted to produce downward air pressure, hence greater lift

FEET Streamlined body with landing gear (ie feet) tucked away

pristine plumage, gorged on sedges, pondweeds and tundra berries, their bodies contain 24% fat by weight on lift-off, enough fuel to give them a long hop of 1,400km or more in one go, towards the Gulf of Finland. They fly by day and night. And they have

been this way before.

Parents have taken this route south at least four times previously, and they keep their young within calling distance on this, their maiden migration.

BEWICK’S SWAN vs SACHA Sacha

Bewick’s swan Distance

3,500km

Distance

7,000km

Refuelling stops

2*

Refuelling stops

60+

Average speed

64-70kmph

Average speed

45kmph

Wingspan

2m

Wingspan

12m

Weight

6.2kg

Weight

260kg

Hazards Wind, heavy rain, ice, snow, fog, illegal hunting, power lines and other flying accidents, young becoming separated from adults, predation by foxes, lead poisoning, exhaustion, habitat loss, disturbance from human activity. *The swans may fly all the way to Estonia in 48 hours, then spend several weeks feeding up before resuming their journey.

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(including paramotor and equipment)

Hazards Wind, rain, fog, snow, ice, landing in water, power lines, wind turbines, trees, light aircraft, paragliders, hypothermia, hunger, exhaustion, mechanical failure, running out of fuel.

F L I G H T O F T H E SWA N S Just like the swans, Sacha will be looking for landmarks to help with navigation, keeping to the coast, spying wetlands, keeping a wary eye out for power lines, wind turbines and other aircraft. She’ll carry a simple compass, though her metal gear might send its needle in a spin, and GPS, too. A swan’s inbuilt technology is somehow more

The swan follows the angle of the sun, guided by a celestial map at night, attuned throughout to the Earth’s magnetic field

Sacha’s top flight technology

PARAMOTOR FRAME Provides protection from the propeller blade and engine

HELMET Contains communication tools to liaise with the ground crew and others

TECHNICAL UNDERLAYERS They manage perspiration, are quick-drying and versatile

HEATED GLOVES For mobility and to keep Sacha’s hands warm

Ben C herry /WW T

FLIGHT SUIT Engineered to keep Sacha warm while experiencing -10° wind chill

sophisticated, as it follows the angle of the sun, guided by a celestial map at night, attuned throughout to the Earth’s magnetic field.

Autumn-migrating Bewick’s swans are on a faster track than in spring, as there’s no need to feed up on the way in preparation for breeding. They’ll complete the distance to southern England in four to six weeks. A swan’s equivalent of a human marathon runner’s pasta feast is an aquatic dish, the carbohydrate-rich rhizomes and tubers of fennel pondweed.

Year after year, they refuel in the same wetlands. What if these vital stopovers are trashed? What happens if a habitual wetland service station in western Europe is taken over for sport? Sacha will seek human support, food and company on 60 stops or more; Bewick’s swans cannot abide disturbance.

By journey’s end, Sacha will have experienced danger and hardship.

In a small way, she’ll have understood, first-hand, the perils facing the birds that fly with her on their greatest voyage.

Flying suit: BlueSkyBlue; underlayers/baselayers: Páramo; heated gloves: Gerbing UK

Sacha is on her own, at least for the first 700km across the tundra. Like the swans, she will wait, for days if necessary, to pick up a tailwind. Both are at the mercy of the elements.

For Sacha, a headwind, crosswind, rain, fog and darkness rule out flying.

Although the swans often fly at night, they are three times less likely to attempt to fly if the wind is against them.

Once in the air, Sacha will ride her paramotor for no more than three hours at a time at best, until the fuel runs out or she is physically drained.

She might keep to a steady 45kmph; migrating swans power along at an average of 64-70kmph.

Should it need a rest in the tundra, a swan can descend to bob gently on one of the pools or lakes of this treeless landscape. Sacha cannot risk landing on water harnessed to a machine that’s twice her weight. She’ll be aiming for food and fuel dumps, and when she touches down for the night, she’ll have a large expedition support team on the ground to help her.

All will be crossing their fingers for good weather at dawn.

FLIGHT DECK Easily accessible, with GPS, navigation system, air maps, air traffic control, radio, satellite phone and rescue beacon BOOTS Waterproof and lined with merino wool for extra warmth

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F L I G H T O F T H E SWA N S

helping bewick’s s When the journey ends, this team and others will ensure Flight of the Swans continues to help us protect and understand Bewick’s swans 3 1

Geoff Hilton

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CONSERVATION DIRECTOR

Just as with Sacha’s journey, for Bewick’s swans migrating to and from the Arctic it’s all about timing.

They need to migrate as early as possible in spring to arrive at the breeding grounds in good time. If they arrive too early, they may find frozen water and a land covered in snow. With climate change, it’s harder than ever for swans to get the timing right. MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd, which is providing Sacha with communications support, is providing us with historic satellite images of the route, so that we can see if the timing of ice and snow cover has changed, and how the swans have responded.

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Dr Eileen Rees RESEARCH FELLOW

With the recent decline in Bewick’s swan numbers, a Species Action Plan has been developed by swan experts from across the flyway to halt and reverse the decline.

Flight of the Swans provides an inspired platform for focusing and bringing people together to implement the plan. I’m looking forward to the conservation workshops and community activities organised by our national project partners, and to seeing them benefit the birds in future.

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Julia Newth SENIOR ECOSYSTEM HEALTH OFFICER

Illegal hunting is a problem for Bewick’s swans, with 36% of live birds found to be carrying shotgun pellets when X-rayed. Flight of the Swans supports our efforts to reduce illegal hunting in the Russian Arctic. We’ve been talking with seven communities in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug to try and understand their motivations for hunting, and in September we brought together a range of stakeholders for a special workshop in Russia to identify solutions.

wans

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Kane Brides SWAN VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Monitoring site usage and survival of individual Bewick’s swans is an important aspect of their conservation. Placing large, coloured rings on their legs enables us to keep track of their whereabouts year-round. WWT has been marking the swans with individually coded plastic rings since 1967 and, thanks to a network of dedicated swan watchers across Europe, we have identified the most important sites used by the birds. Through Flight of the Swans, I hope to increase our network of ring-reading volunteers.

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Hannah Robson PALAEOECOLOGIST

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I love mud! I use it to explore why certain species are in decline. I take sediment from the bottom of a lake and examine the microscopic insect and plant remains it contains in order to reconstruct the ecological history of the lake and its catchment area. On this project, I will use lake sediments from important Bewick’s swan breeding grounds in Russia to build a picture of recent environmental changes.

This will provide long-term data for this remote region, and will help us to understand better why the swans are declining.

Dr Kevin Wood PRINCIPAL RESEARCH OFFICER

We recently published an analysis of Bewick’s swan breeding success using data collected over 50 years by WWT staff and volunteers. The results revealed that the cold Arctic temperatures Sacha is facing have a strong influence on the numbers of Bewick’s swan cygnets produced each year. The conservation workshops run during the Flight of the Swans expedition will allow me to share the findings of our Bewick’s swan research with swan conservationists across the flyway, and to gain their insights to inform and enhance our future efforts.

HOW YOU CAN HELP The number of Bewick’s swans in Europe has nearly halved in the past 20 years.

Lives are being lost as a result of loss of habitat and illegal hunting, and they are also at risk of collision with power lines and wind turbines.

You don’t have to fly 7,000km to make a difference. If we stand together, we can make a real difference to the future of the Bewick’s swan.

SIGN TO SAVE THE BEWICK’S SWAN

The Bewick’s plight is entirely preventable. We cannot let the swan’s population continue to decline. Your signature will help save them.

Sign our petition today or visit flightoftheswans.org/petition.

Together we can: Protect important feeding sites at key stopovers along the Bewick’s flyway Stop illegal shooting of Bewick’s Reduce life-threatening hazards like power cables and wind turbines Demand continued support for the monitoring and research of the Bewick’s swan’s population Save our amazing wetlands

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PROTECTING WETLANDS

MESOLITHIC FOOTPRINTS

Among the ancient artefacts excavated from Goldcliff, on the Welsh shore, archaeologists have discovered fossilised human footprints, some of children as young as four. These reveal that people lived here between 6000 and 4700 BC, when sea levels were lower.

FLAT HOLM AND STEEP HOLM ISLANDS

SEVERN HEAVEN It’s evening on the Severn Estuary and

a plaintive bugling fills the autumn air.

Ragged skeins of white-fronted geese fly through the darkening skies and wheel over the water, until each bird drops out of sight to roost on WWT Slimbridge’s South Lake.

These birds have journeyed thousands of kilometres from the Arctic to be here. Like countless other feathered voyagers, they depend on this vast intertidal expanse of water, mud and marsh in order to survive the winter. And birds are not the estuary’s only long-haul visitors: come spring, young eels will arrive in untold millions. Carried on the Gulf Stream from their spawning grounds in the 32

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These two large limestone islands in the middle of the estuary are both designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest, chiefly for their plant communities. They are also rich in cultural value, dotted with fortifications from battles throughout the ages and marking the spot where Marconi transmitted the first wireless signals over open sea.

The Severn Estuary is one of the UK’s greatest natural wonders, but this unique place is under threat. So we’ve developed a vision for the future that will benefit both nature and people

Habitat reborn WWT Steart Marshes, near Bridgwater, illustrates how we can restore the estuary for the benefit of people and wildlife. In 2014, after first building new embankments, we breached the old ones, allowing the tide to cover 300ha of low-lying land.

This has now become an intertidal saltmarsh, offering vital wildlife habitat and providing the residents of the Steart Peninsula with a buffer against storm surges and rising sea levels (see page 62).

warm Sargasso Sea, they will invade the estuary and battle up its many rivers into England and Wales.

Add to this the myriad other creatures that find a home here – from otters to honeycomb worms – and it’s small wonder that Sir Peter Scott called this place the ‘Serengeti of the UK’.

Everything about the Severn seems hewn on a grand scale. This is Britain’s longest river, flowing some 354km, and the estuary’s peak tidal range of around 15 metres is the highest in Europe. This unstoppable force of nature carries 10 million tonnes of

SEVERN BORE

SALMON FISHING The estuary has a rich fishing heritage. Though traditional techniques are seldom used today, their legacy can be seen in the remnants of the former ‘putcher ranks’ (vast wooden frames filled with baskets) that remain along the Welsh coast, and lave nets still used at Black Rock.

SLIMBRIDGE

On a spring tide, the estuary’s tidal range and funnel shape combine to create a huge wave, the Severn Bore, which travels upstream against the outflowing current. Around two metres in height and travelling up to 16kmph, it offers an irresistible challenge to surfers.

Sir Peter Scott established WWT’s headquarters on the banks of the estuary at Slimbridge in 1946. Among its spectacular assemblage of waterfowl are wintering whitefronted geese and Bewick’s swans.

SALTMARSH The estuary has lost much of its saltmarsh, but is still home to the largest area in the South West. Home to countless birds, this vital habitat also provides such ‘ecosystem services’ as nursery grounds for commercial fish species and defence against sea level rise and storm surges. Northwick Warth is one of the best remaining examples.

HONEYCOMB WORM REEFS

The honeycomb worm constructs tubes in tightly packed ‘reefs’ with a distinctive honeycomb appearance. These reefs provide vital habitat for other marine species. Many occur in the estuary, notably between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare.

INTERTIDAL MUDFLATS The estuary’s intertidal mudflats are essential to its ecosystem.

Packed with invertebrates, they draw thousands of wintering waterbirds, which can be viewed from such locations as Bridgwater Bay NNR. They also store vast quantities of ‘blue carbon’, which helps mitigate against climate change.

