Waterlife 214 November 2020 / February 2021

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The WWT magazine | 214 November 2020/February 2021 | £4.25 | wwt.org.uk

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Rewilding wetlands

MEET THE LOST WILDLIFE THAT COULD RETURN Photo contest

WWT online

High water

Winter gulls

There’s still time to enter and win a great prize

Enjoy our wetlands wherever you are

How natural wetlands can help tackle flooding

Now is the time to brush up on your ID skills

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Contents, 1

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A WARM WELCOME BACK It’s been wonderful to welcome you back to

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Visitors to WWT Arundel will soon be able to enjoy watching our Dalmatian pelicans

In this issue...

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5 7 14 16 18 22 30 38 41 42 44 47 66

Welcome Kevin Peberdy is in awe of the support WWT has received News The latest WWT conservation news from around the world Your views Your letters and the pick of your photos Life on our reserves How we’re managing habitat for wildlife Spotter’s guide Helpful hints on how to identify winter gulls Lost and found Restoring the lost wildlife of the UK’s once magnificent wetlands High water Discover the natural solutions that could help reduce flooding Go digital All the ways you can enjoy wetlands online – wherever you are Photo contest It’s not too late to enter this year’s exciting competition Photo masterclass: Bad weather Top tips to help you capture the moment Kids’ zone Steve Backshall has been thinking about feet!

Great days out There’s so much going on at a wetland centre near you!

Back chat Meet a member of WWT’s team and find out what they do

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

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

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

HEADQUARTERS

Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT wwt.org.uk membership@wwt.org.uk Registered Charity No. 1030884 and SC039410 On the cover: Guy Edwardes/naturepl.com

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our wetland centres. Thank you to everyone who’s already visited for doing your bit to keep everyone safe by following the Covid-19 restrictions. We really appreciate all the feedback we’ve received on how much you like the new one-way systems, the space and the support of our teams.

Sadly, we’ve had to make the decision to make our AGM a digital event this year (page 12). We’ll miss seeing so many of you in person, but look forward to sharing our news and plans with you.

This issue of Waterlife has a new look. All your favourite sections are still here, but we’ve given the magazine a bright, fresh and clear redesign.

We hope you like it – please let us know what you think at waterlife@wwt.org.uk.

In this issue, we continue our series of features exploring how wetlands can help tackle environmental issues. As the risk of winter flooding in the UK increases, due to climate change and the management of the landscape, we explore how restoring natural features such as farm ponds and river bends can help (page 30).

Step back in time to discover the vast, wild wetlands that once covered the UK, and the exciting wildlife, from moose to eagles, that lived there. Some species are starting to return, and we reveal exciting plans to welcome one lost bird – the Dalmatian pelican – to some of our centres on page 11.

Winter is a great time to brush up on your gull ID skills (page 18), enter your best photos from the past year in our photography competition (page 41), and help your little ones make some adorable footprint animals (page 44), so there’s no reason to hibernate. We can’t wait to see and hear from you!

CENTRES

For full contact details, please see page 47 WWT Arundel 01903 883355 WWT Caerlaverock 01387 770200 WWT Castle Espie 028 9187 4146 WWT Llanelli 01554 741087 WWT London 020 8409 4400 WWT Martin Mere 01704 895181 WWT Slimbridge 01453 891900 WWT Washington 0191 416 5454 WWT Welney 01353 860711

WATERLIFE

The quarterly magazine of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust Managing editor: Sophie Gore Browne waterlife@wwt.org.uk Editor: Sophie Stafford sophie.stafford@thinkpublishing.co.uk Chief sub-editor: Marion Thompson Designers: John Pender, Amanda Richardson Contributors: Alan Baker, Amy-Jane Beer, Paul Bloomfield, Dominic Couzens, Stuart Jackson Carter, Derek Niemann, David Tipling Editorial board: Ray Clark, Hannah Clifford, Kate Dawson, Andrew Foot, Geoff Hilton, Baz Hughes, Rob Shore, Mark Simpson Sales executive: Jamie Dawson jamie.dawson@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7220 Account director: John Innes, Think, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH thinkpublishing.co.uk

Waterlife is published four times a year, and is printed by Walstead Southernprint on Norcote Trend 70gsm, a PEFC accredited paper coming from well-managed forests and containing 40% recycled content. Views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of WWT. ISSN: 1752-7392 Average net circulation for the period Jan-Dec 2019: 90,576

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Welcome, 1

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Many of you have told us how good it is to be able to visit your local wetland centre again since we reopened

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A SENSE OF COMMUNITY It can be a challenge, admittedly, to find

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much positive to say about 2020 so far. But here at WWT I’ve felt an overwhelming sense of community.

The world around us is coming together out of necessity – signs saying ‘we’re in this together’ and ‘let’s look after each other’ now proliferate on our high streets – but WWT has always had that family feeling.

It’s partly why I’m still working here more than 30 years after starting in my first job advising on the management of our reserves.

I would hazard a guess that it’s also why so many of you have stuck with us through these incredibly hard times. And you’ve not only stuck with us, you’ve rallied in support of WWT in a truly humbling way.

So I wanted to say thank you to everyone reading Waterlife. Without you, we wouldn’t exist. We are a membership organisation at heart and you, our supporters, sustain us and shape what we are.

It was with some sadness that we have decided to run our Annual General Meeting online this year (find out more on page 12). It is the practical solution under the circumstances, but I for one will

Our centres provide peace and quiet...

...and somewhere to spend time together in nature

miss catching up with all of you who make the journey to attend in person each year.

It’s one of the privileges of having been a part of WWT for so many years that my career has grown up alongside many long-standing members.

WWT tends to inspire inspiring commitment and devotion. And I’d like to pay tribute to one particular member, who I came to know very well over the past couple of decades. I first met Peter Day at Barn Elms Reservoirs in London. At the time I was leading the development of the London Wetland Centre. He was keen to

support WWT and became a very active member and volunteer when the centre opened in 2000.

Such was his enthusiasm for wetland wildlife that, in 2009, he stood for the WWT Council and was accepted by you, the membership, as a trustee. Six years later he was appointed as Chair of Council.

Throughout this time, we worked closely together. He was tireless. I could always call on him for sound and reliable advice, and he was always ready with encouragement and truly awful jokes.

So it was a huge personal and professional loss when Peter sadly passed away earlier this summer. Though his story is unique, he is testament to the devotion of the WWT community.

Fortunately another hugely dedicated member, Barnaby Briggs, has stepped up as our new Chair. Barnaby and I look forward to seeing some of you, albeit online, at our AGM later this year.

Of course, you don’t need to be a trustee to make a difference at WWT. Each and every one of you is doing your bit to support our community and to help create a better world through wetland conservation. And this year I am more aware of that than ever – so thank you.

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Martyn Poynor/WWT; WWT

Kevin Peberdy, WWT Chief Operating Officer

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

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EU wetlands to go lead-free A huge leap towards ending the suffering of millions of waterbirds from lead poisoning has been taken following a momentous vote to ban lead shot in and around EU wetlands.

A ban was supported by 18 countries, making up 90% of the votes on the EU REACH Committee, which deals with chemical hazards. The proposal will now go to the European Parliament for ratification before becoming law within the EU. WWT’s Dr Julia Newth said: ‘This historic vote has shown that in a modern society it’s no longer acceptable for a minority of people to continue to release poisons that kill our wildlife and affect our health.’

This huge win for conservation follows years of campaigning by WWT alongside

dedicated partners and supporters. We’ve been at the forefront of scientific research that has uncovered the deadly effects of lead shot on waterbirds and the risks to people from eating contaminated game.

Our renowned expertise in wildlife health and ecology has enabled us to build a compelling case for change.

It has been vital to alert politicians, hunters and the public to the effects of lead through impactful communications and storytelling. We’ve created and supported ‘change coalitions’ – bodies of experts that have pushed for the end of lead and the much-needed shift to non-toxic ammunition. This has enabled us to galvanise support from all sectors of society and promote a healthier, non-toxic future.

We’re helping make sure wetlands are safer places for swans and other waterlife

We’ve worked tirelessly for international policy change, securing international resolutions on the use of lead ammunition.

This formidable cocktail has created a campaign that has influenced key policy players despite the lobbying powers of the shooting industry in Europe and the US. The implications for wetland health are huge – 20,000 tonnes of lead shot fall into European wetlands every year, claiming the lives of one million waterbirds and causing the suffering of three million more.

WWT’s Dr Ruth Cromie added: ‘It remains to be seen how the UK government will respond, but this is the beginning of the end of lead ammunition and the start of a healthier, greener future for Europe’s wildlife and people.’

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Steart Marshes is the first of WWT’s working wetlands. It provides flood defence for local homes and businesses, showcases productive farmland and is home to a thriving nature reserve. We’re also discovering the incredible amount of carbon it can store, which helps in our fight against climate change

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Reasons to be hopeful

By Tom Fewins, Head of Policy & Advocacy

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. This was going to be the ‘super year for the environment’, culminating in two major international summits to address the climate and biodiversity crises.

Well, it didn’t turn out that way. However Covid-19 presents a chance to pause and rethink. Before the pandemic we faced related and escalating crises – climate change, biodiversity loss and our deteriorating wellbeing. These have not gone away and we need to change course.

In responding to the pandemic, the government plans to lay in place new long8

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term foundations. This needs to protect public health, build a resilient economy and repair our environment; however, our approach must be smarter than simply investing in roads and airports. Instead, we must also look for answers in the natural world around us, including our wetlands.

From small streams to enormous estuaries, our wetlands hold much of our ‘natural capital’ – the stocks of natural assets such as water and living things that underpin our economy and wellbeing.

From flood protection to food production, these wetlands provide many goods and services that are essential to life itself.

Despite this, the extent of our wetlands has declined by 90% since Roman times, and those that remain are often fragmented and in a degraded condition. We have to

turn this around – urgently. We need not just a green recovery, but a blue recovery.

This must happen at scale so that we make full use of what wetlands offer.

WWT wants to create 100,000 hectares of new or restored wetlands, a strategic network that provides many benefits, be it improving water quality, supporting local businesses or hosting an abundance of incredible wildlife.

This network would focus on three of these benefits – storing carbon, protecting us from flooding and providing access to nature – where wetlands can make the greatest contribution to addressing the crises we face (see box above).

We are sharing these proposals with government, business and wider society, and planning for a year ahead that promises

Why we need more wetlands 1 3 A CARBON STORAGE NETWORK Wetlands fight climate change

With just 12 years left to limit global warming to safe levels, the UK is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

Saltmarshes store more carbon, more quickly than any other ecosystem. WWT’s Steart Marshes is home to saltmarshes that store tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon per year.

Carbon

Sediment

some big decisions affecting wetlands.

This is a big challenge but here are five reasons to be hopeful.

1. PROFILE

Wetlands are an excellent nature-based solution to many societal challenges.

However, this is not sufficiently recognised by decision makers. This is beginning to change, and we expect further progress in 2021, which marks the 50th anniversary of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. The UK tops the global charts with 175 Ramsar sites, and we hope to support the government in celebrating this.

2. POLICY

Wetlands are critical to the government’s environmental aims, including a new 500,000-hectare nature recovery network of additional wildlife habitat. We await the legislation and funding to make this happen, but with the pending Environment

AN URBAN WELLBEING NETWORK Wetlands provide access to nature

Poor mental health affects one in four people each year and costs the NHS over £34bn a year.

Wetlands are excellent for wellbeing, providing blue spaces on people’s doorsteps. In Slough, WWT is working with partners to restore a neglected urban river and reconnect it with local communities.

2

A FLOOD PROTECTION NETWORK Wetlands protect communities

Flooding is one of the top climate change risks, affecting five million households in England alone.

Wetlands offer low-cost ways to manage the flow of water. WWT is working with partners around Williton, Somerset, to restore natural features across catchments and reduce flooding downstream.

and Agriculture Acts, we hope key components – a new land management scheme, a ‘biodiversity net gain’ requirement on developments and new local nature recovery strategies – will fall into place.