EELS

The Severn is a haven for the critically endangered European eel. Millions of elvers migrate to the estuary from the Sargasso Sea. Elver fishing in England and Wales is concentrated here, particularly in the tidal reaches of the River Parrett.

suspended sediment twice daily, endlessly remoulding the shoreline and replenishing a suite of special habitats packed with biodiversity.

Humans have been drawn to the Severn Estuary since time immemorial.

Footsteps preserved in fossilised saltmarsh reveal where people trod the mud 8,000 years ago. By Roman times we were already modifying the estuary and reclaiming land for livestock.

As technology advanced over the centuries, so more land was yoked to production, river wharves mushroomed

into docks, ports became cities, and a burgeoning energy and transport infrastructure spread across the region.

All this development has taken its toll on the estuary, degrading its precious habitats and disrupting its natural processes. And today the threats continue. Recent years have seen the proposal of the biggest intervention yet: the building of a huge barrage across the estuary to harness its tidal energy.

Although this idea was effectively shelved in 2013, were such a scheme ever to materialise, its impact could be

SURROUNDING LANDSCAPES The estuary is ringed by some of the UK’s most spectacular landscapes, including Exmoor National Park and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. As well as being inspiring places, these make great vantage points from which to appreciate the estuary’s sheer scale.

devastating, destroying up to 20,000ha of critically important intertidal habitat.

Historically, the Severn Estuary has not been without protection. Currently, it is one of the UK’s most designated regions and comprises numerous Special Protection Areas, Special Areas for Conservation, National Nature Reserves and, of course, our own reserves at Slimbridge and Steart. Projects that aim to tap the estuary’s potential that could be less ecologically damaging are also afoot – including various tidal power options.

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ADVERTIS EMENT

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SEVEN STEPS TO SEVERN HEAVEN

Our seven-step vision to delivering a magnificent estuary.

AVOID FURTHER LOSS OF NATURE The best way to sustain the environment is to prevent further destruction. We ask that, where damage is unavoidable, no net loss of the natural environment or the benefits it delivers should occur within the estuary’s bounds.

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INCREASE KNOWLEDGE Research is vital to ensure that all further development is sustainable.

We ask that stakeholders support continued research, and that data should be freely available to inform better decision-making.

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DEVELOP TIDAL ENERGY SUSTAINABLY Clean, renewable energy is vital to the fight against climate change, and tidal energy could play an important role.

We ask that tidal energy is developed in harmony with nature and does not reduce the Severn’s ‘natural capital’.

ESTABLISH STRONGER GOVERNANCE The estuary is a source of wealth for the west and requires an integrated management approach. We ask that the UK and Welsh governments establish an inclusive ‘whole estuary’ governance structure.

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Richard Lloyd

RESTORE NATURE We need a bold new approach to restoration at this scale. Our ambition is to see 6,000ha of new wetland habitat created around the shores of the estuary by 2040.

TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE Intertidal habitats provide protection from coastal erosion, storms and flooding. We ask that both local and national government recognise – and communicate – the estuary’s role in mitigating against climate change.

REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS Wetlands like saltmarsh store vast quantities of carbon. We ask that local authorities and energy companies commit to ‘blue carbon’ storage and help develop mechanisms to enable it.

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The Severn Estuary is one of the UK’s great natural wonders and a globally important site for nature

But what the estuary has lacked is a joined-up plan, particularly one that makes good ecological sense. The various stakeholders, who mostly share a common concern for the estuary’s future, have lacked a coherent strategy for getting there.

This is why we’ve joined up with six of our partners to launch an ambitious new vision. Together, we’ve outlined seven steps to build a better Severn by 2040: one that protects and enhances the landscape to the benefit of all. It will mean an estuary richer in nature, where we respect the true value of its resources and use them in a sustainable way.

Our vision recognises the reality of climate change. As a nation, we must aim to reduce our carbon footprint, and this includes investigating new, sustainable sources of energy. We understand that estuaries, threatened by rising sea levels and storm surges, are in the front line.

But, we also know that estuaries can play a vital role in mitigating against the effects of climate change – and not just because of tidal energy.

The Severn’s vast intertidal mudflats already act as significant natural carbon

sinks, locking up huge amounts of what is known as ‘blue carbon’ (the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems), while its saltmarshes provide buffers against flooding and storm surges.

By protecting and restoring estuaries such as the Severn, we will bolster our defences against climate change.

Blue carbon is just one of the many ‘ecosystem services’ the estuary provides us with. Among many others are commercial fisheries, water treatment and recreational opportunities. In other words: just as the estuary needs us, so we need the estuary.

Today, the Severn Estuary is at a critical juncture. We can’t turn back the clock to its pristine, prehistoric past, but we can protect and enhance its natural powers in a way that benefits both nature and people. With the support of government, businesses and the wider public – including you, our members – we know this vision can become a reality.

So please read our vision (left) and think about how you can get involved. Our plans may be lost on the geese and eels, but as long as they keep returning, we’ll know we’re doing something right.

How you can help

l If you live near the Severn Estuary, get out and enjoy this remarkable place, then share your highlights with us on Twitter using #SevernHeaven. l We would love to hear your ideas on how we can bring our vision into reality, so please get in touch. l Be energy smart to help reduce the energy demands on the Severn to more sustainable levels.

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ANNIVERSARY

SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH To celebrate our 70th anniversary, we had a chat about children, feeding ducks and conservation with one of Sir Peter Scott’s great friends Please tell us about your first encounter with Sir Peter Scott

I first met Peter in about 1955. Before that I had heard him on the radio, of course. Peter was very gentle, courteous and a delight to talk to.

He was also fiercely competitive and everything he did, he did to the very best of his ability. He was an Olympic champion, a gliding champion, an ice skating champion, a yachting champion – and very soon, he had the biggest collection of wildfowl in existence.

Why is it vital that people can experience nature at our centres?

We depend on nature for every mouthful we eat and every lungful of air we breathe, so we should know as much as possible about it. We’re all part of our living planet, so it’s important that people experience nature for themselves. After all, we humans are now so powerful that the decisions we make can affect nature in a serious way.

Why is the simple act of feeding a duck so special for children?

I don’t believe there’s a child born who doesn’t have a deep interest in the natural world at first. As they become older, their attention may be diverted by other interests for a time. But if they

It’s as if migratory birds say to themselves: ‘Right it’s migration time.

Why don’t we go to that wonderful WWT place on the Thames?’

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lose their fascination and delight in the natural world, they’ve lost a great treasure. Those of us who’ve kept up our connection with nature find it a huge source of inspiration, joy and comfort.

What’s the importance of WWT centres for you?

WWT centres are extraordinary places where children of all ages can connect with the natural world. Most of us live in cities, cut off from nature. But, today, Londoners can see something they could never have seen 50 years ago – a wetland in the middle of this great conurbation. Here, you’ve even got booming bitterns, birds that were incredibly rare when I was a boy.

Why do you think that is?

Well, what’s remarkable about WWT centres is that the skill with which they’re designed is invisible. People see the wonderful little flocks of birds sitting on ponds and imagine that they just happened to land here.

But a lot of thought goes into bringing wildlife and people together, without disturbing the animals. What’s

amazing is that migratory birds now come here from around the globe.

It’s as if they say to themselves: ‘Right, it’s migration time. Why don’t we go to that wonderful WWT place on the Thames?’

How is Sir Peter Scott best remembered?

Peter invented all kinds of ways to bring people and nature closer. He was a great innovator, artist, designer and naturalist. His WWT centres are a great monument to his memory.

How has conservation changed over the past 70 years?

Today, people are better informed about the natural world than they’ve ever been, thanks to TV, radio and first-hand experiences.

What can members of WWT do to help protect the planet?

Learn about it, be concerned about it and then go out and do something about it. Help in whatever way you can – write letters, raise funds, support green politicians – just do one thing.

The simple act of feeding a tame duck can spark a lifetime’s interest in nature

WWT

Sir David believes that WWT centres are ‘extraordinary places where children of all ages can connect with the natural world’

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1+1 TO/FROM COLOGNE

MUNICH

GERMANY WÖRGL JENBACH

SALZBURG

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ST JOHANN

AUSTRIA

ZELL AM SEE GROSSGLOCKNER

By Rail

By Coach

MAYRHOFEN HEILIGENBLUT

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Nights in hotel

PHOTO COMPETITION

Hurry! Don’t miss your chance to shine in our photo competition.

This moorhen was caught in action

by Michael Wallwork, while Ian Redman snuck up on a kingfisher (below)

It’s your last chance to enter our Summer Digital Photo Competition 2016 and win a pair of Leica binoculars

top shot

As autumn gilds the countryside in hues of gold and red, we look forward to welcoming back our wintering swans and geese – and seeing your incredible photos. In last year’s competition, you impressed us with the amazing wildlife you’d seen at our centres – from sparrowhawks to stoats, and hawker dragonflies to herons. And we can’t wait to see what you spotted this summer.

But don’t delay – our photo competition closes on 1 November, so now’s your last opportunity to enter and be in with a chance of winning an incredible pair of Leica Trinovid 8x42 HD binoculars, worth £830. You could also see your photo published in the January issue of Waterlife.

So what are you waiting for?

Everything you need to know, including the rules, can be found at wwt.org.uk/ waterlifephoto. Grab your camera and get snapping now!

Leica Trinovid 8x42 HD binoculars are perfect for wildlife-watchers. Compact and lightweight, but rugged, they’re meticulously manufactured from the best materials to ensure bright and pin-sharp views. Water- and dirt-resistant, they’re robust and ready for your next adventure.

Leica Sport Optics is WWT’s exclusive optic partner of the spoon-billed sandpiper project.

W I N!

LEICA TRINOVID 8X42 HD BINOCULARS, WORTH £830!

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

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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with

Steve a l l B ac k s h

Hello again Have the swans near you ever seen a polar bear? Of course they haven’t; there are no bears around our lakes, ponds or rivers. But there’s a kind of swan arriving here this autumn that probably has.

Bewick’s swans are Europe’s smallest swans. They spent the summer high in the Arctic, where they nested beside lakes and pools, in a land where there are no trees.

Now, the ice and snow are coming, so it’s time for them to leave. They’ll migrate here to Britain where our winters are a whole lot warmer.

In the Arctic, their nearest swan neighbours nest a few hundred yards away. But while they’re here, they’ll live close together in huge flocks. It must be like moving from the quietest countryside to the busiest city!

You might be lucky to see Bewick’s swans at Welney or Slimbridge. And just think, they might just have seen a polar bear on their way there.

Until next time...

! o h o H What do baby swans dance to?

Cygnet-uretunes!

Bewick’s swans fly thousands of miles to visit the UK in winter

Epic flight Bewick’s swans fly like jumbo jets. They can travel long distances without stopping and they are surprisingly heavy. A swallow weighs just 19g, but these swans tip the scales at a hefty 7kg – that’s 350 times heavier. But they have huge wings to carry them – just like a jumbo jet.

What a journey they make. When they leave the Arctic in September, these birds can fly for 1,450km in one go – that’s

further than flying from the top of Britain to the bottom. The swans land several times along the way to refuel, just as if they were topping up in a service station. But instead of petrol, their super-fuel is pondweed.

They’ll fly through 12 different countries, and parents will show their young the way.

By the time they reach us towards the end of October, a tired Bewick’s swan will have flown up to 3,540km.

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

ANSWERS Swan in a muddle: Mute swan. Riddler’s riddle: The real Riddler is B.

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KIDS’ ZONE

In for the count

u o y d Di now?s namecdk, kswan waas Bewi who

WWT research scientist Julia Newth counts the swans in at Slimbridge every autumn, ticking them off as if she was a teacher taking the class register. And she has an incredible skill. Julia knows all of the 300 or so swans that arrive every year by name.

How does she do that?