3. PEOPLE

Wetland creation and management help to ‘level up’ economic opportunity across the UK. Great efforts are being made to protect jobs, however we must not overlook longer-term needs. We hope to lead efforts to train a new generation for the wetland-related jobs of the future. Across different sectors, from conservation to tourism, this can reach into places such as coastal communities that require particular support.

4. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FINANCE

Wetlands are a critical source of natural capital yet they do not feature on the nation’s balance sheets. The economic

case for investing in nature is growing across government and business. We will shortly see the publication of a major Treasury Review into the Economics of Biodiversity (the ‘Dasgupta Review’), and in the private sector companies are beginning to show interest in wetland creation as a long-term investment.

5. PARTNERSHIPS

Wetlands are often created through partnerships, and there are some fantastic examples. However, they are usually created in an ad hoc and unstrategic manner, leaving their full potential unfulfilled. By creating or restoring 100,000 hectares, we hope to change this, building a strategic network that finally unlocks all their benefits. We cannot do this alone – instead, we need to work in partnership with others.

Interested in finding out more? Please drop us a line at advocacy@wwt.org.uk NOVEMBER 2020/FEBRUARY 2021

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The forthcoming auction of a beautiful and unique sculpture is good news for lovers of both art and birds – and for the future of the spoon-billed sandpiper.

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Guy Taplin’s Up Curlew sculpture captures the elegance of this much-loved species

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Urgent appeal The team at WWT has been astonished by the extraordinary response to our Emergency Appeal during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Your generous donations have supported key conservation projects protecting threatened species through the crucial spring/summer period.

Garth Cripps/WWT

Now, though, we must ask again. The crisis has continued far longer than any of us anticipated and, as winter approaches, the clock is ticking on some of our most vital work at reserves across the UK. Over the next few months, arrivals will stream

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in from the distant Arctic, including threatened birds, such as white-fronted geese, pochards and Bewick’s swans, which fly over 3,000km from Siberia to overwinter in Britain, along with many other threatened waterbirds.

We’re racing to get habitats in perfect condition before they land, to ensure that these at-risk birds are safe and well fed during the colder months, before their spring migration to northerly breeding grounds. Their breeding success, and the species’ long-term survival, depends on it – and we

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Internationally renowned sculptor Guy Taplin has generously donated his Up Curlew, created with painted driftwood that captures the spirit of that lithe wader.

It will be sold on behalf of WWT via silent auction in November.

We hope that this piece, which has a normal retail value of £5,250, will raise thousands of pounds for the Saving the Spoon-billed Sandpiper project, a partnership between WWT, RSPB, Birds Russia and Moscow Zoo. At the heart of the project is a successful headstarting programme in which eggs

collected from incubating birds in the wild are hatched in captivity. Here the chicks are hand-raised to fledging age, before being released back into the wild. This has so far boosted the wild population by more than 180 individuals.

All of the funds raised from the sale of Up Curlew will be donated to WWT to help fund this work.

Bidding in the silent auction, which is administered by Messum’s Art Gallery, will open on 16 November. For details of the process, and to obtain a bid form, please contact Katie Newman by emailing katie@messums.com Final bids must be received by 5pm on 20 November.

Find out more about this project at: saving-spoonbilled-sandpiper.com

to Thanks to your support, we’re able car monitor the progress of Madagas wild the to pochards you helped return

depend on your support to complete this important conservation work in time.

You’ll find more about the species that need our help, and the urgent work required and how to support it, on the carrier

sheet that arrived with this issue of Waterlife. If you’re able to contribute, please visit: wwt.org.uk/emergency You’re providing a lifeline for wetlands and their wildlife in Britain and around the world.

Harley Todd/WWT

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Bid for birds

This autumn, six of these magnificent wetland birds will make an appearance at WWT Arundel

Pelicans arrive at Arundel

Harley Todd/WWT

From November, visitors to WWT Arundel will be wowed by a big new attraction – literally big: a group of Dalmatian pelicans, reputedly the world’s largest freshwater birds.

Five female pelicans are arriving from Rotterdam, and another is transferring from WWT Washington to make up the half-dozen-strong colony that will enjoy life in the specially landscaped Pelican Creek exhibit.

‘Theirs is a powerful wetland story,’ says Marc Boardman, WWT Head of Living Collections. ‘Dalmatian pelicans are native to the UK originally and existed here until the Middle Ages [see page 22].

But they went extinct here due to the draining of wetlands for farming, and through hunting and persecution as they were killed to protect fish stocks.’ They’re now classed as Near Threatened across their range, which has continued shrinking.

‘Dalmatian pelicans were also widely spread

attraction took 120 hours to build and across western Europe, but they are now will be on show with other favourite being pushed further east, with their last giant LEGO brick wetland animals at scattered colonies now being found WWT Arundel this autumn. around the Adriatic and Black Sea coasts as well as further east towards DUCKING AND DIVING central Asia.’

From October, visitors The aim of the to Arundel will also Pelican Creek enjoy another thrilling The Dalmatia n pelican is on exhibit – as well as wildlife experience e of the world’s heaviest flyin highlighting the at the completely g species. Its w ingspan can sheer spectacle of six overhauled aviary. reach up to 3.

5 metres, such striking birds Home to native one of the bigg est of – is to inspire the waders including any bird alive. next generation of redshanks and avocet, conservationists to take up as well as common the mantle and fight for wetlands. scoters, spectacled eiders, And young nature lovers are already and long-tailed and harlequin ducks, getting a glimpse of the it’ll be probably the largest specialist coming wonders in the diving duck aviary in the UK. And Percy the shape of a LEGO® with its clear acrylic front wall, you’ll pelican joins brick model be able to admire the underwater our other popular LEGO® Dalmatian agility of these beautiful birds as they brick animals pelican on our dive for whitebait during twice-daily wetland trail. feeding sessions.

Comprising Together, Pelican Creek and the new some 34,725 aviary provide unique glimpses of the bricks, this rich diversity that wetland habitats outsized can offer.

DID YOU KNOW?

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Stunning WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre was due to host the AGM this year, but instead it will be a virtual event (see registration details below)

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26 November 2020

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Discover the latest news on our pioneering conservation work and developments within WWT at our AGM, which this year will be held as a virtual online event on 26 November.

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This is your chance to direct your questions to Council, the Board of Trustees and our conservation experts, to share your views on our work, and to follow the progress of the important efforts you support through your membership – locally, nationally and across the globe.

You’ll also have the opportunity to see updates on key projects that are helping to save species and

Winning for wetlands

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We’d like to say a huge thank you to the amazing players of People’s Postcode Lottery, who have supported WWT with more than £2.5m in funding over the past six years. You’ve helped pay for work ranging from research on Bewick’s swans to the construction of ponds that help children learn about science.

The funding also goes beyond big projects, supporting the work of various staff and volunteers who keep WWT thriving every day. Players have, through the lottery, backed our Puddle Jumping events encouraging children to have fun in wetlands, and our Dusty Duck children’s storybook, which helps us introduce youngsters to nature and conservation.

This support has been vital in helping us continue our conservation and engagement work during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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precious wetland habitats worldwide and learn how we’re managing the challenges posed by the pandemic.

We look forward to sharing news and views with you in November.

If you have a question for our Council of Trustees or staff, please send it by 13 November via email to agm@wwt.org.uk Kevin Peberdy Chief Operating Officer To join our virtual AGM, please register your interest by Friday 13 November.

You can email us at agm@wwt.org.uk or call 07824 413335

Stay at Slimbridge

SCOT T HOUSE Bewick’s Lodge

Relax and unwind in the birthplace of modern conservation.

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

Book now www.BewicksLodge.co.uk

Sam Stafford/WWT

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Join our AGM online

Sam Stafford/WWT

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WWT NEWS This autumn we start work on a new project in Myanmar to restore 500 hectares of riverine habitat in Myanmar’s Upper Chindwin River – the most critical unprotected Key Biodiversity Area in the Indo-Burma region.

Clockwise from above left: local people selling wild goods collected from the wetlands; collecting soil to pan for gold; grazing water buffalo; collecting materials from wetlands

Thanapon Piman (SEI); Bena Smith

The basin of the 1,200kmlong Chindwin River, is home to a wealth of wildlife and supports the livelihoods of many of the six million people living there. As well as tigers and more than 370 bird species, the region’s dense forest, riverine lowlands and seasonally flooded wetlands hosts 54 endemic fish and reptiles, including the Critically Endangered Burmese roofed turtle.

The project, addresses two main threats in the Upper Chindwin Basin.

First, unregulated gold mines discharge highly acidic water containing toxic cadmium and arsenic into the River Chindwin and its floodplain.

And the chance of wealth lures people to work the mines in dangerous conditions.

Second, farmers use more and more pesticide in the hope that they’ll offset any weakness in their crops brought on by climate change-induced higher temperatures and droughts, as well as poor water quality from mining upstream.

Myanmar magic Using our expertise in wetland and community-led conservation, we’ll help shape community action plans, to include the implementation of integrated rice-fish systems – introducing fish into flooded rice fields, where they kill many pests and thus increase rice yields, and can be fished for further income. And we’ll back community associations, especially those downstream from mining operations, in influencing decisions at regional and national level, and

regaining management rights to the wetlands. This will allow them to influence the ecosystem services supporting their livelihoods.

‘In Myanmar we can use site-based conservation to boost national-level wetland conservation capacity and this new WWT project will push the boundaries,’ says Tomos Avent, WWT Head of International Programmes.

‘This hard-to-access part of the country badly needs conservation attention – it’s

adventurous, exciting and very timely work.’

The project is led by the Stockholm Environment Institute in collaboration with WWT, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and local partners Myanmar Environment Institute, Monywa University, Environmental Conservation and Community Development, and Myanmar Forest Association. The funding came from a major grant from the UK government – The Darwin Initiative.

Changing times for Waterlife As you may already know, from next year you’ll receive three print issues of Waterlife magazine annually, instead of four.

Digital communications increasingly enable us to provide even more information, as it happens, direct to your computer or phone. Our regular email newsletters and

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram feeds bring you updates, inspiring images and high-quality films about conservation projects and wetland wildlife.

Explore a range of new resources on our website, including Discover Wetlands, Bringing Nature to You and Home

Learning sections, plus revamped pages highlighting the fantastic experiences on offer at our sites (see page 38).

Of course, we still love to showcase our wonderful wetland centres, wildlife and conservation work in Waterlife. The magazine will continue to cover all of

our best stories throughout the year – with an exciting new look.

You’ll receive the first 2021 issue in March, followed by two further issues in July and November.

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Your Views, 1

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YOUR VIEWS

SEND US YOUR BEST PHOTOS!

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

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I visited the London Wetland Centre with my camera and left feeling more content than I had for weeks. Having been furloughed from work it’s been hard to keep stimulated. I took over 600 photos that day!

So I became a member after that and plan to visit as much as I can.

Lily Middleton

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I’ve just read the excellent article ‘Dragonfly Summer’ by Amy-Jane Beer, in the July/ October 2020 edition of Waterlife. My wife and I are regular visitors to WWT Slimbridge. I noted in the article a shared dream of seeing a white-legged damselfly at Slimbridge, so I thought you’d like this image I captured at Charlecote, Warwickshire, earlier this year. I will keep an eye out and let you know when a white-leg turns up.

Thanks to Amy-Jane for a lovely read.

BRILLIANT ISSUE

Thank you for the July/October 2020 edition of Waterlife. Very informative and interesting from front to back. Best one ever. As Life Members, my wife and I love visiting your sites as there’s so much to see and do, even on a wet day – and we can get refreshments.

Anthony Pearce

INSPIRING CONSERVATION

SOCIALLY DISTANCED PHOTOS

Gemma Chambers 14

Thank you for a lovely and heartening July/October 2020 edition. Articles describing success stories give us all hope and make sure we read the next one and keep supporting WWT. Katharine Malvern

Paul Crampton

I took this photo at WWT Slimbridge in June. Despite it being the hottest day of the year, there was lots of wildlife to see and hear, and I had a fantastic day! The Covid-19 precautions on-site were excellent – even though it was a sell-out day, it felt quiet. Everyone was well distanced, even in the hides. Thank you to all the volunteers and staff at WWT for keeping up the good work and reopening so we can all enjoy it again.