Just like we have fingerprints to tell us apart, so every Bewick’s swan has slightly different markings on its black and yellow bill. No two birds look exactly alike. Julia has been studying Bewick’s swans for more than 10 years and has learned how to recognise every one of them.

Every swan is given a name, to help us remember it.

WWT has been counting Bewick’s swans at Slimbridge since 1964. These swans mate for life and they come back year after year. And they bring their young, too, so that the whole family is together.

, avefrore thed Thitser Thom r g n af ood e tly be scovere . a wd shor was di species die wick’s arate Be s a sep a

Julia with a Bewick’s swan called Whirls

NAME: Riddler.

AG E: 27.

FIR ST SE EN: 1991.

WH ER E: Slimbridge. ature of LIKES: Definitely a cre exactly on sits ays alw He habit. ding fee er aft nd the same isla self. time and preens him ithologists SPECIAL FACT: Orn rlands and in Estonia, the Nethe d Riddler Germany have spotte en the we bet ion rat on his mig t’s thanks Arctic and Britain. Tha his leg, to the yellow ring on marked YXU.

Swan in a muddle Unscramble these words to find the name of a swan that lives in Britain all year round (answer on page 42).

NAME: Croupier.

AG E: 27.

FIR ST SE EN: 1991.

WH ER E: Slimbrid ge.

LIKES: Makes a po int of getting right in front of the hide at feeding time so tha t she is among the first sw ans to be fed.

SPECIAL FACT: We know Croupier has raise d a staggering 29 cygnets, becaus e over the years she has broug ht them all back with her.

Riddler’s riddle No two Bewick’s swans have the same marks on their bill. Can you spot Riddler in this identity parade (answer on page 42).

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B

WE AM NUTS

Old-timers Bewick’s swans are long-lived birds.

The oldest ever reached the grand old age of 29. On the left are two very familiar faces at Slimbridge.

They’ve been coming since well before you were born.

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Autumn is the time to wrap up warm and enjoy a spectacle of swans, geese and waders, or join one of our incredible family events For the full list of centre events, information and news, find your local centre at wwt.org.uk

TAKE THE TOP TRUMPS TRAIL

JOIN OUR BIG BRENT EVENT e os B re

nt

Can you beat WWT Washington at a game of wetlands Top Trumps? Take the challenge, grab your animal cards and follow our trail of giant cards around the reserve to see what score you get.

MEET DUSTY DUCK AND FRIENDS Saturday 8 October to Sunday 8 January 2017

FOLLOW OUR ÂŽ GIANT LEGO BRICK TRAIL

DISCOVER DINOSAURS

Until Sunday 6 November

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n

Dusty Duck has migrated to Martin Mere! Dusty and his 14 giant celebrity pals can be found along a magical trail around the grounds that everyone will go quackers for! See if you can spot Explorer Dusty, Tiger Dusty and Sir Quackalot Dusty, and then enjoy lots of Dusty-themed activities.

Ki

Map illustration by Fred Van Deelen; photos by Shutterstock; WWT

The brent geese are back!

Enjoy incredible views of thousands of brent geese whiffling over Strangford Lough and then celebrate their return with our brilliant Big Brent Event. It’s bags of fun for all the family!

Saturday 22 to Sunday 30 October

go

Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 October

ish

er

The giant LEGO brick animals have returned to Slimbridge! Follow our new and extended nature trail and look for a flamingo, nene and other familiar faces. Watch out for some surprising new brick animals as well, including a beautiful kingfisher.

Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 October

Venture back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the planet on our amazing Dinosaur Days.

Explore the link between birds, wetlands and dinosaurs, join a walk and talk, and see real dino bones.

A day all fossil-lovers will enjoy!

f you love your local T centre, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what s great about a day out with us, in words or less, by emailing waterlife wwt.org.uk. ou could see your review in a future issue.

D OW N YO U R WAY

C E LE

B R ATI NG

40 Y E A R S Arundel

WWT ARUNDEL WETLAND CENTRE

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

In November, we’re celebrating 40 years since we opened our doors. A collection of Peter Scott art will be on display in the new art gallery area in the visitor centre and we’re running walks and talks as part of our 40 Things to Celebrate programme (see our website).

If it’s festive fun you’re after, be sure to pop along on 10-11 December for our Breakfast With Santa event.

It’s sure to be a huge hit with everyone.

Meanwhile, on the reserve, autumn heralds a huge increase in wading birds. But it will take keen eyes and binoculars to pick out snipe feeding along the water’s edge from the Ramsar, Lapwing and Scrape hides – their buff-coloured markings blending into the reeds.

Water rail numbers also swell in autumn, when winter migrants arrive from northern Europe. The normally reclusive rails become bolder in winter, emerging to probe for insects. These waders and other winter birds are the focus of our autumn Begin Birdwatching workshops, which start on 23 October.

‘We visit Arundel Wetland Centre every time we’re in the area. Each time we’re delighted to find more improvements to the site and see how things have matured since our last visit. It’s a bird-lover’s paradise.’

Starlings dance against a darkening sky

TripAdvisor

Arundel Events (Key below. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/arundel.)

Daily Activities Wetland Discovery Boat Safari Glide with a guide on quiet electric boats through the reedbeds of Wetlands Discovery.

First boat 11am, last boat 4.30pm (3.30pm after 21 Oct). Suggested donation of £1.

Pond Dipping Visit the Pond Explorer station on weekends and holidays to discover the minibeasts that live below the surface, ends 30 Oct. 11am-1pm and 2-4pm.

Diving Duck Feed See some of the rarest

key

46

waterfowl in the world show off their fishing skills in the clear, chalk-fed waters of the Icelandic Lake pen. 2pm.

Hand-feed Wildfowl Visit our World Wetlands feeding bay to experience hand-feeding rare and exotic wildfowl. Open until closing time.

Feeding grain costs 20p per handful, and is available from vending machines in the feed bay.

Weds in October Wild Wednesday Join us for short walks and talks throughout

the day with WWT experts. Pick up a list of what’s on at the admission desk and go wild! You can join the walks throughout the day.

Sat 8 Oct Begin Woodcarving – Oystercatcher The Bentley woodcarving group introduces you to the basics of woodcarving

in this one-day workshop. From a roughed-out piece of wood provided you will complete a model of an oystercatcher to paint and take home.

Go on a family canoe adventure

Tools and safety kit provided. 10am. £45PP. BE Sat 15 to Sun 16 Oct Discover Birds Weekend Enjoy the autumn edition of our seasonal weekend of walks and talks with WWT experts talking about birds at Arundel.

10am-5pm.

Sun 23 Oct Begin Birdwatching Workshop: Autumn Learn your birding basics from Dave Fairlamb, Arundel Wetland Centre Manager. This indoor and outdoor workshop

BE Booking Essential RI Refreshments Included WP Weather Permitting PC/PP Per Child/Person Centre events are subject to change.

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

Waterlife

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Winter promise

Bare-limbed trees in winter make it easier than ever to spot kingfishers from the hides. A low limb on the tree to the left of the Scrape Hide is a hotspot! The large willow to the left of the café windows overlooking Arun Riverlife lagoon is also a popular fishing perch.

From November, visitors can see a spectacular starling murmuration in the Site of Special Scientific Interest reedbed. The dancing birds are visible from the visitor centre windows from 4-4.30pm. Numbers continue to build all winter and peak in January.

The reedbed is also host to a large pied wagtail roost in winter. The birds perch in the trees bordering the reedbed and they all drop en masse down into its sheltering fronds. During our winter Begin Birdwatching workshop (10 December), centre manager Dave Fairlamb will explore these behaviours and other winter survival techniques.

Most winters, a bittern can be seen near the Reedbed Hide. Early in the morning, our wardens see it fly into the reedbed, but patient visitors have had sightings in the late afternoon when it returns to roost.

Much easier to spot are good numbers of teal, gadwall, shoveler and shelduck that winter at Arundel.

Visitors may also catch a glimpse of the flock of more than 30 Bewick’s swans that arrives in the Arun valley in December. During cold snaps, these wild birds will spend the night on the deep water between the Sand Martin and Ramsar hides.

A special treat for bird lovers at Arundel are the little grebes that can be spotted from a boat safari and the firecrests that flit through the hedgerows along the Tranquil Trail.

covers the autumn bird migration and seasonal waders. 9.30-11.30am. £12PP (doesn’t include cost of admission). BE Suns 23 Oct, 20 Nov & 18 Dec Artist-in-Residence, Desiree Hart Drop by and meet our wildlife artist-inresidence, Desiree Hart, as she displays her recent work.

Desiree donates a portion of her sales to WWT Arundel.

10am-5pm.

Mon 24 to Fri 28 Oct Vampire Boats Take a ride with a vampire guide and learn about the bats at Arundel Wetland Centre. As the cloak of darkness settles

in, look out for the creatures of the night as they emerge for their evening feeds.

4.30pm and 5pm. £5PP. BE Sat 29 to Sun 30 Oct Wetland Witch’s Potions Class Teasel treats warts.

Loosestrife clears eye pus. Fleabane fights fleas. Children can discover some gross wetland secrets about wild plants while mixing up potions with the Wetland Witch. The workshop includes learning to write with a feather quill to record your spells on ancient parchment. 10-11.30am or 1-2.30pm. £3PC (doesn’t include cost of admission). BE

The project will help protect water voles’ existing freshwater habitats at Arundel

Arundel fights the flood

Thanks to your support, a grant from Viridor Credits Environmental Company and other generous funders, work will start this autumn on a suite of works to protect Arundel Wetland Centre from damaging freshwater and saline flooding. Pending planning permission the project will raise the River Arun and Mill Stream embankments, and de-silt and re-profile ditches to increase the amount of water that can be channelled off-site.

New habitat will also be created, including a wetland Grizzled at the northern edge of the reserve and an area skipper of chalk bank, a new habitat for Arundel. The butterfly project will benefit all wildlife on the reserve, ranging from lapwings and water voles to grizzled skipper butterflies and the rare and extremely endangered Desmoulin’s whorl snail.

made, simply beautiful.

All materials are provided for this craft workshop for adults only.

10-11.30am. £12PP (doesn’t include cost of admission).

BE

Enjoy breakfast with Santa

The month of November 40 Things to Celebrate About Arundel WWT Arundel Wetland Centre turns 40 this month.

Join us as we highlight our heroes, history and habitats with special walks and

talks. Check the website for the full schedule.

Thu 8 & Sat 10 Dec Christmas Wreath Workshop Use willow and natural plants to make a wreath for your door – naturally

Sat 10 Dec Begin Birdwatching Workshop: Winter Learn your birding basics from Dave Fairlamb, Arundel Wetland Centre Manager. This indoor and outdoor workshop covers winter survival techniques of birds and includes watching the reedbed roost at dusk. 2.30-4.30pm. £12PP (doesn’t include cost of admission).

BE

Sat 10 to Sun 11 Dec Breakfast With Santa Enjoy breakfast at the Water’s Edge Café and meet Father Christmas! 8-10am. £12PP/PC. BE RI Sat 7 Jan 2017 Bird Race Rush Join the race to see who can spot the most wild species within an hour.

Form a team with another person, grab your checklist and record what you see and hear around the reserve. The winning team will be awarded a prize.

Pick any hour between 10am-3pm. Prizes announced at 4pm. £5PP (doesn’t include cost of admission).

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Waterlife

47

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01/09/2016 10:05

D OW N YO U R WAY Caerlaverock

WWT CAERLAVEROCK WETLAND CENTRE Winter is the time of year to experience Caerlaverock at its best.

From October through to April, visitors can enjoy the spectacle of thousands of wintering wildfowl, geese, ducks and swans – a sight you’ll never forget.

The highlight of the season is the arrival of hundreds of whooper swans, which return from breeding in Iceland to join our flock of resident mute swans. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking eye-level views of the swans flying in from the Sir Peter Scott Observatory.

From 1 October to 31 March, the swans are fed in front of the observatory at 11am and 2pm daily. The birds come close to the window, giving brilliant views, and you can learn all about them from the warden’s commentary. Or, if you prefer to find out more for yourself, you can identify individual birds and learn more of their life histories by looking up their plastic leg rings using a touchscreen in the observatory.

Thousands of barnacle geese grazing on the reserve are another unmissable winter spectacle. WWT Caerlaverock was instrumental in improving the fortunes of these geese (see page 15), and today the fields and marshes are managed to provide winter feeding for many of the 40,000 breeding population. Most ‘barnies’ touch down after their long migration from Arctic Svalbard during the first two weeks of October.

It’s incredible to see and hear thousands of geese flying overhead – they chatter constantly to help families keep together. Join one of our wardens on a special Dawn Flight event to watch the geese flying in to the fields from their roost out on the mudflats of the Solway Firth. Or on the Dusk Flight event, you can catch them on their return journey, from the fields to the flats.

Our ospreys successfully raised two chicks this year and, by the time you read this, the family will be thinking of migrating to Africa to overwinter. But they won’t be out of sight and out of mind. For the first time, we’ve fitted the young birds with GPS trackers so we can follow them every step of the way.

You can share their incredible journey from the comfort of your own home on our website wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock.

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

A winter spectacle you’ll never forget

‘One of our favourite nature reserves. We always visit at least twice a year, especially in winter when huge flocks of barnacle geese arrive. It’s a friendly reserve with good hides and information boards, an excellent shop and an even better café, which does lovely tea, scones and cakes.’

TripAdvisor

Caerlaverock Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock) Daily Activities Wild Swan Feed See wild whooper swans closer than anywhere in Britain from the Sir Peter Scott Observatory with live commentary by the warden (Oct to Apr). 11am and 2pm.

Guide in the Hide Our friendly, knowledgeable guides will be out and about in the hides to point out the best wildlife of the day. See the ‘What’s on’ board in the visitor centre for information and availability.

11am-3pm.

Sun 9 Oct (6.45am), 13 Nov (6.30am), 4 Dec & 8 Jan 2017 (both 7am) Dawn Flight Join the wardens as we open early to experience the wild geese flighting in against the dawn sky.

The coffee shop will be open for hot drinks and bacon rolls. Bring warm, waterproof clothing, binoculars and a torch. BE Sun 23 Oct Dusk Flight Watch the barnacle geese fly out to the Solway mudflats. Bring warm, waterproof clothing, binoculars and a torch. 4.30-6pm. BE

Tue 25 Oct Autumnal Art Take a walk looking for signs of autumn, including among the birds, leaves, fungi and berries. Create artwork based on the things you have seen.

Family event.

10am-12 noon.

Sat 29 Oct Pumpkin Carving Use inspiration from the wildfowl and other wildlife at Caerlaverock to carve your own pumpkin. Take part in other Halloween craft activities and games about spiders and bats.

2-4.30pm.

Sun 6 Nov In Focus Try before you buy the latest binoculars and telescopes from the huge range available today. In Focus experts are on hand all day to give advice. WWT Caerlaverock benefits from every sale.

10am-4pm. Free.

Sat 19 Nov Wildlife Photography for Beginners Special beginners’ photography workshop with Tom Langlands and Bob Fitzsimmons.

Learn how to take fantastic photographs of the geese and swans present on the reserve.

10am-4pm. Please contact the centre for details. IA BE Sun 20 Nov Walk With the Warden Join the warden on a walk around the reserve to see the geese, swans and other wildfowl wintering at this world-renowned wetland reserve.

1-2pm.

Sun 4 Dec Caerlaverock Christmas Fayre Visit a wide range of craft and food stalls at WWT Caerlaverock Wetland Centre at our Christmas Fayre.

1-4pm. Free.

Sun 1 Jan 2017 New Year’s Day Bird Race Start the year by challenging our warden to see how many bird species you can spot in a day.

10am-4pm.

Sat 7 Jan 2017 Willow Lantern Workshop Drop in to WWT Caerlaverock and make your own willow lantern. This event is in preparation for the Big Burns Night Supper event where we will parade our lanterns down the streets of Dumfries!

All ages welcome.

10am-4pm. Free.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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D OW N YO U R WAY Castle Espie

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

WWT CASTLE ESPIE WETLAND CENTRE There’s plenty for everyone to enjoy at WWT Castle Espie this autumn. Early October witnesses one of nature’s finest spectacles as 80% of the world population of light-bellied brent geese return to Strangford Lough for the winter. The birds travel an incredible 2,500km from their summer breeding sites in Arctic Canada to get to Ireland, and the Brent Hide on our reserve offers unparalleled views of their arrival to the lough.

Help us celebrate their return with our brilliant Big Brent Event on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 October. Follow our brent trail, enjoy our family Zumba-thon or have a go at our photography workshops all weekend long – and don’t forget about our guides in the hide, who are just waiting to answer all your questions.

And once a month, you’ll find a delicious afternoon tea menu in the newly opened Kingfisher Kitchen, which has to be pre-booked.

We’re kicking things off in style with a ‘Fashion Teas’ event on Saturday 1 October from 2-4pm, when you can enjoy style advice from fashion experts and check out the new season’s fashions.

Someone who always looks good in red and white will be at Castle Espie this Christmas. This year Santa has asked for a special spot in our Sensory Garden, and a whole new grotto to enjoy, so bring along your little ones throughout December (details below). Booking is already open, so reserve a space on Santa’s knee now.

We also have something special for the ladies this Christmas. Join us on Thursday 1 December for our first ever Ladies Lock-in! Enjoy being pampered, home styling advice, demos from local suppliers, fashion and hairstyling tips, and indulge in some sweet treats. With special offers in our shop on the night, it’s not to be missed! Tickets are £10 and can be purchased over the phone or in the centre.

Light-bellied brent geese winter at only a few sites around the UK and our flock is of international importance

‘A great day out with two young children. The best part was the outdoor adventure areas. Children getting back in touch with nature, learning while having fun!’

TripAdvisor

Castle Espie Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/castleespie) Daily Activities Until Sun 2 Oct Kathryn Callaghan Exhibition Castle Espie Gallery welcomes Kilmood Art Club for its 28th annual exhibition.

10am-5pm. Free.

Sat 8 Oct to Sun 20 Nov Kilmood Art Club Exhibition Castle Espie Gallery welcomes Kilmood Art Club for its

50

Waterlife

28th annual exhibition.

10am-5pm. Free.

Thu 29 Sept, 27 Oct & 24 Nov Birdwatch Morning with Dot Join birdwatching expert Dot Blakely to find out about the latest happenings on the reserve 10.30am-12.30pm.

Sat 1 to Sun 2 Oct Quackanory Story Time

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Join us for story time with children’s classic stories inspired by nature.

1pm, 2pm and 3pm.

Sat 8 to Sun 9 Oct Big Brent Event Family fun weekend celebrating the return of our favourite Arctic arrivals – the light-bellied brent geese.

All day.

Thu 27 Oct to Fri 4 Nov Spellbound Festival Feeling brave?

Bring your little monsters to Castle Espie for a whole host of Halloween fun!

All day.

Sat 12 to Sun 13 Nov Bird Feeder Workshop Learn how best to feed the birds

as the colder weather approaches.

Make a bird feeder to take home.

11am-4pm.

Sat 19 to Sun 20 Nov & Sat 26 to Sun 27 Nov Christmas Craft Weekend Get ready for the festive season ahead with some Christmas crafting.

11am-4pm.

Sat 3, Sun 4, Sat 10, Sun 11, Sat 17, Sun 18, Wed 21 & Thu 22 Dec Here Comes Santa!

Make magical memories at WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre with a visit to our Santa experience.

Time as per booking. £14PC, £7.50PP, WWT adult members £5.

BE RI

B R ATI NG C E LE

25 YEAR S Llanelli

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

WWT LLANELLI WETLAND CENTRE Llanelli is full of fun for families this autumn! Discover the spooky side of wetlands every day from 22-30 October, with eerie creepy-crawly hunting, perilous pond dipping, a nightmarish nature trail and bloodcurdling crafts, including the chance to make your own bat box. And for those who dare, our Spooky Nature Nights on 28 and 29 October offer a spooktacular Halloween experience, with bat detecting, frightening facepainting and more. And why not dress up as a spooky pirate, pick up a treasure map and see if you can solve the clues and find the treasure hidden by the pesky pirates in our pirate treasure trail?

A real treat for children in the run-up to Christmas is our amazing giant LEGO® Brick Animal Trail. From 12 November to 11 December, you can track down nine awesome 1.5-metre-tall sculptures around the grounds. And weekend visitors can even book an hour-long workshop to test their building skills!

We’ve got unique gift ideas aplenty at our Christmas Decoration Workshops. On 3 and 4 December, get busy making decorations – including wreaths, garlands and treats for your tree – from materials gathered around the reserve. Or try your hand at making a robin nest box – with a little help from our expert.

Every Sunday from 23 October to 27 November, bird lovers can join our wardens for the afternoon bird feed. Watch hundreds of ducks waddle alongside the wheelbarrow for a feeding frenzy.

Or join our guide in a hide and see what you can spot. As winter approaches, the saltmarsh teems with life. A big tide can push breathtaking numbers of wading birds up into the saline lagoons, until a peregrine or merlin sends them into chaos! Look for kingfishers fishing in the Deep Water Lake and, as nights draw in, little egrets roosting in the trees on the shore. Keep an eye out for the great white egret, or even a bittern sneaking around.

We have loads to keep the kids entertained this half-term

‘Three generations of our family had a wonderful day. We went on a canoe safari, found bugs, walked for miles, sat in bird hides, played in tunnels, fed geese from our hands and marvelled over flamingo babies.’ TripAdvisor

Llanelli Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/llanelli.)

Every Mon until 17 Oct & Mons 31 Oct to 12 Dec (term-time only) Monday Munchkins Activities for toddlers.

11am-12 noon. Included in admission and free for members.

Sat 1 to Sun 16 Oct October Weekend Fun Minibeast Hunt and Mini Pond Dipping: 11am-12 noon; Guide in the Heron’s Wing Hide: 1-2pm; Pond Dipping: 2.30pm; Crafts (times vary). Included in admission (small donation to cover crafts).

Sun 2 Oct, 6 Nov & 4 Dec Veggie Patch Kids Little ones can grow

veggies in our patch and learn how to care for plants. 11am-12 noon.

Included in admission (small donation to cover cost of crafts).

Sat 8 Oct, 12 Nov & 10 Dec Painting with Jan Bligh Adult art course on the arts of other countries.

10am-4.30pm. £30. BE

Suns 23 Oct to 27 Nov Follow the Feed Find out how we care for our birds and what their favourite food is. 3.30pm.

Sat 22 to Tue 25 Oct Make and take home a LEGO brick frog Make a LEGO brick frog.

12.30pm for 20 mins. £5PP. BE

Wed 26 Oct Bat Box Making Learn how to provide a home for these nocturnal animals.

11am-12 noon or 1-4pm. £7 per box.

Sat 22 to Sun 30 Oct Spooky Wetlands Fun Creepy-crawly Hunting: 11am-12 noon; Guide in the Heron’s Wing Hide: 1-2pm; Eerie Pond Dipping: 2.30pm; Crafts.

Fri 28 & Sat 29 Oct Spooky Nature Nights Dress up for bat detecting, torchlit pond exploration and more.

Plus, enjoy our new wetland alchemy show!

£10PC (aged 3+, incl one adult), additional adults £5PP. (Price includes raffle, goody bag and refreshments.) BE Sat 5 to Sun 27 Nov Weekend Fun Family Birdwatching in the Observatory: 11am-12 noon; Guide in the Heron’s Wing Hide: 1-2pm; Crafts: times vary (small donation to cover crafts).