THANK YOU

LOCKDOWN LURE

My son Finn (age seven) took these photos of the red damselflies that have arrived since we made our lockdown mini pond. They often sit on Finn’s knee while he watches his tadpoles.

Rachael Okel

In July/October 2020’s Waterlife, you refer to the success of the sand martin bank at the London Wetland Centre. I became a member of WWT as a result of visiting the centre shortly after it opened. At the time, I was Chairman of (what is now) the Richmond Park Bird Group. I was so impressed by the sand martin bank I proposed a similar bank be erected alongside Upper Pen Pond in Richmond Park. In the past few years, ‘our’ sand martin bank has been well and truly colonised.

An example of how a WWT initiative can have widespread consequences!

John Corkindale

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OUR WILD WETLANDS VERSION

LIFE ON OUR RESERVES

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By removing sediment and reprofiling the riverbanks, we have rewetted an old channel (palaeo-channel) so water once more flows along its historic course

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Restoring ancient waterways

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onnecting wetlands is one of WWT’s priorities for the future. Forging watery corridors between our blue and green spaces creates habitat for wildlife, providing safe passageways for animals to disperse and forage.

One new waterway – which we created from an old saltmarsh creek at WWT Slimbridge last autumn – has already become a hit with local wildlife.

Linking up the north of the reserve with the south, where the visitor centre is, this ‘palaeo-channel’ has been brought back to life for birds, plants, insects and mammals.

The word palaeo means old or ancient, particularly when referring to geological periods of time. This particular water channel has been cleared and 16

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now follows the same route it traced centuries ago, before the marshes were drained.

The new wetland corridor has already been adopted by local wildlife. Last winter, wigeon and white-fronted geese found it much to their liking.

This summer, wetland plants started to colonise and more than five different species of dragonflies and damselflies have been seen hovering above the water.

Shoals of small fish have attracted grey herons and little egrets, and a sedge warbler was seen in this newly restored area of the reserve – our first sighting in many decades of recording.

Otter poo – known as spraint – has been found at either end of the watercourse, where it meets the ditches. The new corridor means these enchanting mustelids can now

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swim along the channel, and no longer have to cross open fields to move between one part part of of the the reserve reserve and and another. another.

This palaeo-channel is part of just over three kilometres of ditches that have been restored or created across the reserve, connecting new areas of wetlands and providing more space for Slimbridge’s diverse wildlife to roam, feed and find a mate. We also hope the new ‘blue corridor’ will be popular with migratory eels and other fish species; linking up the various wetland channels will make it the perfect eel highway.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

But our work doesn’t end there.

We’re now linking two channels with a pond and a large nesting island intended for cranes. We have also been busy building

Otters will benefit from the restored palaeochannel

bunds to run across low-lying areas to make access easier.

Work like this demonstrates that centuries of wetland destruction can be reversed and healthy ecosystems restored. It’s vital to link up wildlife hotspots with blue and green corridors. We continually try to create a positive working balance between farming and wildlife, and believe the two can work hand in hand.

Given time, funding and continuing support from others, we can work wonders for wildlife, together.

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IDENTITY

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

W

e work hard to make sure our wetlands are perfect for wildlife – but this sometimes means we have to think outside the box.

One winged visitor that stretched our imaginations is the handsome shelduck, which has some quirky nesting preferences.

Shelduck like to nest underground, in rabbit holes, as these cavities provide protection for their chicks from potential predators, such as raptors and foxes. Each summer, an average of 100 pairs of shelducks nest at WWT Martin Mere.

One of the reasons why the birds favour the reserve is that, for the past 20 years, we’ve been creating nest boxes that mimic their preferred nesting sites. The wooden boxes are 45cm wide and 30cm deep – big enough for male shelducks, which can weigh up to 3kg, to fit inside comfortably.

We’ve successfully adapted this technique

WWT

Des res for shelducks With their distinctive black and white markings, we think shelduck ducklings look like mint humbugs

for other wetland birds, including the tree-holenesting willow tits you read about in the last issue of Waterlife. We also provide shingle-covered rafts for our common terns.

WORKING TOGETHER Shelduck broods are big, and one nest contained 14 eggs! Keeping so many ducklings together can be challenging. So after the eggs hatch, shelducks often merge their broods

A crèche of shelduck ducklings is often escorted by failed breeders or non-breeding adults

into one mega-nursery of shelducklings.

This crèching has the advantage that all the adults in the area can work together to protect the brood from predators.

At one point, a mother was watching over 27 ducklings!

As shelducks nest in holes, their nests and nesting behaviour can be hard to follow. So having nest boxes on the reserve gives conservationists the opportunity to research and monitor the shelducks’ behaviour.

They also provide visitors with a chance to see this behaviour up close.

Another curious thing about shelducks is that they breed and overwinter in the UK, leaving only in

July to join 200,000 others in the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Netherlands and Germany. Here, they congregate en masse to safely moult their flight feathers together. Once their new flight feathers have grown, they return to the UK in October. A smaller number, however, stay in the UK to moult, including at Bridgwater Bay, the site of our Steart Marshes wetland reserve.

SEE THE SPECTACLE Most of Martin Mere’s resident shelducks have already returned to the reserve. You can enjoy great views during the swan feeds, which will start once the whooper swans begin to arrive for the winter.

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WINTER GULLS L SPOTTER’S GUIDE TO…

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The UK has a range of beautiful and fascinating gulls, yet they are often underrated. Dominic Couzens sets the record straight and helps make winter gull ID easy…

ove them or loathe them, you can’t avoid gulls. From their earpiercing cries overhead to their penchant for stealing fish and chips at the seaside, gulls barge in on your senses like uninvited guests. You cannot miss them at WWT centres, either; wherever there is water, they will come.

‘I find gulls fascinating,’ says Ian Hull, a Guide in the Hide at WWT Slimbridge.

‘What I love most about them is that they’re always doing something. One moment they’ll all be loafing around, the next moment an argument will break out and there’s pandemonium. I’d describe them as mischievous birds.’

Whenever somebody enters a hide where Ian is stationed, he isn’t afraid to point out the gulls. ‘Some people think they’re boring, but that’s probably just

Need a hand?

PRODUCTION

It can be hard to distinguish winter gulls, and adults from juveniles, so next time you’re at your local wetland centre just ask a volunteer to help.

CLIENT Steve Nicholls/WWT

Black-headed gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in flocks. In winter, numbers are boosted by birds arriving from Europe

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Six gulls to spot

Spotter's Guide, 1

The quintessential ‘seagull’, the herring gull is a large, noisy bird seen on coasts and inland

BLACK-HEADED GULL The smallest gull and often the most abundant at WWT centres. In winter, it has a spot behind the eye, which the other gulls don’t. Bill is red or bright orange. Wings are sharply pointed and show white isosceles triangle between shoulder and black wing tip.

Abundant everywhere.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Like a herring gull-sized great black-back, with bright yellow legs (‘the lesser fella has the yella’.)

Rarely seen in big numbers, and more of a freshwater species than great black-back. Has dark streaks on head in winter, unlike great black-back.

HERRING GULL The most common and abundant gull near the sea. Very big, with a permanently angry expression owing to its pale eyes. Adults are silver-grey on the back and in winter have brownish streaking on the head; immature birds are brown, multiblotched and difficult. Legs are pink.

EVENING SPECTACLE

COMMON GULL Common, but not as common as its name suggests! Despite plumage similarities, much smaller than herring gull; little bigger than black-headed.

Yellow legs in spring/summer fade to grey or green in winter. Bill yellow/green.

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

John Burke/WWT; Paul Bowden/WWT; James Lees/WWT

because they can be difficult to tell apart.

But if you look at them carefully, things fall into place. Take the common gull. It’s clean-cut and neat, and its dark eye gives it a kind, gentle expression. It’s a gull you’d be happy for your daughter to date!’

Once people spend a few moments looking at the gulls, the birds soon excite curiosity. ‘Every so often, you’ll see a large gull grab a stone or stick and fly up a few metres into the air, before dropping it to the ground,’ says Ian. ‘Everyone asks what it’s doing. But I don’t think anyone knows – maybe it’s practising dropping shellfish on a hard surface to break them open.

Or it could just be having fun.’

The world’s largest gull. In flight, its huge body and broad, arced wings may recall a heron. Large bill does its job; it is predatory and a scavenger.

Heavy body with truncated rear end.

Adults have very black backs and rather broad and obvious white wing tips. Legs are very pale greyish-pink.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL Looks like a black-headed gull that’s been in a fight, with a bruise on its head. Long, scarlet legs and thick, blood-red bill help distinguish it from slightly smaller black-headed. Not very common, mainly in the south.

Many WWT centres host gull roosts, or pre-roost gatherings, which is a particular feature of the short winter days. ‘In the late afternoon, as the light fades, gulls gather for a wash and brush-up,’ says Ian. ‘This is a great opportunity to watch many gulls at once; often several species mixed together.

‘Here at Slimbridge we can often see many hundreds of black-headed gulls, with the odd Mediterranean mixed in.

Sometimes we spot a bird that’s been ringed – by reading the serial numbers on the leg rings, we know that some of our birds come from Poland.’

It’s clear Ian loves gulls, and he wants other people to enjoy them too. But what was it that fired his own interest?

‘For many years I worked as a mounted policeman in Bristol,’ he says. ‘Every spring, the herring and lesser black-backed gulls would fly down and attack me on my horse,’ he recalls. ‘They were just protecting their nests. But I admired their character – bold and aggressive.’

‘What I love most about gulls is that they’re always doing something’ NOVEMBER 2020/FEBRUARY 2021

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REWILDING WETLANDS VERSION REPRO OP

Britain’s wetlands today are mere fragments of the great wild places they once were.

But it’s not too late to turn things around. We can restore Britain’s wildest places and some of its most magnificent species – to the benefit of us all

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WORDS BY AMY-JANE BEER

LOST AND here are wet places in the lowlands where you can sense Britain almost the way it was. It might help if you close your eyes to block a view of a building, a wind turbine or a sky scored with contrails, but you can inhale the tangy, fuggy scents of water and earthy, organic ooze, and escape traffic noise in the hiss of wind in reeds.

In some places you might even catch the bass ‘booop’ of bittern, or even the splash of

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a beaver tail slap or the bugling of cranes.

But other sensations familiar to the AngloSaxons of the Middle Ages will be missing: the swift shadow of a passing pelican, the rushing wingbeats of a cloud of black terns, or the swirl of water teeming with eels.

WILD WOODS OR WETLANDS?

There’s a persistent popular image of postglacial Britain as wildwood. While there were certainly once more trees than now,

these did not provide continuous cover. In fact, much of the ancient landscape was an ever-changing hotchpotch, governed not by forest, but by water.

‘It’s hard to imagine now,’ says Benedict Macdonald, conservationist and author of the acclaimed Rebirding, ‘but 20% of Britain was once under the dominion of water.’

Well into medieval times, if you were to travel from London to York, from Bristol to Southampton, or from Birmingham to

Lost and Found, 1

PAY A VISIT TO OUR PELICANS

The most recent remains of Dalmatian pelicans in Britain date to Roman times and perhaps beyond. They have been found in the Fens, Somerset Levels and Humberhead Levels.

If our historic vast wetlands were to be restored, then there’s a chance pelicans may return

ND FOUND Lancaster, you would invariably find the journey difficult and wet.

Benedict isn’t talking about just reedbeds and marshes. In fact, the picture he paints is one of almost infinite variety – a connected network of ‘freestyling’ lowland wetlands including beds of reeds and

sedges, beaver coppice and herb meadows, fens and open water and vast tracts of boggy riverside woodland. Watercourses twisted and flexed – swelling, spilling, spreading, splitting, taking short cuts – often bearing little resemblance to modern conceptions of what a river might be.

Much of Britain’s ancient medieval landscape was an ever-changing hotchpotch governed by water

This complex, dynamic mosaic was home to species now globally extinct, such as the aurochs (the ancestor of domestic cattle), and many that now seem exotic, such as black stork, Dalmatian pelican and elk. Further species now considered rarities, such as eels, corncrakes, ruff and black terns, would have thrived in numbers almost unimaginable now.

‘These were the true wildernesses of the past,’ says WWT’s Head of Conservation

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Andy Rouse/naturepl.com

Several WWT wetland cent res now have pelic ans in their living collectio ns. For more information se e page 11

IDENTITY VERSION

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COMMON CRANE AUROCHS ART PRODUCTION

WILD BOAR RUFF

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DALMATIAN PELICAN

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BURBOT

RED KITE WHITE-TAILED EAGLE

NIGHT HERON

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Lost and Found, 2

Illustration: Alan Baker

Historically, Britain’s wetlands were vast, diverse landscapes that brimmed with life, from large herbivores to a plethora of waterbirds, some of which are extinct in the UK today

REWILDING WETLANDS VERSION REPRO OP SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT

Evidence, Geoff Hilton, ‘but that doesn’t mean they were hostile to people. Think of the great rebel heroes of Anglo-Saxon folklore: Robin Hood, Alfred the Great, Hereward the Wake. One of them hid in a forest, but the others took refuge in wetlands: Alfred in the Somerset Levels, Hereward in the Fens. These were places where it was easy to hide, but counterintuitively where it was also easy to live, because food was so abundant. Eels were so readily available they were used as currency.’

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

If the engine of these astounding ecosystems was water, their stewards were animals: grazers, carnivores and disruptors.

Large herbivores such as aurochs and elk (and back further still, elephant and hippopotamus) clipped and mowed; top predators such as wolves and eagles kept their smaller competitors and prey in check, while the interventions of beavers opened the tree canopy, continually renewing opportunities for other species and driving a cycle of succession from wet woodland to pool, meadow, scrub and back to woodland.

Many of these great wetlands, such as the Cheshire mosslands, have been all but lost, while the fragmentary remains of others in Cambridgeshire Fens, the 26

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Many great wetlands have been all but lost, while the fragmentary remains of others give an inkling of what was and what could be again In the UK, the corncrake is a bird of high conservation concern because of major population declines

Somerset Levels and the Humberhead Levels bordering Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire give us an inkling of what was and what could be again.

Wetland creation and expansion projects such as the Great Fen, Wallasea Island and the Avalon and WWT Steart Marshes mean we are seeing more bitterns and the return of night herons and spoonbills, little and great white egrets, and common cranes.

In 2020, introduced white storks bred on the rewilded Knepp Estate in Sussex and young white-tailed eagles released on the Isle of Wight were tracked the length and breadth of England. Beavers are being introduced in projects around Britain, though in most places they remain fenced in.

Benedict speaks for a growing number of ardent rewilders from across the political, social and economic spectrum in calling for the restoration of nature and natural processes on a huge scale. And given that his ideas involve vast areas of land, it’s perhaps surprising that an increasing number of farmers and land managers are interested.

Human communities are crucial to the vision, and Benedict is convinced that rewilding is highly compatible with extensive agriculture. ‘If you visit the Biebrza Marshes of Poland, you see a wetland mosaic bursting with both wildlife and farmers. It works ecologically and

Bence Mate/naturepl.com; Nick Upton/naturepl.com; Danny Green/naturepl.com; Andy Sands/naturepl.com

White-tailed eagles are a missing part of England’s native biodiversity.

In 2019, six birds were reintroduced on the Isle of Wight, 240 years after they were last recorded in England

Bence Mate/naturepl.com; Nick Upton/naturepl.com; Danny Green/naturepl.com; Andy Sands/naturepl.com

economically. Meanwhile, in the Somerset Levels, farming plays a small part in the local economy, supporting few jobs, despite taking up a huge proportion of land area.

‘That land could be utilised and harvested in many more ways – forestry, angling (one of the most popular and profitable leisure activities in the country) and enormously diverse tourism, from boat hire to guiding and hospitality and even,’ he says cautiously, ‘sustainable hunting.’

ANCIENT BREEDS

Given this potential to both boost the local economy and relieve the national purse of the costs of inevitable flooding, Benedict suggests that – rather than supporting farmers to produce livestock intensively as happens now – the best thing might be to pay them to keep fewer cattle of old breeds, which roam over much wider areas than at present but accrue a higher price per head. He recommends we also work with beavers to restore ecosystems that will protect landscapes and homes, lock away carbon and replenish groundwater that can be used to supply more conventional farming in adjacent areas.

Species restoration is part of rewilding.

Some species return of their own accord, but this is uncertain and can require long timescales. In nature, complexity breeds complexity, species create niches for species, building resilience and improving balance in an ecosystem. The future Benedict sketches out begins with beavers and ends with pelicans. ‘We need water on the land, not only as a nice commodity for cranes or bitterns, but also for farmers and people.

And no animal keeps water on the land better than the beaver.’

Enormous Dalmatian pelicans are seen as a flagship, rather than a keystone.

‘As avian megafauna, their charisma could draw in community stakeholder communities, visitors and certainly children,’ says Ben. ‘But they are also top predators and indicators of fish-rich, massive wetlands. You can have a bittern breeding in aa large large sewage sewage works works these these days, days, breeding in but you can’t have pelicans without scale.’

How big are we talking, I wonder? ‘In the Somerset Levels, it would have to be many times – perhaps 10 times - the area we currently have. On a wetland of that scale, there would already be night herons, pygmy

Lost and Found, 3

This spring, a pair of white storks hatched three chicks in Sussex.

It has been 606 years since the last written record of white storks breeding in Britain

How beavers shape the land On medium-sized rivers, beavers build breeding lodges on the banks, accessed via burrows with underwater entrances. Only where the water is insufficiently deep for such an arrangement will they build dams. These are perfectly imperfect structures – impermeable enough to hold back pulses of water but leaky enough to release it over time.

But it’s the longer-term effects of beaver activity that make this a keystone species. To ensure their food supply, these herbivorous rodents exercise a sort of cut-andcome-again strategy, felling trees to encourage bursts of succulent new growth. When humans do this, we call it coppicing, but beavers have been creating coppices far longer and are undoubtedly a major reason trees cope so well with the treatment.

A coppiced woodland is lighter and airier than one with a closed canopy – and light brings floral diversity and insects. The insects bring birds and bats. Beaver pools are perfect for amphibians to breed in and create opportunities for fish, herons and grass snakes.

Beavers do not eat fish, and their dams are rarely an impediment to native species, which can usually leap or swim over them when the water levels rise naturally. Over time, beaver pools may silt up and succeed into meadows and new woodland as new dams and pools appear elsewhere.

The UK beaver population has been estimated at more than 400 animals

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cormorants, storks and cranes, white-tailed eagles and corncrakes, as well as waders including ruff, lapwings, curlews and more.’

Using the distant past to inform the near future is eye-opening, thinks Geoff, especially when it comes to the pervasive phenomenon of shifting baselines. ‘Take willow tits – a bird of wet woodland that has declined to near extinction in recent decades. As ecologists, we’ve been looking back to the 1970s to understand why we see fewer of them now, when in fact we should’ve been thinking about how things were 5,000 years ago. We’ve been terribly naive, imagining the scraps of habitat where willow tits survived in living memory were somehow ideal, when in fact they were just what was available at a time the species was less scarce than now.’

Three great crises facing humanity – climate change, biodiversity loss and wellbeing (everything from Covid-19 to mental health, obesity

Rewilding with species restoration is a solution to three crises facing humanity – climate change, biodiversity loss and wellbeing

Male ruffs in their breeding finery are a spectacle to behold

and the health implications of pollution, war and poverty) are inextricably linked, and rewilding with species restoration is ambitiously billed as a solution to all three.

Is it the answer? There is a definite ring of excitement in Geoff ’s voice. ‘I don’t want to belittle recent achievements. We have more good-quality wetland now than we’ve had for 100 years. But the vision being offered is different in scale, and in it we are braver, bolder and quicker to act.

‘There’s been a reluctance in British conservation to try anything without a 10-year feasibility study and a guarantee of success. And frankly we don’t have time for that. It feels to me that now is the time to think big, in the knowledge that mistakes are something we will learn from. Given our expertise in wetland creation and management and species restoration, there seems to be a role in British rewilding that is tailor-made for WWT.’ n

Fabrice Cahez/naturepl.com; Roger Powell/naturepl.com

Careful protection, reintroduction projects, and some landscape-scale habitat restoration projects mean that there are now around 160 common cranes in Britain

Further rewilding reading Wilding

Feral

Rebirding Benedict Macdonald (2019)

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James Rebanks (2020)

Ross Barnett (2019)

George Monbiot (2013) 28

English Pastoral

The Missing Lynx

Isabella Tree (2018)

Bringing Back the Beaver Derek Gow (2020)

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ADVERTORIAL

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Stay curious

CLIENT

SWAROVSKI OPTIK proudly presents the world’s first optical device to offer digital animal identification SWAROVSKI OPTIK’s latest innovation is a smart one: with the new dG (digital guide), the Tyrolean family business is proud to present a genuine world first.

It is the very first long-range optical device to allow you to combine your viewing with automatic animal identification, documenting and sharing.

When used with the intuitive dG app, the dG with built-in camera is the ideal companion for anyone who is keen to learn more about nature. The dG is available from selected retailers and online at swarovskioptik.com.

The fascination of nature lies in its details. The exciting new dG not only provides you with unique experiences,

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but also helps you to identify the birds and mammals you see. On top of that, the digital guide makes it easy to share your observations with other like-minded nature lovers. We are inviting everyone to take a closer look, to explore the world in all its facets and to be enchanted by the preciousness of the moment. The digital guide helps to open people’s eyes to the beauty of the world.

Thanks to its 8x magnification, the dG makes it easier to identify birds and animals at longer distances. With the simple push of a button, your observations are transferred to the dG Mammals or Merlin Bird ID app for automatic identification. Your

smartphone instantly reveals which animal you have seen.

The high-quality optics will provide you with some amazing moments. At the touch of a button, the integrated, high-resolution camera (13MP) allows you to photograph and save your observations. The dG is very easy to use, and all the key functions can be operated via a single button.

The world belongs to those who can see beauty.

Experience the moment!

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Swarovski advertorial, 1

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Highwaters With climate change likely to bring more frequent and intense flooding to the UK, we need to be better prepared.

So we’re developing a more sustainable and efficient way to reduce flooding naturally – using wetlands

WORDS BY PAUL BLOOMFIELD

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Natural Flood Management, 1

NATURAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT

he journey taken by the Doniford Stream through the West Somerset countryside could hardly be more picturesque. Trace its course on a sunny day, and you’ll be charmed first by the ruddy stone tower at Crowcombe’s Church of the Holy Ghost, a 14th-century edifice rooted in the lower folds of the Quantocks near the stream’s headwaters.

Ambling alongside its banks, you’ll meander first west then north, perhaps – if your legs tire – hopping aboard a vintage steam-drawn train at Stogumber.

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Chug past the sandstone cottages of Woolston and Sampford Brett, watching for sea trout shimmering in the eddies, to Doniford Beach, where the stream is renamed the Swill as it blends with the brine of the Bristol Channel.

After heavy rain, though, it’s a very different picture. Run-off from steep hillsides and fields charges along the channel meeting the similarly engorged Monksilver Stream near Williton where, in the most severe instances, it escapes its banks and inundates the town.

All too often in recent years, newspaper headlines and television news reports

have shown homes and roads in Somerset – and many other parts of the UK – flooded as infrastructure designed to manage such situations is overwhelmed by sudden deluges.

Partly, this is a result of climate change: the UK’s weather is becoming more variable and unpredictable, with increasing numbers of extreme weather events. Most of the UK received above-average rainfall last year, with parts of central and northern England receiving up to one-third more than normal. And a 2019 study in Nature suggests that rising autumn and winter rainfall has resulted in

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David Woodfall/naturepl.com

In the winter of 2013-14, heavy and prolonged rainfall left large parts of southern England under water. The Somerset Levels were particularly hard hit. The village of Muchelney was cut off, and thousands of people were affected

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NATURAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT VERSION REPRO OP

northern England and southern Scotland experiencing an 11% upturn in river flood levels in a decade. These are hugely damaging: the government estimated the economic cost of the winter 2015-16 floods at around £1.6bn. Of course, the human cost is heartbreaking, too, with people forced from their homes and even losing their lives.