Sat 12 Nov to Sun 11 Dec LEGO Brick Animal Trail and Workshops Nine giant brick sculptures form a special trail. Plus, book an hour-long LEGO workshop on weekends

at 12 noon and 2pm. £8PP. BE Sat 3 & Sun 4 Dec Natural Christmas Decoration Workshops Make festive decorations. 1-4pm. £15PP. BE Sat 3 to Sun 11 Dec Weekend Fun Telescope in the Tower: 11am-12 noon; Guide in the Heron’s Wing Hide: 1pm; Christmas Crafts: 2-4.30pm (small donation to cover crafts).

Sun 4, 11 & 18 Dec Feed the Birds with Santa Join Santa to help feed our birds! 2.45pm.

Sun 11 & 18 Dec Robin Nest Box Workshops Make your own robin nest box! 11am-12 noon and 1-4pm. £7.

Fri 16 & 23 Dec Santa’s Workshop Visit Santa in his grotto, and make crafts with the elves. 5-6.30pm. £10PC (aged 2+, incl one adult), additional adults £5PP. Includes gifts. BE RI Sat 17 Dec to Tue 3 Jan 2017 Christmas Fun Telescope in the Tower: 11am-12 noon; Guide in the Heron’s Wing Hide: 1pm; Winter Crafts: 24.30pm (small donation to cover crafts).

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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WILDLIFE HOLIDAYS IN THE CAIRNGORMS

The Grant Arms Hotel

Four Poster Room

THE WILDLIFE HOTEL As soon as you walk into the Grant Arms Hotel you realise it isn’t just any ordinary Hotel. In short the refurbished Grant Arms is the hotel for bird and wildlife watchers.

Superior Room

Standard Room

The refurbished GRANT ARMS HOTEL offers wonderful food, friendly staff and 50 high quality ensuite bedrooms. All bedrooms come with hairdryer, colour TV, toiletries and coffee making facilities.

Est 1765

What’s included: Breakfast Menu ranging from full Scottish to Kippers or Continental Afternoon Tea & Coffee Fine Scottish Dining Special Diets accommodated After Dinner Coffee & Tea Programme of Talks, Walks and Wildlife Briefings, Films & Quizzes Free WiFi Complimentary Daily Newspaper Free Parking Free use of BWWC’s private Slavonian Grebe Hide Boot wash, drying room and laundry ‘Early Birder’ breakfast if required.

Speyside and the Cairngorms are one of the best areas for wildlife watching in the UK. Perfect for beginner to expert, whether for a day or a fortnight. Depending on the season you could see: Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Capercaillie, Pine Marten, Red Squirrel, Mountain Hare,Osprey, Ptarmigan, Otter, Red and Black Grouse, Red and Roe Deer, Slavonian Grebe, Crested Tit and Crossbill, as well as Dolphins, Waders, Sea Ducks and Sea Birds along the Moray Firth coast.

Guests have free use of the BWWC Information Centre, Club Room and Library. BWWC staff are available at Breakfast and in the Evening to help you make the best of your holiday whilst leaving you free to do what you want.

For information on BWWC Special Events visit

the Highlands - every year, every season “Iandloveevery day is different - always something

www.bwwc.co.uk/wildlife-breaks.php

amazing to see, wildlife-wise. And the Grant Arms is the perfect base to explore some of my favourite Highland locations, from the high tops of the Cairngorms to the Spey Valley below.

”

TV Producer and Author of Highlands: Scotland’s Wild Heart - Stephen Moss HOW TO GET THERE

By Road: Grantown is situated just off the A9 Edinburgh-Inverness road.

By Train: The nearest station is Aviemore (14 miles) on the EdinburghInverness line.

By Plane: Inverness Airport (30 miles) - Flights from most major UK airports: FLYBE from Amsterdam, Belfast City, Birmingham, Dublin & Manchester; EASYJET from Bristol, Gatwick & Luton; BA from Heathrow. Other destinations available from Aberdeen Airport (75 miles).

To get the most out of the area you need a car.

Fly EASYJET to INVERNESS from GATWICK, LUTON & BRISTOL for less than £100 RETURN

TARIFF 2016/17 DB&B 4 NIGHTS

7 NIGHTS

Standard Superior Four Poster Standard Superior Four Poster

Apr - Oct

Nov - Dec

Jan - Mar

£325 £365 £405 £565 £635 £705

£270 £310 £350 £445 £515 £585

£270 £310 £350 £445 £515 £585

Price per person. Excludes Christmas, New Year and other Special Breaks.

Other lengths of stay are also available. Dogs welcome £20 per room per stay. Single, Twin, Double, Family & Wheelchair Accessible Rooms available. Special Rates for Clubs, Tours & Conferences. Terms & Conditions apply.

TO BOOK CALL 01479 872526 www.bwwc.co.uk or email bookings@bwwc.co.uk

BWWC LTD, 25 THE SQUARE, GRANTOWN-ON-SPEY, PH26 3HF

All programmes, talks, walks and rooms subject to availability and liable to change without notice.

SPECIAL EVENTS From Sun 26th March to Sat 1st April 2017 we are delighted that IOLO WILLIAMS will be back to run another CELEBRITY GUIDED WEEK following the success of last year. This will be limited to a maximum of 12 people, so book early to ensure your place. £1,270pp 6 nights full board. For more details go to our website.

CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND

HOGMANAY IN THE HIGHLANDS

4 nights full board from £460pp

3 nights full board from £410pp

Fri 23rd to Tues 27th Dec 16

Fri 30th Dec to Mon 2nd Jan 17

SPECIAL PACKAGE - Christmas and Hogmanay

10 night Break (7 nights full board and 3 nights DBB) from £1,030pp.

A fully inclusive programme from 23rd Dec to 2nd Jan including Christmas Lunch, Santa and his reindeer along with mince pies and mulled wine in the square, Boxing Day trip to feed the Reindeer.

A New Year Hogmanay Gala Dinner followed by Ceilidh dancing and Grantown’s famous Street Party!

Plus talks most evenings by special guest speakers and guided walks and field trips every day.

BURNS WINTER BREAK - Thurs 19th to Mon 23rd Jan 2017

Enjoy a ‘Flavour of Burns’ Supper including the traditional haggis and whisky offerings with the Piper piping in the Haggis (menu includes vegetarian options). After Supper enjoy music and Ceilidh dancing. Included is a BWWC Programme of guided walks and field trips to some of our winter hot spots.

4 nights DB&B from £270pp www. bwwc.co.uk

DOG FRIENDLY

D OW N YO U R WAY London

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

R Nicholls

WWT LONDON WETLAND CENTRE Calling all dinosaur-lovers! Come and discover more about these prehistoric wetland superstars on our Dinosaur Days on 29-30 October. See real dinosaur bones, find fossils, explore the link between birds, wetlands and dinos, or join a walk and talk with the Dinosaur Society.

Or start getting into a festive mood at our magical winter weekend from 3-4 December. Visit Santa in his grotto among the trees (£6 per child including goody bag.) Experience the excitement of a husky sleigh They’ve been extinct ride (free with paid admission) or have a family photo for millions of years, but taken with these cuddly dogs. You can also help Santa’s dinosaurs still fascinate young and old elves make festive decorations or small Christmas gifts in the elves’ workshop.

For a real Christmas treat, why not come and meet our GIANT LEGO® brick animals from 17 December to 28 January 2017? Track down each of our awesome 1.5-metre-tall sculptures – and their real-life cousins – on our special trail.

While you’re exploring, if you’re very lucky indeed, you might just hear a booming bittern. Several of these secretive birds return to the reserve around mid-October, but they’re so well camouflaged among the reeds, you’ll have a tough time trying to spot them.

Winter heralds the return of some of the UK’s most attractive ducks. As numbers swell, shoveler, teal, gadwall, wigeon and tufted ducks are all easy to spot on our main lake.

Eagle-eyed visitors may notice that we’ve re-covered the shingle islands on the main lake, removing the vegetation and replacing it with stones for loafing ducks, swans and geese. We hope this will increase the number of nesting birds, such as lapwing and shoveler, mallards and tufties, next spring. With so much going on, winter really is one of the best seasons to visit WWT London Wetland Centre!

‘It’s so peaceful and relaxing here.

It’s definitely the place to get away from it all and surround yourself with nature without even leaving the city!’

TripAdvisor

London Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/london) Daily Activities Otter Feeds Meet the otters at feeding time, when our warden will tell you more about these amazing aquatic mammals.

Guided Tours Learn how the centre was created and gain an insight into the sort of wildlife that lives here. 11.30am and 2.30pm.

Feed the Birds Join a warden as he feeds the beautiful and endangered birds in World Wetlands.

Guide in the Hide Join one of WWT’s experienced birdwatchers in the Peacock Tower and

Headley Discovery Hide, who’ll point out unusual species and answer any questions you have. 10am-1pm.

Fri 7 Oct Autumn Wildlife Photography Course Photograph the wetland’s autumn colours and wildlife with practical tuition from Iain Green.

Suitable for beginner and intermediate levels, with time for one-to-one tuition.

10am-4pm. £60PP. BE Sat 8 Oct Migration Walk With a Warden This practical session will help you identify different birds, learn more about them, and improve your

fieldcraft and song recognition. Try to spot bitterns and Cetti’s warblers, wintering duck species and seasonal visitors.

9.30-11am. £10PP. BE Sun 16 Oct Fungi Walk Join our fungi specialist for a stroll around the reserve to spot and identify fascinating fungi.

2pm. £6PP. BE Wed 19 Oct Stargazing Evening Wrap up warm and come with us on a beginner’s guide to the galaxy. Learn about the planets and stars with a short talk in our theatre, then we’ll show you these wonders of the

universe. 6.30-8.30pm. £10PP. BE Sat 29 to Sun 30 Oct Dinosaur Days!

Join us and the Dinosaur Society to discover more about these prehistoric wetland superstars.

10am-4pm.

Sun 6 Nov Winter Birdwatching Walk Our warden will guide you around the reserve to see what’s about and give you tips on fieldcraft and bird ID. We record more than 180 species of bird each year, so you’re almost bound to see something exciting.

So wrap up warm and join us for a winter wander to see which

amazing waterbirds are about. 9.30-11am. £20PP (includes breakfast in our café).

BE Sat 12 Nov Wildlife Photography: Intermediate Skills Improve your photo skills with this practical course.

Learn about lighting, composition, camera settings, depth of field and fieldcraft. The course will be tailored to pupils, and there’ll be time for one-toone tuition. SLR camera-users only.

10am-4pm. £60PP. BE Sat 3 & Sun 4 Dec Meet Santa and Take a Husky Sleigh Ride!

Children will love hopping aboard a

husky sleigh ride or visiting Santa in his magical grotto. Normal admission price applies. Husky and donkey rides free with admission (children 8 or younger, with weight restrictions).

Santa visit £6PC (cash only) including goody bag. Elves’ workshop free (small charge for some of the crafts).

Sat 17 Dec to Sat 28 Jan 2017 Meet our GIANT LEGO brick animals Our very popular GIANT LEGO brick animals are back! Plus, watch out for some of our new brick animals as you follow our fascinating trail for kids (and big kids)!

10am-4pm.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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cities | scenery | culture | heritage | events | seasons BOOK ON OR BEFORE 9TH DECEMBER 2016 AND PAY

£25 PP DEPOSIT

ONLY

†

ON SELECTED 2017 EUROPEAN, UK & WORLDWIDE HOLIDAYS

The Isle of Man

6 DAYS

This superb tour includes three full days of varied excursions to the island’s quaint towns, pretty fishing ports and breathtakingly picturesque coastline on the different historic railways.