A COMPROMISED LANDSCAPE

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Carina Gaertner, WWT’s Project Manager for Rural Catchments, surveys a new run-off pond we’ve created. During heavy rainfall, it will capture field and road run-off from agricultural land upstream

CLIENT

We’ve already installed over 1,500 metres of hedges and hedge bank, planted more than 2,000 trees, created nine wetlands and built 91 ‘leaky’ dams

Carina agrees a flood management plan with Niels McCartney from the Environment Agency and Gary Holt, a farmer and landowner in Bicknoller in the Quantocks, Somerset

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complicated, particularly in rural areas where those schemes don’t stack up economically. In those places, natural flood management is often the only solution.’

Natural flood management is an umbrella term for a range of interventions that act to reduce the risks of flooding downstream by slowing down the flow of water across river catchments.

‘The central principle is working closely with landowners and local communities to develop solutions,’ explains Rob. ‘Early actions could include hedge and tree planting, and helping farmers improve soil management. Then more complex interventions that require more planning and permissions – for example, creating “leaky” dams with woody debris in streams, or blocking gullies, to slow the flow of water and allow it to flood in a managed way in unpopulated areas.

‘Later in the process, you tend to see some of the larger-scale interventions: floodplain reconnection and the creation of ponds that fill during heavy rainfall and release water slowly over time.’

Harley Todd/WWT; Dietmar Nill/naturepl.com; Carina Gaertner

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Climate change isn’t the only factor. ‘We’ve drained the landscape, cleared it, and lost a lot of the ponds, streams and natural networks of habitat,’ explains Rob Shore, WWT’s Head of UK Programmes. ‘In doing so, we’ve removed much of its natural capacity to absorb and store water.’ Streams have been channelled into underground pipes, rivers have been widened and straightened, and wetlands – nature’s buffers against drought and flood – have been drained for farming or building.

Building barriers and reservoirs, and dredging silted-up rivers, can be effective but are only part of the solution. And they’re not always efficient, sustainable or even possible. ‘In the past, flooding has mostly been managed through large-scale, hard-engineered interventions,’ comments Rob. ‘Today, there’s widespread recognition that such opportunities are fewer and more

Natural Flood Management, 2

Three ways to slow the flow

l A leaky woody dam has been installed to slow the flow of water.

It captures sediment and creates habitat for invertebrates.

Harley Todd/WWT; Dietmar Nill/naturepl.com; Carina Gaertner

l Wooded field corners and hedges can help capture sediment and nutrient-rich surface run-off from agricultural fields. They work to protect the road and properties downstream from flooding.

A large part dams and installed of natural flood downstream management is creating interventions including Daubenton’s bats and managing wetlands cross drains, scrapes and benefit from healthy numbers of aquatic – which is what WWT bunds. Constructing silt insects does best. That’s why we’re traps and fencing off the partnering with the Environment stream to prevent livestock Agency on the Two Valleys Project in access is improving water quality.

West Somerset, part of a governmentThe natural flood management approach backed national programme, to address is applied across a whole catchment area, the periodic flooding of the Doniford and which requires cooperation with Monksilver streams, particularly at their landowners and other stakeholders. ‘I’ve confluence near Williton. been farming at Huish Barton near Watchet We launched the project in 2018 to for about 30 years,’ says Ben Lintott. ‘Like explore how we can use natural flood most farms round here, we get a lot of management in a rural setting to alleviate run-off during periods of heavy rainfall, the flooding problem, with the added which feeds into the Monksilver and can benefits of nurturing biodiversity and potentially cause problems further creating landscape features people can enjoy. downstream. WWT has worked with us to alleviate run-off from the fields by planting and reinstating hedges, and it has TAKING ACTION ON FLOODING provided advice on reducing compaction Together with the Environment Agency in soil, so water soaks into the ground.’ and local landowners, we’ve already ‘Before starting work, we gather installed over 1,500 metres of hedgerows knowledge by talking to local people,’ adds and hedge bank, planted more than 2,000 WWT Project Manager Carina Gaertner. trees, created nine wetlands, built 91 ‘leaky’

l We created this wet woodland to store storm water flowing from a tributary of the Doniford Stream in Williton. The trees help the water soak away, slow surface run-off and capture sediment.

‘Farmers and community members know best the areas that have flooded in the past, so we sought their local knowledge to decide where best to put wetland areas and plant woodlands,’ she continues.

‘The message is that they’re not losing land, because they’re enhancing wildlife habitats and allowing soil to regenerate, giving a home to earthworms that will create a nice soil structure.’

Worms aren’t the only creatures to benefit.

‘Aquatic invertebrates respond first, with NOVEMBER 2020/FEBRUARY 2021

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LOTS OF SHEEP GRAZE SLOPES DENUDED OF SCRUB

RAINWATER FLOWS RAPIDLY OFF HILLSIDE

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VERTICAL PLOUGHING HASTENS RUN-OFF

CATTLE ARE GRAZED AT HIGH DENSITIES

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ARABLE FIELDS

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HOUSING AND CROPS ON FLOODPLAINS ARE PRONE TO FLOODING

CANALISED RIVERS HAVE STEEP BANKS AND SWIFT WATER FLOW

WATER LEVELS ARE HIGH

DREDGING CAUSES STEEP RIVER SIDES Poor land management is contributing to flooding in some areas. The way uplands are farmed can cause soil and water to flush into rivers by denuding slopes of natural barriers and compacting land with cattle and heavy machinery.

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RIVER WATER IS MURKY AND FULL OF SILT

PEATLANDS SOAK UP WATER HILLSIDE WOODLANDS CAPTURE RAIN SCRUB HELPS SLOW SOIL EROSION

HEDGES REDUCE RUN-OFF

CATTLE GRAZED IN LOW DENSITIES

HORIZONTAL PLOUGHING HELPS RETAIN WATER

FIELDS RETAIN WATER

WET ALDER AND BIRCH WOODS SLOW WATER FLOWS

FLOODPLAINS STORE AND SLOW-RELEASE STORMWATER

NATURAL MEANDERS AND OX BOWS ARE RESTORED BANKSIDE ALDER AND WILLOW REDUCE SOIL EROSION

LONGHORN CATTLE GRAZE IN LOW NUMBERS REEDBEDS FILTER FARMLAND POLLUTION

NATURAL RIVERS HAVE LESS EXTREME FLUCTUATIONS, CLEARER WATERS AND LESS SILT

Natural flood alleviation measures can help slow the flow of water and significantly reduce the impact of flooding on homes and businesses.

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Natural Flood Management, 3

Illustration: www.sjcillustration.com

NATURAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT

Natural Flood Management, 4

NATURAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT VERSION REPRO OP ART

The UK faces a unique set of challenges relating to flooding, linked to our climate, historic land adaptations and past attempts to manage water. For example, our work at WWT Steart Marshes restores saltmarsh to dampen tidal surges.

Many places around the world also rely on wetlands for flood protection, notably in coastal regions that are increasingly afflicted by storms and rising sea levels. Recent research found that mangroves provide floodprotection benefits exceeding US$65bn per year to countries including the USA, China, India and Mexico, with people in Vietnam, India and Bangladesh most reliant on mangroves for flood protection.

Coral reefs protect up to 197 million people in coastal communities worldwide from storm surges and tsunamis.

Yet climate models project that, even if the average global temperature rise is limited to 1.5°C, up to 90% of tropical coral reefs could be lost by 2100.

Over 33% of the world’s mangrove forests may have been cleared between 1980 and 2000, to make way for aquaculture and for their wood. And seagrass meadows are declining by about 10% every year.

Wetlands are vital for flood protection worldwide and so, with your help, we’re working to protect them around the planet.

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Around 6,800 hectares of agricultural land, including Curry Moor shown here, were flooded during the heavy rains of winter 2013-14

follow-on effects through the food chain,’ says Rob. ‘We should start to see more abundant, diverse fish populations, and more insectivorous birds such as dippers.’

Reduced flood risks, better soil, increased biodiversity: it all sounds positive. But is it working in the Two Valleys? ‘The early signs are very encouraging,’ says Rob. ‘However, you need to build up a picture of how interventions are performing over several years, so we’ll continue monitoring the area long after the current project finishes next March.’

Invertebrate surveys by volunteer citizen scientists indicate that water quality is improving downstream from natural flood management interventions, while wider biodiversity is being surveyed via audio and visual monitoring. Camera traps in newly created wet woodland captured pictures of roe deer, badgers, foxes and redwings.

The project is nurturing community engagement too.

‘As a retired biologist, I wanted to get involved in a practical sense, so I’ve joined

‘The central principle of natural flood management is working closely with landowners and local communities to develop solutions’

the survey team collecting water samples from a tributary stream,’ says local resident Jan Swann. ‘The landowner there asked if we could take his grandchildren out with us, because they were interested in nature and wanted to see what we were doing. I’d imagine there are other families who would like a day out looking at what’s living in their local streams.’

‘What we’ve done has improved things,’ adds landowner Wendy Perry, who has worked with Carina to install natural flood management interventions. ‘So far, we’ve seen more dragonflies, butterflies and dippers, and we’ve noticed that the water is flowing a lot slower down the stream.’

FACING THE FUTURE

In future, we aim to explore more naturebased solutions with partners including the Environment Agency, which has announced a £200m innovation fund under its flooding programme. Natural flood management isn’t the whole answer, and we’re still learning about how and where it works best.

But within a broader toolkit of interventions, it can play a significant role in reducing flood risk.

‘There’s always going to be a role for things like flood defence barriers and more hard-engineered solutions,’ explains Rob, ‘but with climate change, flooding is only going to get worse, more severe, more unseasonal. These kinds of natural measures will help future-proof our landscapes.’ n

Jim Hallett/naturepl.com

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GOING WILD ONLINE

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Our continuing work

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Sadly, due to coronavirus, some of our work has had to be put on hold, but we haven’t let that stop our efforts to protect wetlands.

We’ve been keeping you updated with all the latest news via our enewsletter. This is now produced more regularly, bringing a splash of wetland nature to your inbox every month.

There’s something for everyone, from personal insights by the team behind our conservation work to online talks and explainer videos. You can

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even get more involved by reporting your sightings or volunteering.

Our reserves and collections staff have been capturing on camera all the amazing wildlife and incredible moments they’re witnessing as they go about their busy jobs.

We’ve even been able to bring you insights on what goes on after the centres close.

Sign up for our enewsletter at wwt.org.uk/newsletter

l For green-fingered supporters, we developed the gardening hub to help you bring wetlands to your home or workplace. Our website is now overflowing with projects and tips from our expert team. To find out more, visit wwt.org.uk/ gardening-for-wetlands

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Fun for families At the start of lockdown, we realised that many parents were struggling to keep their kids occupied with constructive activities and were looking for ways to fill the gap now they could no longer visit our centres.

So, with the help of our Education Manager, ex-teacher Mark Stead, we

translated our educational materials into home learning resources, so that families could ‘Bring the Wild Home’.

Go online to see 12 weeks’ worth of expert advice, videos and easy step-bystep activities.

l wwt.org.uk/ home-learning

l We know you love learning about wildlife from the expert staff at our centres. So we’re adding to our Wildlife Spotter Sheets all the time. Check back in to see what you can discover: wwt.org.uk/wetland-wildlife

I

This is why during lockdown, WWT worked hard to bring nature to you via our digital channels.

Our window on wetland wildlife enabled you to see all the comings and goings from the comfort and security of your own homes.

Go Digital, 1

E

t’s never been clearer that we need nature in our lives. During lockdown, wildlife lovers everywhere keenly felt the restriction of our access to nature.

Our world suddenly shrank to our gardens and local parks, and some of us could not even go outside.

While there is undoubtedly something special about holding a magazine in your hands, online we can deliver a whole range of exciting media at a faster pace, reaching more people more regularly.