NO HIDDEN EXTRAS:

Itinerary (for full details visit www.raildiscoveries.com/MXS) Day 1 Isle of Man Meet in Heysham, Lancashire, for the ferry to the Isle of Man. Arriving into Douglas, you transfer to the 3* Ascot Hotel, for a five-night stay.

Day 2 Port Erin Enjoy an excursion on the Isle of Man Steam Railway, the island’s oldest rail system, first opened in 1873. The 15.3 mile line from Douglas to Port Erin is the last remaining part of the original Isle of Man Railway Company line, and has lost none of its charm. The steamhauled journey passes fishing ports and small towns on its way to Port Erin. Here you board a coach for a tour of the headland overlooking the Calf of Man, then travel to Castletown, the island’s ancient capital.

Day 3 Peel Today’s excursion is to Peel. You break the journey with a call at Tynwald Hill in St John’s to see the Church of St John and the Tynwald Exhibition. In Peel you have some free time.

Then travel by coach from Peel across the island, along some of the famous TT race course on the way to Ramsey. From here enjoy a journey on the Manx Electric Railway to Douglas.

Day 4 Laxey Travel to the summit of the island’s only mountain today. Begin with a journey along Douglas promenade by historic horse-drawn tram*, then board an electric train to the fishing village of Laxey. Here, you join the Snaefell Mountain Railway to the peak of Snaefell, where on a clear day England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland are visible.

Days 5-6 Douglas You have the day free to explore the island.

You may wish to explore the history of the island at the Manx Museum in Douglas or return to Castletown to explore the fantastic medieval Castle Rushen. Alternatively, you could head to the Glen Mooar Valley to visit the impressive Victorian Laxey Water Wheel, still functioning to this day. The Glen Maye National Glen in Peel has some fabulous walks through the impressive forested countryside. On Day 6 you leave Douglas for the ferry back to Heysham, where your tour concludes. *Please note that the horse drawn trams do not operate on April departures.

FROM

£595

• Fully escorted by a UK Tour Manager from start to finish • 5 nights’ hotel accommodation with breakfast • 5 dinners • Excursions on the Snaefell Mountain Railway & the Manx Electric Railway • Visit to Peel • Journey on the Isle of Man Steam Railway • Visit to Castletown • Travel Passes: An Explorer Pass & a Heritage Explorer Pass, for use on free days and during excursions

Departures 23 Apr 17 6 May 17 11, 16 May 17 10 Jun 17 15 Jun 17 24 Jun 17 4, 9, 12 Jul 17

Price £595 £595 £625 £625 £645 £645 £645

Departures 14 Jul 17 22 Jul 17 5 Aug 17 17 Aug 17 7 Sep 17 16 Sep 17 21 Sep 17

Price £685* £625 £625 £645 £675 £645 £625

*Price includes room upgrade. Please call for more details.

Deposit £125 per person. Single supplement £190.

Book with 100% confidence, flight-inclusive holidays are ATOL protected, non flight-inclusive holidays are protected by ABTA. Dates and prices are subject to availability.

Prices shown are per person, based on 2 people sharing. Prices may change prior to and after publication. Itinerary may differ depending on the departure date you choose. †The balance of the deposit, (which is the difference between the full deposit payable and the low deposit amount already paid by you), is payable by the date notified to you as well as in the event of cancellation (in which case you may also be liable for additional cancellation and administration charges as stipulated in our booking conditions). Bookings made after the dates specified will not be eligible to claim the applicable offer. Offer is subject to availability. Selected holidays only. Terms and conditions apply. Please call for further details. Calls will be recorded.

Call us now to book or request a brochure

01904 730617

www.raildiscoveries.com Our tour advisors are here 7 days a week

D OW N YO U R WAY Martin Mere

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

WWT MARTIN MERE WETLAND CENTRE Look who’s landing at Martin Mere this autumn! It’s Dusty Duck! After wowing visitors at Slimbridge, Dusty and his 14 giant pals will be making a splash at Martin Mere from 8 October. Visitors both large and small will love following our special trail around the grounds and ticking off each of our dapper duck characters, which have been created by celebrities including Joanna Lumley (Absolutely Fabulous Patsy Dusty) and Steve Backshall (Explorer Dusty). You’d be quackers to miss them!

Bird-lovers will flock to the North West Bird Watching Festival on 12 and 13 November. In addition to ringing demonstrations, bird feeds and walks, we have an exceptional line-up of speakers, including author Tim Birkhead on his latest book about eggs, and handler Lloyd Buck, whose birds regularly appear on TV. We’ll

also be live-linking to Sacha Dench. With an incredible range of exhibitors, and early access from 8am, it will be a great day out.

If you’re not an early bird, then why not stay late at the centre on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout October to witness the spectacle of 25,000 pink-footed geese arriving on the mere? For the best views, get to the hides surrounding the mere before 6pm to see the geese whiffling in over the lake.

We’re also looking forward to welcoming back familiar whooper swans and their new cygnets, as well as huge numbers of wigeon. Among their numbers may even be a few surprises – rare species blown in by cold weather. You never know what you’ll see!

Dusty Duck is migrating to Martin Mere

‘Who knew wildfowl could be so beautiful and interesting?

Run by passionate people keen to help, share and talk. No bored teenagers here. Had a peaceful trip in a canoe with my 11-year-old paddling through reedbeds, meeting gangs of ducks. And lunch was fantastic!’ TripAdvisor Martin Mere Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/martinmere) Daily Activities Otter Talk Come and meet our friendly family of otters at 11.30am and 2.30pm.

Until Fri 21 Oct Flamingo Talk Learn all about our greater flamingos and why they stand on one leg! 12.45pm.

Toddler Thursday Gosling Gang Bring your toddlers to enjoy stories and crafts every Thursday during term time at 10.30am and 1.30pm.

Until Sun 6 Nov Canoe Safari Our self-guided canoe safari is a fun way to explore the reedbeds.

12 noon-4pm weekdays

and 10.30am-4pm weekends/holidays. £6 per canoe (seats up to three).

Until Sun 6 Nov Guided Boat Tours Tour our wetlands, watch wildlife, listen to warblers and admire wildflowers. Check at the information desk for times. £3PP. From Sat 22 Oct Swan Spectacular See 2,000 swans being fed at 3pm at the new Discovery Hide and 3.30pm in the Raines Observatory. Includes a talk.

Mon 5 Sep to Sat 29 Oct Exhibition: Tony Mills Located in the main foyer at the centre.

Every Wed & Sat from 28 Sep to 29 Oct Late Opening: Goose Spectacular Witness the spectacle of thousands of pink-footed geese coming in to roost.

6-7pm.

Sats 1, 8, 15 & 22 Oct Dawn Flight Experience the sights and sounds of early morning on the mere – including whooper swans and pink-footed geese – on a hide visit with a warden. 7am. £15.50PP. BE Fri 7 Oct & Fri 16 Dec Birdwatching Morning Improve your bird identification skills and receive expert advice

on optics. £22PP. 7am-12 noon. BE Sat 8 Oct, Fri 18 Nov & Sat 17 Dec Wildlife Photography Workshop An introductory workshop with Andy Bunting. 10am-4pm. £65PP. BE Sat 8 Oct to Sun 8 Jan 2017 Celebrity Dusty Duck Trail Find all 14 giant celebrity ducks hidden around our grounds.

There’ll also be themed activities and art.

Sun 9 Oct & Sun 18 Dec Drawing and Painting Birds Join award-winning local artist Tony Disley

to explore the art of drawing. 10am-4pm. £50PP. BE Sun 16 Oct, Sun 20 Nov & Sun 18 Dec Meet Reptiles Learn all about reptiles in our lecture theatre.

12 noon-3pm.

Sat 22 to Mon 31 Oct Pumpkin Fest Join in our pumpkin hunt, carve a pumpkin (small additional cost) and blow the best raspberry every day at 2.30pm.

Sun 30 Oct to Sat 3 Dec Exhibition: Nature is My Inspiration Enjoy photographer Ron McCombe’s beautiful photos in the main foyer.

Sat 12 & Sun 13 Nov North West Bird Watching Festival With exhibitors, guest speakers, workshops, talks and walks.

8am. Full details at wwt.org.uk/nwbwf.

Sat 3 & Sun 4, Sat 10 & Sun 11, Sat 17 & Sun 18, & Thu 22 & Fri 23 Dec Sail to Santa Children will love taking a boat trip to meet Santa, receiving a free gift and trying free crafts. Take the Dusty Duck trail (included in price). 10am-4pm. £8PC. BE Mon 5 Dec to Mon 9 Jan 2017 Exhibition: Bob Jessamine In the main foyer.

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Waterlife

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D OW N YO U R WAY Slimbridge

Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT 01453 891900 | events.slimbridge@wwt.org.uk Prebook all paid events on 01453 891223 WWT Slimbridge

WWT SLIMBRIDGE WETLAND CENTRE They’re back! We’re thrilled that our giant LEGO® brick animals are returning to Slimbridge this autumn. Until 6 November, visitors will be able to follow a new and extended trail of 1.5-metre-tall brick animals around our grounds. Along the way, you’ll spot some old friends, including the red-breasted goose and otter – but there are also a few surprises! Look out for exciting new additions to the trail, including a dazzling kingfisher. Over the summer, we had brilliant sightings of these stunning birds. So we’re sure everyone who enjoyed watching them from the Kingfisher Hide will agree this is one to spot! Why not tweet us a photo of your little ones with our brick animals at #WWTlovesLEGO? For something more exotic, join us at our Really Wild Weekend.

On 19 and 20 November, you can get up close to armadillos, meerkats, snakes and minibeasts and learn all about how they live in the wild.

Handlers will introduce you to the animals – you can even touch them!

It’s a great way to learn and face your fears. But book early as places go fast.

There’s something to entertain every toddler every other Tuesday morning throughout autumn and winter. Slimbridge Cygnets is an opportunity for parents and carers to bring preschool children along to the centre to try themed craft activities.

Autumn is when the Bewick’s swans will be returning to the reserve, so be sure to catch this much-loved spectacle. Plus, Sacha Dench will come to the end of her Flight of the Swans expedition – so keep an eye out for her grand return!

‘Slimbridge has so much to offer if you love the outdoors and want a fun, stimulating, educational day out. Or even if you just want to potter about and relax watching and feeding the birds.’

TripAdvisor

Slimbridge Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/slimbridge.)

Daily Activities Otter Talk Meet our friendly family of otters and hear a talk as they tuck into a tasty fish supper.

11.30am and 3pm.

Toad Hall Talk Come to Toad Hall and learn all about amazing amphibians and their habitats. You can even hold a frog, toad or newt. 2.15pm daily, plus 12.30pm at weekends and school holidays.

Introduction to Slimbridge Walk Take a walk around the grounds, learning about their history, the birds and all the other things you can see and do.

10.30am.

Sat 17 Sep to Sun 6 Nov Giant LEGO Brick Trail Our awesome LEGO brick models form a wild adventure trail for children (and big

kids!). Track down all 11 species sitting among some of their real-life cousins.

Until Sun 2 Oct Canoe Safari Grab a paddle and take a three-person canoe down our kilometre-long trail.

Sit back, relax and look for wildlife. 11am weekends and school half-term only. £5PP. 3-18yrs must be accompanied. Open weather dependent on weekends in Oct and Oct half-term.

Open 22 Oct to 1 Nov 11am-4pm daily. WP Sat 1 Oct Needle-felted Bird Workshop Learn how to make pretty bird decorations out of felt with craft expert Sophie Buckley.

9.30am-4.30pm. £32PP. All materials and equipment provided at an extra cost of £3.50. BE RI

Tue 4 Oct Advanced Birder Learn to assess fine details such as plumage, weather conditions and habitats to take your skills to a new level. 8am-12 noon. £27.95PP, includes tea/ coffee and a bacon roll.

BE RI Fri 28 Oct Parent and Child Introduction to Wildlife Photography With Iain Green A practical day for budding young wildlife photographers (aged 8 or above) and their parents, to learn how to get great shots of wildlife and their natural habitat. Suitable for all skill levels and camera types (compact or SLR). 10am-1pm. £25PP/PC. BE Fri 28 to Sun 30 Oct Slimbridge Spooktacular Experience the spooky side of our

wetlands with fun and frolics – and maybe the odd shriek or scream!

9.30am-5pm.

Sun 30 Oct & Sun 8 Jan 2017 Bird Watch Mornings Join our warden as he opens our hides around the grounds. You’ll learn about the different birds you can see and how to identify them in their seasonal plumage. 8am. £15.95PP. BE RI Fri 11 Nov Wildlife Photography for Intermediate with Iain Green Learn about lighting, composition, camera settings, depth of field and field craft. The course will be tailored to the pupils, with time for one-to-one tuition.

SLR camera users only. 10am-4pm. £62.50PP, includes tea/coffee and biscuits.

BE RI

Sat 19 Nov Bird Watch Mornings Join the warden on a walk out on to the reserve to watch the high tide bring hundreds of birds closer to shore. You should also look out for migratory waders using Slimbridge as a resting place along the way. 8am. £15.95PP, includes tea/coffee and a bacon roll. BE RI Sat 19 to Sun 20 Nov Really Wild Weekend Get up close to exotic animals including armadillos, young crocodiles, snakes and minibeasts, and face your fears along the way by getting hands-on! 10am-5pm. £4.95 for members, plus normal admission for non-members. BE Sat 17 to Fri 23 Dec Breakfast with Santa Join the elves for breakfast, visit Santa in his magical grotto, ice

gingerbread men, toast marshmallows and don’t forget to send a letter to the North Pole at our post office!

Festive fun that the whole family will love.

9.30am-5pm. Find out more online. BE RI Thu 15 Dec, & Fri 6, Sat 7, Thu 12 & Fri 13 Jan 2017 Floodlit Swan Suppers A unique opportunity for wildlife lovers to experience the beauty and sound of hundreds of wild swans on a floodlit lake before enjoying a delicious three-course meal at the centre. Settle into the warm Peng Observatory to watch wild swans, geese and ducks being fed while you listen to informative commentary. Then head to the restaurant for a sumptuous feast, followed by tea and coffee. 6.15pm. £31PP. BE RI

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

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D OW N YO U R WAY Washington

WWT WASHINGTON WETLAND CENTRE

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

Can you trump our giant cards?

We’ve got plenty for families to enjoy this October half-term, including our brilliant Top Trumps Trail. Collect your wetland animal cards and follow our trail around the grounds to see if you can trump our giant cards. And when you’ve explored the grounds to your heart’s content, you can take a break and get warm and snuggly in the Discovery Centre at 1pm, where there will be storytelling and hot chocolate. Or take part in crafts in the Discovery Centre from 1.30-3pm (small costs apply).

If you’d prefer something less cosy and more spooky, join us for Nature Fright Nights from 29-31 October (booking essential). Explore the site after dark with a night-time lantern-lit walk around the grounds – if you dare. Watch for bats and listen to thrilling stories in Hunter’s Creek cabin, before enjoying hot chocolate and a spooky cookie. A real treat!

Talking of treats, this Christmas Santa is coming to town!

He’ll be in his cosy cabin – so bring your little ones along on 10, 11, 17 and 18 December (booking essential).

Washington Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/washington.)

First Sat each month Guide in a Hide Discover more about our wild birds with the help of our volunteer hide guide.

The guide is on-site from 10am-12 noon and 2-4pm. Please check on arrival for details of which hide they’re in.

about our rare and endangered waterbird collection on a guided walk with our aviculture expert and hear how WWT’s conservation breeding programmes are playing a vital role in their survival. Meet in the picture window at reception at 2pm.

First Sat each month Walking With Wildfowl Learn fascinating facts

Third Sat and fourth Sun of each month Walk With a Warden

58

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Join our wildlife reserve manager as he leads a guided tour around our site, taking in the sights, sounds and seasonal wildlife. Meet in the picture window at reception at 2pm.

Sat 22 to Sun 30 Oct Top Trumps Trail Do you think you can beat Washington Wetland Centre at a game of Top Trumps?

We’ve put a selection of giant Top Trumps cards around the grounds that represent some of our favourite wetland animals and

their incredible migration journeys.

When you arrive you’ll be given a Top Trumps card and scorecard – the aim of the game is to compare the animal scores on your card against our

A summer of great sightings Common tern

our Winter promise

We enjoyed record numbers of breeding waders on Wader Lake this summer.

This is thanks to last winter’s work to extend the existing shingle islands, create a new island and improve the adjoining meadow habitat. Our common tern colony swelled to more than 300 birds, and we had 100 lapwing and an incredible 44 avocet, a bird that first arrived on-site just 10 years ago.

As winter beckons, we’re excited to see what difference this habitat enhancement will make to our winter curlew roost (inset). It’s the largest inland freshwater curlew roost in the UK, and in 2013, it was host to just over 1,200 individuals. Numbers have dropped a little since then, so we’re keen to see what 2016 brings.

This year has been a great breeding year for garden birds here, including great spotted woodpecker, blue tit and bullfinch, so visitors can expect to see a good winter population at our popular Hawthorn Wood feeding station.

While never guaranteed, from December flocks of waxwing gorging on the berries of cotoneaster trees are worth looking out for. They’re very vocal, and their distinctive silhouette against a winter sky is spectacular.

More visitors than ever enjoyed brilliant sightings of kingfisher this year. This is thanks to four years of habitat management, including installing kingfisher nest boxes and creating a pond by our river reedbed with special fishing perches. Look out for kingfisher from our new Lagoon View Hide, which opened in May 2016.

This July and August, the same hide provided unparalleled views of a little egret fishing in the river and saline lagoon. Though not the first sighting of the species, this individual was highly visible during the day for several weeks.

A pair of mute swans raised three cygnets here this summer. It’s the first time these elegant birds have bred on site since the 1980s and, though the adults have been a bit fierce in protecting their young, we were delighted to welcome them.

Lastly, a new plant species of wasp orchid (a subspecies of bee orchid) was recorded on the reserve for the first time.

Our new Lagoon View Hide is giving visitors incredible sightings

‘We love this place so much we became members! Lovely wildlife, pleasant walks and staff are so friendly and knowledgeable.

The events they have on are great, too.’

TripAdvisor

giant cards to win!

All day every day of October half-term.

Sat 29 to Mon 31 Oct Nature Fright Nights See nocturnal nature at its worst during one of our Nature Fright Night events!

Make your own lantern before taking a night-time stroll around our wonderful wetlands, detecting bats in creepy Hollowood

and listening to exciting stories by lamplight in Hunter’s Creek cabin. Mix your very own spell potion and enjoy a spooky cookie and delicious hot chocolate. 5-7pm. £8PP. All children must be accompanied by an adult and please bring an empty jam jar to make your lantern.

Please note that this event is unsuitable for small toddlers,

and outdoor clothing and footwear are recommended.

Please call 0191 416 5454 or email info. washington@wwt.org. uk for booking and payment. BE Mon 21 Nov to Fri 16 Dec Christmas Lunch Get into the spirit of the season and enjoy a superb traditional festive

feast in Waterside Café, overlooking our spectacular barnacle geese, wigeon, Eurasian cranes and other waterbirds.

Lunch is served 12 noon-2pm. £16.95PP, £8.50PC (includes admission and two courses. A vegetarian option is available). Please speak to a member of café staff, call 0191 416 5454 ext 235 or email

info.washington@wwt. org.uk for more information. BE Sats throughout Dec Santa’s Winter Wonderland Join us on a guided winter walk with a warden, make a reindeer snack for Rudolph and create a wooden animal (one per child). Then head to Santa’s cosy cabin, where the man himself

will be waiting to meet you, listen to all your Christmas wishes and present you with a gift.

10am-12 noon and 1-3pm. £8PC/£4PP, which includes admission. Please visit the centre, call 0191 416 5454 or email info.washington @wwt.org.uk for further information, booking and payment.

BE

OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Waterlife

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D OW N YO U R WAY Welney

WWT WELNEY WETLAND CENTRE Food and family tend to be at the heart of Christmas for many of us, so where better for wildlife lovers to enjoy a delicious Christmas lunch than in our Wigeon Café? From 5-18 December, you can tuck into a festive feast while watching up to 2,000 swans feeding on Lady Fen. They come so close to the window that you can read their leg rings between courses.

And if spotting leg rings whets your appetite, on 19 November we’re running a workshop for anyone who’d like to know more about how we monitor the swans and how you can be involved. Learn how to identify the three species of swan at Welney, read their leg rings, identify family groups and look up their histories. See if you can spot Virginia, an older lady swan who brings many broods to Welney, or Wimble, a petite female with a big appetite.

On 1 December, our hare walks return. Join us on a stroll out onto Lady Fen to see brown hares warming up for some spring boxing. Our summer survey counted more than 100 hares, and sightings are almost guaranteed. The hares are incredibly confident, due to the safety of the environment we provide, so you can see them close up and enjoy watching them box, chase, wash and socialise. Your guide will tell you all about the hares and the other species you might see.

Swan numbers increase the further into winter we get. Bold, boisterous whooper swans travelling from Iceland are joined by the smaller, shyer Bewick’s swans. Once back on the Ouse Washes they soon settle into the routine of flying out of the reserve at dawn (our Swans Awake events are perfect for witnessing this spectacle) to feed on the spoils from harvest.

Then, at dusk, they fly back to roost on the pools of water, which offer them safety. These are the best times of day to see large numbers of swans in the sky at once. Staff and volunteers will be following the epic journey of Sacha Dench as she joins the Bewick’s swans on their migration from Arctic Russia.

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

Bewick’s swans in flight

‘This well-organised, well-run and very informative wetland centre is a great day out for families, and nature and bird lovers.’

TripAdvisor

We go into winter off the back of a successful breeding season, highlights being nine chicks fledging from three pairs of blacktailed godwits, a record of 20 singing Cetti’s warbler males and 100 breeding avocets. Birds and their young were on show by the hides and on Lady Fen, including redshank, lapwing, little ringed plover, shoveler, shelduck and mute swan. If winter is to be in the same vein, then there is plenty to be excited about!

Welney Events (See page 46 for key. Events are subject to change, so for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/welney.)

From Sat 22 Oct Swan Feed Join us for our fantastic commentated swan feeds in the afternoon.

The sight of hundreds of swans and ducks being fed at WWT Welney is enhanced further by the flight in of more swans at dusk, shortly after the feeding time. 3.30pm.

Thu to Sun each week, starting 3 Nov Floodlit Swan Feed Enjoy the evocative sight of swans gliding on the floodlit lagoon after dark. The

commentated feed can be enjoyed by the whole family. 6.30pm. BE Thu 1 Dec to Feb 2017 Hare Walks Join us for a guided walk out on Lady Fen to get close to the hares and other wildlife. Find out how we’ve created this wetland area and watch the hares frolic freely in this protected site. 2-3pm Mon, Thurs and Sat. BE From Mon 26 Dec Swan Feed After Christmas, the

swans and ducks get an extra feed at lunchtime.

Listen to commentary and watch the water bubble with birds.

12 noon.

Sat 1 Oct, Sat 5 Nov & Sat 3 Dec Willow-weaving Workshops Join expert weaver Jane Frost to learn how to create garden structures and baskets from natural materials.

10am-4pm. £55PP. BE Places are limited, so book by emailing jane@frostart.co.uk or calling 01353 861944.