Here’s just some of the exciting content you can find on our website…

Godwits uncovered One of the things many WWT supporters missed most during lockdown was being able to get outdoors and watch birds.

So you asked us to share more of the activity on our wetlands – and we listened.

Thanks to the conservation breeding team, we were able to put a live camera on

l Find out what you missed on the livecam over the summer here – wwt.org.uk/ godwit-cam

one of the nesting black-tailed godwits at our Welney centre, giving unprecedented insights into their family life.

Nearly 8,000 of you tuned in to enjoy the sight of the parent birds hatching and raising their chicks, doing their bit to improve our understanding of the challenges facing this Red Listed species.

In it together Though lockdown brought hardships to many of us, one shining silver lining was the WWT online community.

Thanks to digital media, it no longer matters where we are or what we do, we are brought together by our shared love of nature. We can interact, exchange ideas and make connections, united by our passion for protecting wetlands.

Through email and social media, we were able to tell our members how much we valued your support at this difficult time, and to reassure everyone that we were still caring for the collections and wildlife on our reserves, as well as striving to keep our conservation projects on track.

We can’t tell you how happy it made us to let you know you could once more return to our reserves – and

THANK YOU

we’re loving hearing your feedback about how delighted you were to visit your favourite haunts at our centres since lockdown eased (see page 14).

l Our WWT community has never been stronger and we will continue to bring everyone together virtually.

Sign up here: wwt.org.uk/ newsletter

for sticking by us during this turbulent time. We hope you’ve enjoyed our new digital content and would love to hear about your favourite sections or activities. We’d also like to know what you want more of – perhaps a podcast, or videos and blogs?

Please send your ideas to waterlife@wwt.org.uk NOVEMBER 2020/FEBRUARY 2021

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TIME TO SHINE This is your last chance to enter our 2020 photo competition and show us your best work from the past year. You could win a great pair of Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 binoculars, worth £970

SUBS ART PRODUCTION

We hope you’ve all enjoyed some time with nature over the past few months, and have had time to practise some of the skills and techniques in our Photo Masterclass series.

During the height of lockdown, many of us found solace in our garden wildlife.

While some enjoyed hearing birdsong without road noise, or watching butterflies, photographers turned their lenses on wildlife close to home.

And with more time than ever at home, there was an opportunity to go through a backlog of digital images, processing and perhaps seeing some great shots that had been missed at the time.

So whatever gems you’ve found in your collection – be it beautiful birds or amazing

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LONG-TAILED TIT

BY ANTHONY PLUMMER WWT ARUNDEL

amphibians – you still have time to enter them in our summer photo competition.

You can submit any images taken at our centres since June 2019. And don’t forget this year’s new category for young people aged 16 and under.

You’ve only got until 30 November 2020 to enter. Your image could be published in the March/June 2021 issue of Waterlife and the overall winner will receive a pair of Swarovski CL Companion 8x30 binoculars worth £970. The winner of the youth category will receive £200 worth of vouchers to spend at cliftoncameras.co.uk.

WIN!

SWAROVSKI CL 8X30 BINOCULARS WORTH £970!

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

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

AVOCET BY PETER PREECE WWT SLIMBRIDGE

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Nice weather for ducks – and whooper swans! The feathers of waterbirds are waterproof and trap air to keep them warm

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HOW TO TAKE BETTER PHOTOS...

BAD WEATHER In our course for nature photography enthusiasts, wildlife photographer David Tipling offers his helpful tips to improve your wetland pictures taken at our centres e Brits love to talk about our changeable weather. Though wind and rain might not seem like good conditions to be out with a camera, often the more extreme the weather, the greater opportunity there is to capture eye-catching images.

Like falling snow, heavy rain adds interest to a picture. Try to position yourself so the background behind your subject helps spotlight it. The best way to illustrate falling rain is to shoot into the light with your subject against a dark background.

During heavy rain, mammals and birds tend to sit or stand motionless, occasionally giving a good

Images by David Tipling

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shake or flap to dispel water from their fur or feathers. These moments are perfect for dramatic photography as water flies everywhere. Again, look for a dark backdrop to get the best effect.

Wind can be a great help in photographing flying birds. Ducks, geese and swans will always take off into the wind, and the windier it gets, the slower the birds will fly, helping you keep track of your subject.

Stormy days with sunshine and showers can offer dark, brooding clouds that can make great backdrops for flying birds, especially swans. Look out for those beautiful rainbows for the ultimate backdrop, and stay dry!

GET THE EFFECT Your choice of shutter speed will dictate how falling rain looks in your photo. So it’s worth setting a mode on your camera that allows this control. A slower shutter speed will make rain and snow look streaky, while a fast speed will freeze the falling raindrops. These whooper swans were photographed using a speed of 1/250 sec.

Grey heron

Your wild photos

Go high key If the light is dull and the background is sky or water – as in this case with a grey heron – try overexposing by at least one stop to what your camera is telling you. We call this ‘high key’. It will bleach out your background to help the subject stand out more.

Brown hare

THE WINNER of this issue’s photo contest is Nigel Martin for his image of a flock of pintail ducks in flight.

He says, ‘I took this photo at WWT Slimbridge. Thank you for a great magazine and great content.’ Nigel Martin

Learn to anticipate You’ll need to be alert to capture animals, such as this brown hare, shaking off the water during a downpour. Watch for your subject showing signs of movement, and get ready to press the shutter – the action can be over all too quickly. A fast shutter speed will freeze both the water droplets and movement of an animal or bird.

Black-necked grebe

RUNNER-UP ‘I’m a regular visitor to WWT London and Arundel and enjoy reading Waterlife. Photography is a passion of mine, so here are some photos for publication, including a mallard in the flowers.’ Rob Lear WIN! WIN! WIN! Nigel wins a copy of The Wildlife Photography Workshop

by Ross Hoddinott and Ben Hall, worth £11.89. Well done, Nigel!

Keep shooting When windy days whip up waves on larger stretches of water, use a fast shutter speed to freeze the splashes, as in this picture of a black-necked grebe battling through a wave. It helps to take lots of pictures, so you increase your chances of having at least one shot where the bird is positioned perfectly.

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

We can’t wait to see what you can do!

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Steve ll Backsha

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with

A mallard’s feet are big and broad and webbed for swimming

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Right as rain?

Ducks are forever dabbling and diving under the water or sitting out in the rain, even when it’s freezing cold. But they don’t get soaked or bothered about getting wet. Why not?

Waterbirds such as ducks have their own raincoats. They use their beaks like a paintbrush to coat their feathers with oil from a gland under their tail. And their feathers are especially adapted to break up water into tiny droplets. They can get rid of it with a good shake.

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What would you put on your feet for a walk on a cold, wet winter’s day? Flip-flops or wellies? You adapt to the conditions – and that’s what birds do too. They don’t have the choice of wearing shoes or boots of course.

They are stuck with their bare feet. But those feet are a good fit for the life they lead.

Ducks, geese and swans all have webbed feet. They use them like paddles to power through the water without much effort.

Webbed feet also help them walk on wet or muddy ground, such as the shore of a lake or river. If they had little, narrow, pointy feet they’d sink into the mud. Aargh, help!

No need to panic – those big, broad, webbed feet spread the bird’s weight so soft, squidgy ground is not a problem.

FEATHER FACT

What about birds such as blue tits and blackbirds? They don’t swim in water, nor hang out on wet, muddy ground, so webbed feet wouldn’t be any use. In fact, they could be a disaster! Think about how you move on a climbing frame. You wrap your fingers around the bars and grip. For these birds, trees are their climbing frames, and long, thin toes (like fingers) allow them to cling on. Have you ever seen a swan perching in a tree? Of course not – they’d fall out!

Next time you take a winter walk, look at the footprints you leave in the mud.

Do they look different in different places?

Do you sink into the mud? Look at your friends’ footprints. Can you tell who made which ones? In winter, footprints are fun!

Did you know that mute swans have more than 25,000 feathers, most of which are on their heads and necks?

Talk about a down jacket!

Shutterstock

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LEAVE YOUR MARK

Alamy

ART

What will you wear for your winter walk in the wetlands? A big puffer jacket? Waterproof coat? Wellies?

Whatever you put on, get out there and see what you can find.

There’s a whole wild world waiting for you.

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Hello again

JOKE SPOT

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1

Each of these three wetland birds has left footprints behind in the sand or snow. Can you match each bird with its print?

Look hard at their feet to help you find the right answers.

(Psst – the answers are at the bottom of the page.)

B. Mute swan 2

Kids' Zone, 1

YOU WILL NEED: • your feet!

• poster paint • water • a foot-sized tray • coloured pens or pencils • big sheets of paper

5

What do we call it when it’s raining ducks and geese? Fowl weather!

Print puzzle A. Mallard

Can you go wild with your feet to make a work of art?

Use your bare feet as inspiration...

Stand in the paint so that the underside of your foot is covered, then walk on the paper to leave your footprints. Leave them to dry, then use your pencils or pens to turn them into a wetland creature. Here are a couple of pictures to get you thinking.

John Pender

Best foot first

KIDS’ ZONE

Why not make a toe-d or a s-nail?

TIPS FOR MAKING SENSE OF WINTER

Are you up for a wetland walk?

Get your senses at the ready and use your animal instincts to see, hear, smell and touch nature.

1 2 3

C. Oystercatcher 3

Sniff the air. What can you smell?

Does your nose lead you to water?

Touch a tree. Feel the bark – is it rough or smooth, hard or spongy?

Which way does the wind blow? Wet the end of your finger and hold it up – the cold part will tell you where the wind is coming from.

Hear the grass move.

Does it hiss or rustle?

Rainbow alert. Some people say winter is full of drab colours.

Can you find zingy ones to prove them wrong?

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PRINT PUZZLE ANSWERS: A2, B3, C1

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GREAT DAYS OUT

ARUNDEL Wetland Centre

BN18 9PB 01903 881530

info.arundel@wwt.org.uk WWT Arundel

wwt.org.uk/arundel

GET CLOSER TO WILDLIFE

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Head to WWT Arundel in winter and there is a greater chance that you’ll spot a kingfisher. Although they are here all year round, sightings increase to a peak in December and January.

Look for these flashy fishermen perched on the hand rails near the boat jetty as they fish for roach and rudd fry. They often fly a circuit of the reserve, stopping at perches near the hides, and The firecrest is a tiny, restless one of their favourite jewel spots is the deep water at the Ramsar Hide.

Look out for wading water rails and secretive snipe among the reeds along the edges of ponds, channels and ditches. Shelducks and shovelers winter on the open water, while tiny but vibrant firecrests and goldcrests flit about in the hedgerows. Redwings and fieldfares move through the reserve in December looking for In the winter months, Arundel is host berries to strip from the hedgerows, to a roosting population of marsh and rosy-pink bullfinches become harriers, with up to 11 individuals bolder and easier to spot in the bedding down in the reedbeds. The cold weather. harriers arrive after 3.30pm, when you

inform test ation on wh to exp at ect f your v rom isit

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REPRO OP

VISIT OUR WEBSITE … …for t he la

The marsh harrier roost is a spectacle not to be missed

‘A great place to be outdoors, learning about conservation and observing birds. Very educational and well managed to maintain hygiene and social distance during the pandemic’ SergioR1

FAMILY FUN We’re so excited that our Pelican Cove exhibit opens this November.

Soon it will be home to some incredible Dalmatian pelicans (right) – big birds with even bigger appetites!

Once the pelicans are familiar with their new home, our keepers will lead daily feeds and tell the tale

of how these birds went extinct in the UK. The new Coastal Creek aviary will also open this winter.

Enjoy this walk-through experience surrounded by all sorts of wetland birds that are free to fly above and dive

can look for them from the Scrape and Reedbed hides.

Keep an eye out for up to 200 pied wagtails and a dozen little egrets that come in to roost in the late afternoon.

below you, with expert talks and feeds by our keepers.

With seed in your hand and rare birds from all around the world at your feet, giggles of delight are inevitable as you hand-feed the residents in the Reed Swamp exhibit.

Get up close to

the friendly nene geese with handfuls of healthy grain, available for 20p from our vending machine.

Look out for our new monthly Nature Trail boards dotted around the site. They will help you learn about the seasons and see how plants and animals change, and invite you to take on fun paper-free wildlife challenges.

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In October, wild whooper swans return to WWT Caerlaverock after spending the summer in Iceland. Some pairs will have had cygnets over the summer and will travel back as a family, guiding as many as six youngsters on their first 1,280km journey to Scotland.

Experience the sights and sounds of hundreds of swans, ducks and geese at the daily swan feeds! Watch the antics of our wonderful whooper swans and learn about their individual characters and stories. Booking in advance is essential as we have limited places.

By now, the Svalbard barnacle geese have also arrived in their thousands.

These handsome birds spend the day feeding in the fields around the reserve.

Every so often, they all rise into the air in huge numbers – a breathtaking spectacle of beating wings.

Winter is a great time to see large congregations of colourful ducks all around the reserve, providing great views of teal, wigeon, pintail and shoveler. Waders also number in their thousands, with clouds of knot, dunlin and grey plover swirling out

FAMILY FUN Winter is a great time to visit Caerlaverock.

Watch the antics of the whooper swans at the daily feeds. The wardens will keep the whole family entertained with live commentaries as they feed the birds, pointing out individual swans and revealing their fascinating life stories.

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info.caerlaverock@wwt.org.uk WWT Caerlaverock

wwt.org.uk/caerlaverock

Barnacle geese fly in noisy gangs, making barking or yapping cries

Alex Hillier

REPRO OP

GET CLOSER TO WILDLIFE

DG1 4RS 01387 770200

Whoopers gather at our site

‘A little gem! It is worth diverting from the main roads to find this haven for barnacle geese and whooper swans. Paths to hides are flat and the going is easy. Staff were friendly and helpful’ Graham R on the tide, and large flocks of lapwing and curlew commonly seen around the centre.

The Folly Pond is a great place to see redshank and black-tailed godwit and, if you’re lucky, even the

The daily feeds attract an exciting range of other birds, from mute swans and greylag geese to colourful ducks, including wigeon, teal, mallards, shovelers and tufted ducks. Watch them ducking and diving right outside the window!

As you’re wandering around the reserve, look and listen for the barnacle geese that have flown all the way from Svalbard to

occasional greenshank or spotted redshank. The large numbers of geese, ducks and waders attract some of our most exciting birds of prey to the Solway mudflats, including hen and marsh harrier, peregrine falcon and merlin.

plants, trees, birds, bugs winter on the Solway Firth. and more, that you might Watch them feeding in the normally miss as you walk fields and, if you’re lucky, around the reserve. they may fly overhead in huge numbers while you’re exploring.

Experience a swan feed Slow down, breathe in the fresh air and take a closer look at nature. Discover more about wetlands and their incredible wildlife, as we highlight

Sam Stafford/WWT

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CAERLAVEROCK Wetland Centre

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James Meade

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Castle Espie, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

CASTLE ESPIE Wetland Centre

BT23 6EA 028 9187 4146 info.castleespie@wwt.org.uk

WWT Castle Espie

wwt.org.uk/castle-espie

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The world as we know it may have been standing still, but nature is always on the move. By now, around 25,000 light-bellied brent geese will have returned from the high Arctic to Strangford Lough – a gruelling 3,000km journey.

Our Brent Discovery Hide overlooking the lough is the perfect place from which to watch and listen to these remarkable birds, which are lured back each year by the water’s abundant eelgrass.

Keep your eyes peeled for wigeon, black-tailed godwits and redshanks, all of which are regular visitors at this time of year. If you’re lucky, you may even hear the beating wings of whooper swans overhead!

The transition from autumn to winter can also be seen in the woodlands, where the changing colours of the trees ensure no two visits are the same.

All of our sightings are noted on our website and social media channels, and we love to hear from our visitors too, so don’t forget to share your sightings with us.

FAMILY FUN Castle Espie is waiting for you to come and discover Northern Ireland’s largest collection of native and exotic ducks and geese from around the world.

Grab some seed and feed the birds from your hand, set off on a woodland adventure

The Brent Discovery Hide is a great place to watch and learn about nature

‘In this new world, we were searching for an outdoor activity and alighted on Castle Espie. It was a great place for children, with plenty to keep their imagination running and lots of birds to look at. It felt very safe too’ trin0209

or simply see what wetland wildlife you can spot from the discovery hides, all set against the

The Sensory Garden is fun for everyone

Light-bellied brent geese make an amazing sight

spectacular backdrop of Strangford Lough.

Once you have built up an appetite stretching your legs and filled your lungs with fresh air, warm up and treat yourself to a Fairtrade coffee with

delicious home-made cake or a tray bake, or a bowl of warming homemade soup from the Kingfisher Kitchen.

Finish off your visit with a relaxing walk around the Sensory Garden, where you can enjoy a moment of complete calm in the apple orchard and herb garden, reflecting on the wildlife you’ve discovered, before making your journey home.

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Sacha Dench/WWT; Ben Cherry/WWT; Nigel Snell/WWT

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Llanelli, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

LLANELLI Wetland Centre

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

wwt.org.uk/llanelli

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As winter approaches, it can be tempting to stay indoors, but wetland wildlife is at its best at this time of year.

So wrap up warm and enjoy the wild beauty of the reserve.

The estuary fills with up to 50,000 wintering waterbirds, with rarities such as bitterns sometimes among them.

Look up to watch for hunting birds of prey and, as dusk falls, you may even see an owl – we have all five resident species over the reserve.

As nights draw in, listen out for the thin ‘tzeep’ of migrating redwings overhead, and look for bats flitting after insects, silhouetted against the sky, on warmer evenings.

The lagoons nearest to the estuary are where birds gather in the greatest abundance. Regulars include black-tailed godwits, greenshanks, curlews, pintails, shelducks, shovelers, snipes and teals. High tides push migrating waders closer to the shore and the

FAMILY FUN Enjoy a safe haven of pristine, wide open spaces bursting with wetland nature. Fill your lungs with fresh air, stretch your legs and see what you can discover as you explore our extraordinary wetland paradise!

Adventure awaits in our exciting outdoor play areas. Wind your way past the wizard’s hut and over balance beams in Explore, tunnel through Water Vole

The flamingos are a bright splash of colour on the dullest days

Huge mixed flocks of waders form

‘This is the best place on the planet for a nice walk. The staff are wonderful and the birds magnificent. I love feeding the ducks’ Toby J

hides. Little egrets create a comical sight as several individuals try to roost in the same tree.

Fish are plentiful in the centre’s deep-water lake, as otters and grey

City, navigate your way round Swan’s Nest Maze, and see what you can find to do in Wiggly Wood.

Build your own den, crunch through leaves and jump in gloriously muddy puddles as the seasons change.

Don’t forget to grab a bag of seed (£1.50) to hand-feed our friendly ducks, swans and geese as you go, and feast your eyes on our fabulous flock of colourful Caribbean flamingos – they’re a welcome splash of tropical colour on a grey day.

herons have discovered. The banks contain several burrows used by water voles, so listen closely and you might hear them noisily nibbling the vegetation close to a hide!

It’s fun to feed the friendly nene geese in any weather!

Seek out some special places and look for the wonderful wildlife that calls them home. Will you be lucky enough to spot

an elusive water vole or flashy kingfisher?

Come rain or shine we’ve got you covered, whatever the weather!

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London, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

LONDON Wetland Centre

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

wwt.org.uk/london

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The changing seasons bring all sorts of exciting wildlife to WWT London Wetland Centre. Last autumn, we enjoyed great sightings of water pipit and water rail in nationally significant numbers, so we’re hoping for the same this winter.

Our reserve team has been busy preparing the islands, wader scrape and grazing marsh for our annual influx of wintering ducks. The shovelers and gadwalls that overwinter here are key species for our Site of Special Scientific Interest status. They’re joined by other exciting wildfowl, so look out for wigeon grazing on the marsh or the grassy banks, teal and the charismatic pintail – a firm favourite of Peter Scott.

Autumn brings a steady flow of keen birdwatchers through our gates, hoping to see bitterns lurking in the margins of the reedbeds. These shy birds are normally associated with the extensive wetlands of East Anglia and the Somerset Levels, but here in London they can be seen up close any time between October and March.

Winter is the time to see the fieldfares and redwings that have come over from Scandinavia and

FAMILY FUN Autumn is here! The changing season brings a host of outdoor adventures and exciting things to see, whatever the weather. Escape the city and enjoy a safe haven of wide open spaces, bursting with wetland nature.

Bitterns need water that’s free of ice so they can catch fish and flock to our reserve in winter

‘We loved your one-way system! I hope you can keep it! It led us nicely round the whole site, meant we saw everything but didn’t have to make any tricky decisions about which way to go’ Helen Young northern Europe. These thrushes are best seen either down on the ground or up in the trees and hedgerows, gorging on berries and fruit.

As well as winter’s bird spectacles, Londoners can see an

Fill your lungs with fresh air, stretch your legs and see what you can discover in our Enjoy the antics of our otters

array of fungi at the centre.

From traditional toadstools such as waxcaps, boletes and roundheads to weird and wonderful earth tongues and dead man’s fingers, fingers, our grasslands and areas of deadwood put on a fine fungal display. fine

Look for colourful waxcaps

extraordinary wetland paradise. Stroll through Wetlands of the World and enjoy seeing some of our quirkiest and rarest ducks and swans in their winter finery.

Our Asian short-clawed otters can be seen entertaining throughout the day, swimming and splashing under the

waterfall, grooming and foraging for food.

Head to our outdoor adventure play area for some family fun.

Swoop down the zip wire, balance along bridges and take to the climbing wall.

Then reward yourself with a hot drink and a tasty treat!

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Graham Hann/WWT; WWT; Shutterstock

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Martin Mere, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT VERSION

Martin Mere

MARTIN MERE Wetland Centre

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

WWT Martin Mere

wwt.org.uk/martinmere

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Autumn is an amazing time to visit WWT Martin Mere. Leaves crunching beneath your feet, stunning sunsets across the mere and the arrival of up to 40,000 pink-footed geese make every visit special. These travellers visit us from Iceland and stay just a few weeks on the reserve – resting and refuelling – before continuing their journey further south.

From November, we will welcome home one of nature’s most graceful birds – the whooper swan.

FAMILY FUN Enjoy a safe haven of pristine, wide open spaces bursting with wetland nature. Fill your lungs with fresh air, stretch your legs and see what you can discover as you explore our extraordinary wetland paradise.

Every year, around 2,000 of these majestic birds migrate from Iceland to spend the winter here. They arrive with their cygnets, which are just three months old when they undertake their first migration. Look out for

‘Always impressed by WWT sites. Well managed, with helpful staff, good facilities and a wide range of species. Highlights were skeins of pink-footed geese, whooper swans flying in and a barn owl’ Malcolm S

Winter is the busiest time of year for wildlife comings and goings, so wrap up warm and explore the centre. Our ducks, geese and swans are entertaining all year round, with our new Inca terns and friendly nene geese being favourites.

Get closer than ever by buying a bag of birdseed from the visitor centre to hand-feed the birds.

Many of our ducks are in full breeding plumage, including noisy eider, who make their ‘oo-OO-oo’ call as they flirt and frolic around the

Our flamingos are popular with visitors

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these grey juveniles among the pristine adults.

Don’t overlook the smaller but equally interesting birds that also winter at the site. Plenty of colourful shelducks migrate here after moulting in the Netherlands, and pochard fly all the way from Russia. Add to that pintails and wigeons, and the mere is a birdwatcher’s paradise!

grounds. Other favourites include our flamboyant flamingos, whose pink feathers seem to glow in the winter sun, and our Asian short-clawed otters, who juggle stones and splash around as they forage for food.

Enjoy a hot drink and a tasty snack before heading to our outdoor play area.

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Waterlife

Sarah Freeman/WWT

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At our winter swan feeds, resident mutes are joined by migratory Bewick’s and whoopers

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Slimbridge, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

SLIMBRIDGE Wetland Centre

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

WWT Slimbridge

wwt.org.uk/slimbridge

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Winter is a great time of year to visit WWT Slimbridge and get your new year off to a flying start.