Sat 29 & Sun 30 Oct, & Sat 5, Sun 6, Sat 26 & Sun 27 Nov Swans Awake Join a warden before dawn to watch thousands of swans take to the skies as they leave their roosting sites to feed. Well worth the early start! See website for individual event times. £10PP, £5PC (optional breakfast £6.50). BE WP Sat 22 to Sun 30 Oct Swan Researchers Be a swan researcher for the day and tackle challenges that give you

an insight into the lives of the swans! See website for details.

Sat 19 Nov Swan-monitoring Workshop Spend time with the team, learning how to identify whooper and Bewick’s swans. Help count family groups and read identification rings to add to decades of invaluable research.

10am-4pm.

Sun 27 Nov Wildlife-filming Workshop An introduction to

filming winter wildlife.

Our guides will show you the best spots to capture wintry scenes.

Use your own equipment or borrow some from the centre.

9.30am-3.30pm. £18PP, £9PC. BE Mon 5 to Sun 18 Dec Christmas Lunches Enjoy a Christmas feast in the Wigeon Café, with stunning views of wetlands filled with wildlife. There’s no need to book unless you are a party of seven or more. See website for details.

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D OW N YO U R WAY Steart Marshes

Stert Drove, Bridgwater, Somerset TA5 2PU 01278 651090 | steart.wwt.org.uk/visit WWT Steart Marshes

WWT STEART MARSHES In winter, there’s no better place to be than WWT’s wildest site – Steart Marshes.

Developed with wild birds in mind, this saltmarsh nature reserve attracts all the species that naturally use the Severn Estuary, from dunlin (right), lapwing, avocet, golden plover, curlew and whimbrel to wigeon and teal. And in winter, they come here in their thousands!

Our high tide birdwatching walks will ensure you’re in the best spot to enjoy the spectacle of the incoming tide – and watch all the birds on the intertidal mudflats as they’re pushed closer and closer. Our warden will take you around the saltmarsh to the best viewing points, introduce the site and the birds, and answer your questions.

As an added bonus, there’s always the chance of seeing something unusual.

Last year, we welcomed an American wigeon and a green-winged teal.

Who knows what will blow in this winter! You can stay up to date with our rare species sightings on Twitter, on our page of the website and on the sightings board in the car park.

Visitors always share our excitement about seeing raptors over the reserve. In autumn, we often see short-eared owls out and about during the day. They fly mainly in the early morning and at dusk, when they hunt for small mammals over the saltmarsh. Good views can be enjoyed from the Mendip Hide and also from the viewpoint on the bank near Steart Gate car park.

‘This was an amazing visit, the marshes are beautiful, teeming with wildlife, wonderful birdwatching and lovely long walks. The area is kept in beautiful condition and is so peaceful and picturesque!’

TripAdvisor

Steart Marshes Events (Key on page 46. Events are subject to change so, for up-to-date information, please visit wwt.org.uk/steart.)

Sat 15 Oct Autumn High Tide Sunset Walk The reserve looks lovely in the autumn, and high tide at sunset is particularly wonderful. The guided walk will explore the site and look out for the return of early migrating birds.

5-6pm. £2 members/ £3 non-members. BE Visitors can enjoy great views of short-eared owls

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Wed 26 Oct Explore the Breach Take a really unusual trip by a 4x4 onto the

saltmarsh and see the breach up close.

This will explore the dynamic, ever-changing part of the reserve, not normally accessible to the public. By arrangement from 10am. £10PP or £20 for whole jeep (max four people per trip). BE Thu 27 Oct Family Sunset Walk The reserve looks lovely in the autumn at sunset. This guided

walk will go round the freshwater part of the reserve and look for early migrating birds.

4.30-5.30pm. £2 members/£3 non-members. BE Fri 18 Nov, Sat 17 Dec & Sun 15 Jan 2017 High Tide Birdwatching Bonanza!

High tide in winter is a great time for birdwatching here.

The tide itself is a fabulous sight, but you’ll also see a wider

variety of birds in large numbers: dunlin, lapwing, golden plover, curlew, widgeon and teal, and there’s always the chance of spotting something unusual. 8-10am. £3 members/ £4 non-members. BE How to book Please phone 01278 651090 or email info. steart@wwt.org.uk.

Events are subject to change, so please check wwt.org.uk/steart.

Experience the breach For the first time this winter, visitors can experience the spectacle of the Steart Marsh breach up close.

Two years ago, a 200-metre-wide channel was excavated to allow saltwater to deliberately flood 260 hectares of land. Once the first high tide had reclaimed the area, the power of the sea swiftly resculpted this vital 3km artery through the saltmarsh. Within the first 63 days, 110,000 cubic metres of material had been eroded from the channel, and a two-metre-deep cut had become an incredible 10 metres deep.

Today, the water rushes out of the breach in a spectacular waterfall, and for the first time this autumn, visitors on our unique Explore the Breach walk can witness this extraordinary demonstration of the power of nature. This part of the reserve is not normally open to the public, so the warden will drive you down to see this remarkable feat of engineering up close and explore this dynamic, everchanging part of the saltmarsh.

From the air, it’s easy to see the arteries that bring water and life to the marshes

summer o irsts The summer was full of excitement for visitors to Steart Marshes.

A single white stork was seen probing for invertebrates in the saline lagoons of Otterhampton Marshes. A pair of black-winged stilts rested here for the night before moving on the next day – you had to be quick to spot them!

We also celebrated our first breeding lapwings only two years after the habitat was created, our first marbled white butterfly in the wildflower meadow and our first frogspawn in a natural pond in the freshwater marsh.

The white stork that visited Steart was also seen at Slimbridge where it was caught on camera

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Classified directory

To advertise please contact Sonal Mistry on 020 3771 7247 or sonal.mistry@thinkpublishing.co.uk

ACCOMMODATION

SLIMBRIDGE FORESTERS B&B OFFERS!

18th-century former village Inn five minutes from Slimbridge. ETC 4 star.

Laura Ashley beamed spacious ensuite bedrooms. Stay any three nights Sun Fri £34 pppn (dbl occ). Stay 4 nts get 5th for £25 for two!! 1nt stay - from £78 and single occ from £48. Many attractions including NT in easy travelling distance.

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Vicky Jennings T: 01453 549996 E: foresters@freeuk.com W: www.forestersbandb.co.uk

Caerlaverock Cottages

MARTIN MERE, LANCASHIRE CROOK HALL FARM COTTAGES Quiet, peaceful area, perfect for walking and bird watching. Ideally placed for visiting Martin Mere and Mere Sands Wood nature reserves and Formby Point on the coast. 4* Barn Owl Cottage sleeps 4, Maltkiln Cottage sleeps 2. www.crookhallfarmcottages.co.uk

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E-mail: jamiecowan2000@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 07711583320 www.hollinscottage.co.uk www.bankswoodcottage.co.uk www.blossomholidaycottage.co.uk www.keepersholidaycottage.co.uk www.fishermancottage.co.uk

Holiday Lets set within a National Senic Area of outstanding beauty available for short breaks or weekly bookings, all within 1/2 mile of WWT Caerlaverock, NNR and Caerlaverock Castle.

A nature lovers paradise.

The migrating geese graze in the surrounding fields around the properties.

PRIDING ON RIVER SEVERN

CAERLAVEROCK

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Holiday Cottages The Old Cider House, one double bedroom. Tranquil riverside location, paradise for walkers, cyclists and bird watchers.

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www.discoverscotland.net Tel: 01556 504030

SLIMBRIDGE OldCiderHouse_WWT_Jul Sept_16.indd 25/05/2016 1 Discover 15:38Scotland_WWT_JulSep16.indd 1 TUDOR ARMS

Real Ale, Real Food Pub with 18 well appointed ensuite bedrooms ETB4* 10 Minute Stroll from WWT Slimbridge and situated adjacent to Gloucester-Sharpness Canal CAMRA awards 2007-2013

25/05/2016 15:41

Self-catering ground floor flat for two in Glencaple village close to WWT. Recently renovated to high standard. Very comfortable with multi-fuel stove and small sunny garden. In winter barnacles fly past morning and evening. This is a nature lover’s paradise. www.glencapleholiday.co.uk Tel: 01387 770348 Email: sue_greig@yahoo.co.uk

PEMBROKESHIRE 02/06/2016 Sue 13:47 Greig_WWT_OctDec_15.indd ROSEMOOR COUNTRY COTTAGES

117/08/2015 09:54

In a lovely valley in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Victorian-built Rosemoor offers characterful accommodation in spacious grounds. Unpolluted beaches, Skomer and tidal wetlands nearby (2 miles). Our own 30-acre Nature Reserve is 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 Haverfordwest SA62 3ED

T: 01453 890306 E: enquiries@thetudorarms.co.uk W: www.thetudorarms.co.uk

Tel: 01437-781326 Fax: 01437-781080 E-mail: rosemoor@walwynscastle.com www.rosemoor.com

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09/06/2015 09:56 Rosemoor_WWT_JulSep13.indd 1

CARMARTHENSHIRE TAN Y LAN FACH COTTAGE

Two warm cosy cottages each superb for two set in a five acre wildlife oasis for ground mammals and birds.

Overlooking tidal marsh and estuary surrounded by rural agricultural land.

Spectacular views in any weather.

Telephone Sharon and Jim on: 01267 241 579 www.tanylanwelshcottage.co.uk

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CRUISE THE HEBRIDES

06/09/2013 10:30

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CORRYVRECKAN 0845 260 2677 www.corryvreckan.co.uk Quote NTW1 for your special offer when booking.

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31/05/2013 14:37

CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY

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EQUIPMENT

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EQUIPMENT

30/08/2013 10:57

NEW Leica Noctivid 8x42 and 10x42 now in stock

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06/06/2013 17:11

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01/09/2016 12:09

B AC K C H AT

a true nature lover Waterlife bids a sad farewell to an extraordinary champion of creatures great and small, who followed his true calling to write about the natural world he so dearly loved Long-time readers of Waterlife will

recognise the name Malcolm Tait.

Even if you hadn’t spotted Malcolm in the credits of each issue, you’ll have seen his name attached to many of the features we’ve published over the past 10 years.

Malcolm was not only an awardwinning and respected editor, but also a passionate advocate for nature and birds in particular. Sadly, he passed away as we were sending the last issue of Waterlife to print – he’ll be greatly missed by everyone who worked on the magazine.

Malcolm spent the first part of his career crafting magazines and catalogues for national retailers, working late into the night organising photo shoots and marshalling copy.

While he was tremendously successful working in a fast-paced commercial environment, his heart wasn’t in it and, leaving that world, he made a decision

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OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2016

Waterlife editor Malcolm Tait will be sadly missed by us all

to only work on titles that he believed in wholeheartedly.

Malcolm went on to write for The Ecologist and edited titles for Butterfly Conservation, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and the Zoological Society of London in addition to writing The Birdwatcher’s Companion, Watching Waterbirds and Birds in Your Garden among many other brilliant books.

Waterlife, however, was where his heart lay. A keen birdwatcher from childhood, Malcolm spent many happy hours walking through WWT Slimbridge, the London Wetland Centre and the other centres, compiling his list and chewing the

fat with members and staff alike.

Readers will be familiar not only with the depth of knowledge that he brought to the title, but also his sense of fun and love of a good pun.

We are very grateful to Malcolm’s family, who kindly asked that all donations in his memory go to WWT. The fund had reached more than £3,275 at the time of writing, and we thank those who have kindly donated already. We plan to spend the funds raised on something close to Malcolm’s heart, in honour of his memory.

If you would like to make a contribution to his memorial fund, you can do so by visiting wwt.org.uk/ Malcolm. Thank you.

A keen birdwatcher, Malcolm spent many happy hours walking through WWT Slimbridge, the London Wetland Centre and the other centres, compiling his list and chewing the fat with members and staff alike

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