Head to the two-storey Estuary Tower to take in breathtaking views of the Severn Estuary and witness the spectacle of wintering wildlife for miles around. See a myriad of migrant waders such as green sandpipers, dunlins and little stints, as well as the first flocks of Mr James the overwintering ducks flamingo including wigeons, teals and pintails. With about 30,000 wild ducks, geese, swans and waders flying around, you’re sure to see more birds than ever before.

Wrap up warm and climb up to the Tower’s open rooftop for a unique experience. For photographers, there’s plenty of space to set up your tripods and settle in. The only question is which direction to point your camera.

FAMILY FUN Winter is the busiest time of year for wildlife comings and goings.

So wrap up warm and explore the centre.

Now is a great time to get to know our friendly ducks, geese and swans. Get closer than ever by buying a bag of birdseed from the visitor centre to hand-feed

The well-travelled Bewick’s is the smallest of our swans. It has more black on its bill than the similarlooking whooper

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‘A most enjoyable day. I knew what to expect from the website but there was no issue with social distancing. Some areas were closed but there was plenty to see. Children were feeding birds’ Relaxed247 Around the reserve, our guides in the hides will be on hand to help with bird identification and share their knowledge about this wild landscape.

They will also help you spot the first

the birds. It only tickles a tiny bit!

Slimbridge will be bustling with activity over the school holidays.

Try to spot the Bewick’s swans that have returned from Russia. Visit the Arctic Adventure exhibit to sample life as an adventurer, or experience what it’s like to be a real scientific researcher in the Arctic Tundra.

Bewick’s swans returning from the Tundra to winter at Slimbridge. Did you know each bird is recognised as an individual and identified by its unique bill pattern?

Splash around at Welly Boot Land or go wild in the Riverlife outdoor play area. Discover amazing amphibians in Toad Hall and watch the otters splashing around or tucking into a fish supper. Try to find Mr James, the only James’s flamingo among all the other flamingos.

Then reward yourself with a hot drink and a tasty snack.

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Martyn Poynor/WWT

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WASHINGTON Wetland Centre

NE38 8LE 0191 416 5454 info.washington@wwt.org.uk

WWT Washington

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SUBS ART PRODUCTION CLIENT Richard Taylor-Jones/WWT

When roosting, dominant curlews usually take up more sheltered positions within the flock

As the weather cools, fledglings mature and many summer visitors leave the breeding season behind, we see the return of overwintering migrants such as greenshanks and black-tailed godwits, as well as knot and various sandpipers. There are less regular visitors to look out for too!

Autumn welcomes incredible sights and sounds of nature on Keep an eye out the move. Wading for the blue flash of a kingfisher birds including snipe and whimbrel drop in to Wader Lake and the saline lagoon to refuel on their journey, as passing geese and swans occasionally soar overhead. Kingfisher sightings are on the up too!

Our woodlands are now a sheltered sanctuary for bullfinches, nuthatches, great spotted woodpeckers and other woodland birds feasting on a plethora colourful scenery of the seasons as you of nuts and seeds in Hawthorn Wood. walk around our reserve.

Plus you’ll enjoy changing As winter descends, our biggest wild landscapes and the spectacularly spectacle – the winter curlew roost

Ian Henderson

wwt.org.uk/washington

‘First play date with grandkids since lockdown and we wouldn’t go anywhere else. Great system in place to ensure visitors’ safety, but the beauty we love wasn’t spoilt by any of the Covid-19 precautions. Tranquil and just lovely’ Lesley Turner

FAMILY FUN Autumn is here! The changing season brings a host of outdoor adventures and exciting things to see, whatever the weather!

Fallen leaves, pine cones and even a humble stick can inspire fun-filled wild crafts for all the family, and making giant stickfolk is a favourite pastime for visitors to Hollowood.

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Stepping stones provide natural obstacle courses and trails for everyone to follow and enjoy. We encourage little ones (and not-so-little ones!) to enthusiastically jump in natural puddles too – the bigger the better! Bad weather? There’s no such thing!

Our ducks, geese and swans are entertaining all

– starts to build, peaking at dusk in January and February with flocks of over 900 swooping down to roost.

A fabulous sight and sound!

year round, with our feisty bronze-winged ducks and friendly nene geese being most people’s favourites. Many of our ducks are in full breeding plumage, including noisy eider, who make their famous ‘oo-OO-oo’ call

Our flamingos are family favourites!

as they flirt and frolic in Close Encounters.

Meanwhile, whiteheaded ducks perform aquatic handbrake turns and tail flicks, and subtly ‘click’ to woo their partners.

Other favourites include our flamboyant flamingos, whose pink feathers seem to glow in the winter sun, and our Asian shortclawed otters, who juggle stones and splash around as they forage for food.

Sam Stafford/WWT

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Welney, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT

WELNEY Wetland Centre

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This autumn and winter, we’ll probably need to share our favourite wildlife spectacles with visitors in a different way. We’re working to turn the photography basement into an extra area from which you can watch the swan feeds, allowing everyone more space to stay socially distant while enjoying watching birds such as whooper swans and pochards.

The whooper and Bewick’s swans that return to the Fens each winter find the hospitality that our wetlands offer is second to none. We provide somewhere for them to safely rest, preen and feed, with the surrounding arable land being a rich larder of gourmet delights.

We’re planning extra viewing areas along the footpaths between the hides to allow visitors to spread out around the site. These open-air screens will provide additional opportunities to watch the great flocks of birds, spot pintail ducks and enjoy the sights and sounds of winter.

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

wwt.org.uk/welney

What could be more refreshing than a winter walk at Welney Wetland Centre?

CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF WWT WELNEY On 7 November 1970, Mr and Mrs Ernest Kleinwort officially opened the site at Welney to visitors.

From its beginnings as a simple observatory and footbridge overlooking the first few wetland washes, Welney now covers 1,300

We are also looking at adding viewing areas to Lady Fen and varying our opening hours to allow access for anyone who would like to see the amazing spectacle of swans flying out at sunrise. Last winter, we experienced high water levels across

‘Our first visit since lockdown was excellent. Very safe with lots of room, hand sanitiser, clear signage and friendly staff to help. The reserve feels almost “normal”. It was wonderful to be back’ Jane L

FAMILY FUN As colder weather blows in, it’s time to get to know the many beautiful ducks that winter here in the UK. Now is the best time to learn the different species, or just enjoy the variety of plumages.

The males are looking especially sharp in their breeding finery, ready for the season ahead.

One duck you cannot fail to miss is the pochard.

These red-headed diving ducks are often right in front of the main hide, waiting patiently

In winter, male pochards look handsome

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acres of internationally important habitat welcoming thousands of visitors each year. It is with pride and a sense of hope that we look forward to being part of a greater appreciation for wetlands over the next 50 years.

the reserve. This is necessary to help protect homes and businesses in local towns and villages, and more than 30,000 hectares of prime agricultural land, from flooding. But we’re hoping for less water this year, so that we can appreciate the variety of birds our wetlands provide a home for.

Huge flocks of golden plovers, blacktailed godwits and lapwings, as well as birds of prey such as peregrines, and barn and short-eared owls, almost rival the swans flocking onto the washes.

for feeding time. Watch them frantically dive beneath the water’s surface to be first to reach the grain.

You can’t miss the swans that travel thousands of miles to spend their winter with us.

Look out for the many family groups, as broods

of silvery-grey cygnets learn from their parents.

It’s not all about the birds here at WWT Welney – another highlight is the hares on Lady Fen. Look out from the visitor centre and new viewing areas to see if you can spot them chasing each other around and energetically boxing.

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Steart, 1

GREAT DAYS OUT VERSION

Steart Marshes

STEART Marshes

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

WWT Steart Marshes

wwt.org.uk/steart

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The male bearded tit has a black moustache rather than a beard. Look for these stunning little birds flying swiftly across the tops of reedbeds

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As we move deeper into the winter months, the reserve undergoes a wonderful transformation. The vast area of saltmarsh takes on every autumnal colour imaginable, from bright yellows to the deepest reds.

When temperatures drop, the number of wintering birds taking refuge on-site builds. As numbers reach thousands, you can see impressive displays of golden plovers, lapwings, knot and avocets across the open landscape.

The best time to enjoy the spectacle is during the highest tides, when birds are displaced from the mudflats on which they feed. This winter, visitors can enjoy new sheltered views overlooking the River Parrett from the new hide on the riverbank.

With a number of path networks from which to choose, you can enjoy long or short walks outdoors in the crisp, fresh air.

Keep a watchful eye and keen ear as you pass the golden reeds to see if you can hear a bearded tit. Last year we recorded this species on-site for the first time. With its distinctive, loud metallic ‘pinging’ call, it is often heard before it is seen.

’My partner and I visited Steart for the first time in July. It was lovely and quiet, even though people were walking, running, riding bikes and walking dogs on leads. The gravel path was great for wheelchairs and the toilets were open. It was such a lovely walk – I would recommend it’ Mr Fluffy NOVEMBER 2020/FEBRUARY 2021

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Enjoy fresh air and social distancing at Steart Marshes

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wild life

Waterlife chats to one of WWT’s steadfast team about managing cows, water levels and the Washes

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When I’m not managing around 500 cattle that graze the reserve during summer, I do reserve and machinery maintenance, species monitoring and public swan feeds. As we’re a small team, we all help each other out.

Welney is a very wild reserve. We

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always get birds nesting in hides or in the workshop. What I noticed most during lockdown was the lack of traffic noise. It was lovely to hear what nature should sound like.

I love being outside, working with the cattle and nature. I do daily checks on the herds and on the water levels in the ditches and pools. I also radio in any sightings to be shared with visitors. It’s great to see people enjoying wildlife all year round.

David Tough Grazing Officer, WWT Welney Wetland Centre

Without cattle, the reserve and the

surrounding Ouse Washes would look totally different. Cows are fussy eaters – they wrap their tongues around the vegetation and rip it up.

This creates a varied sward height, which provides shelter and food for wildlife. The cows help us remove scrub so it doesn’t take over and ruin the habitat for breeding waders.

Without the herds, the Washes wouldn’t function as effectively as a flood-prevention reservoir.

Cattle churn up the ground around

our pools with their hooves. As long as this ‘poaching’ is managed carefully, it loosens the soil for feeding waders. The insects attracted by cow dung are a great food source – we often see yellow wagtails and cattle egrets following the herds.

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In summer 2017, almost 70 cows

escaped onto the footpath. They spent the night in an area where, just 24 hours earlier, Suki the giant LEGO® brick spoonbilled sandpiper sculpture had stood. I was so glad she’d already left and I didn’t have to rebuild her!

A sense of humour gets us through.

Getting a vehicle stuck in the mud, letting the cows out, accidentally scaring off a bird, trying to sneak a second slice of cake from the café…

Word soon gets round the team and you’re never allowed to forget it!

Water-level management is important but challenging. There are typically high tides each month that we use to keep the pools and ditches topped up. Three sluices allow water onto the reserve, then, with a series of pipes, buckets and right-angled bends, we direct the water to where we need it. In spring, we need the water to be right for breeding waders – high enough to create muddy pool

edges, but not so high that nests are flooded. In summer, the ditches need to be full for the cows to drink and to create ‘wet fences’ between the fields.

Stopping to talk to visitors is great.

Since lockdown eased, everyone I’ve spoken to has been so grateful they’re allowed to visit us again. For many visitors, Welney is the first public place they’ve been to since March. It made me realise how lucky I was to be on the reserve during lockdown.

I love seeing pochards in winter.

Thousands of them fly huge distances to visit Welney. With their red eyes, they’re full of character and are frantic feeders at the swan feeds.

I wish people would respect the

planet. All the plastic waste that gets washed on to the reserve after the winter floods is heartbreaking.

When the graziers drop off their cattle in spring, they trust me to look after them until they take them home in November. It makes me proud when they say how well they look and how much they’ve grown.

The cows are all individuals. They

remember the layout of the ditches, and know where they can cross. That even took me a while to memorise!

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