Skip to content header Skip to main content Skip to content footer

Wings and wonders: winter wildlife adventures at WWT reserves

Explore the best of winter wildlife at WWT reserves.

Brrr-illiant news from WWT reserves this winter! Despite the chilly temperatures, our sites are alive with activity, with our birds flaunting their stunning plumage. From vibrant ducks to graceful waders, there’s something for every nature lover. So, let’s dive into the season’s top highlights from across our reserves, brought to you by Leigh Marshall, our Head of Reserves.

WWT Steart Marshes

A least sandpiper, but certainly not the least exciting!

The big star at WWT Steart this winter? A least sandpiper - a first for Somerset and only the 46th ever recorded in the UK! They breed on the North American tundra and winter between the southern US and northern South America. This pint-sized visitor, that’s only the size of a sparrow, is the smallest wader in the world. It’s been charming visitors since early January, and it’s often accompanied by an overwintering little stint.

Often found in UK wetlands in autumn and winter, this little stint (left) poses with the much rarer least sandpiper (right). The pale yellow/green legs are a key ID feature © Tom Hines/X

Add to that 5,500 lapwing, 2,000 wigeon, 1,800 golden plover, 1,600 teal and a tame glossy ibis posing for photos (header image © Sam Wall), and it’s been a flurry of activity!

Another least sandpiper size comparison, this time with a wader we’re all familiar with, common redshank © Lee Gregory/X

WWT Slimbridge

Swans, sandpipers, and spoonbills.

This winter’s lineup at WWT Slimbridge has been nothing short of spectacular. We’re talking whooper swans, a long-staying white-rumped sandpiper, as well as spoonbills and Richard’s pipits strutting their stuff. Our egret roost has been thriving too, with 22 cattle egrets, two great egrets, and 20 little egrets hanging out in style. And while Bewick’s swan numbers remain low with a peak of 74 in January, their charm is as strong as ever.

And after a long absence it’s been fantastic to see bearded tits again, with up to four seen across the reserve.

One of the Slimbridge whooper swans (right) with a Bewick's swan (left) © Toby Carter/X

WWT Martin Mere

Pink-feet, pintails, and ruffs.

WWT Martin Mere has been transformed into a winter wonderland with a whopping 10,000 pink-footed geese gracing the grasslands. Add in 795 whooper swans, plus 700 pintail, 2,100 teal, 400 wigeon and a ruff gathering (42 so far), and you’ve got a wildlife extravaganza. We also have black-tailed godwits that like coming along to our swan feeds and it’s lovely to see these amazing waders so close.

Black-tailed godwit at Martin Mere © Lisa Wilkinson-Gamble

WWT Washington

Curlews on parade.

WWT Washington has pulled out all the stops this winter with 800 curlews roosting on Wader Lake making quite the spectacle! High water levels have attracted over 20 goosanders, and even the feeding station has been a hive of activity with nuthatches, bramblings, and elusive water rails dropping by for a snack.

Part of the Washington curlew flock © Ian Henderson

Castle Espie

A feast for farmland birds, while storms bring unexpected bonus.

It’s been a bit of a calm winter at the reserve so far, but that doesn’t mean things have been boring! While brent goose numbers have dropped as many birds head further south, we’ve been delighted to see flocks of waders like golden plover, knot, and dunlin making their regular appearances.

Brent geese at Castle Espie © Jonathan Clark

To keep our birds well-fed through the winter, we’ve been regularly topping up our bird feeders and tables. We’ve also added a special treat to our grasslands: mixed grain bird feed, aimed at attracting flocks of finches and other farmland birds that used to frequent the reserve, such as yellowhammers and tree sparrows. And it’s working, with tree sparrows making a comeback on site after a few years’ absence! Plus, we’ve noticed a lovely increase in other species like bullfinches and stonechats – it’s always exciting to see new faces around.

Meanwhile the stormy weather and high tides have brought an unexpected bonus: more waders using the reserve as a high tide roost, with a record 34 greenshanks counted! That’s a new high for the site.

Greenshanks at Castle Espie © Jonathan Clark

WWT London

A winter escape in the heart of the city.

Water pipits and bitterns have been making daily appearances, while our duck counts remain impressive with more than 70 shoveler, wigeon, and gadwall. A Jack snipe popped by, and two bearded tits have been hanging around since early December, spreading joy to all who spot them! We’ve even had an irregular Caspian gull dropping in.

It’s been a bit of a quieter winter for some species after the wild November rush, but we’re hopeful February will bring some exciting returns. The team is working hard opening up more spaces for dragonflies and giving those habitats a little extra love.

As for fungi, we’ve catalogued an impressive 70 species, including velvet shank, sordid blewit, and blackening waxcap. These little wonders are proof of the careful micromanagement that goes into maintaining this little green gem right in the heart of London!

Velvet shank fungi at London © WWT London

WWT Arundel

A winter wonderland of waders, marsh harriers and kingfishers.

At Arundel, the winter birdwatching is nothing short of spectacular. We’ve been spotting up to 250 lapwings, along with some rare treats like black-tailed godwit, and even up to 11 marsh harriers roosting in the reedbeds. Kingfishers? They’re being seen everywhere – a perfect treat for every visitor! We’re hearing water rails in more spots than usual, and a pair of pintails made a rare appearance in January.

It’s also been a good season for the odd elusive bird like the bittern and our flocks of shelduck, though they haven’t been breeding here in recent years. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for next season!

Bittern at Arundel © WWT Arundel

WWT Llanelli

Awash with rare visitors.

At Llanelli, our wintering birds are looking fabulous, particularly the shoveler and wigeon, who are looking resplendent in the low winter sun. The estuary is buzzing with pintails, brent geese, and plenty of waders like oystercatchers and black-tailed godwits feeding on the energy-rich mud flats. And don’t even get us started on the rare visitors. Glossy ibis, spotted redshank, and merlin have been spotted regularly. A flock of 17 spoonbills has been the talk of the town, with nine sticking around for regular sightings.

Four of the Llanelli spoonbill flock © swb_wildlife_cymru/X

The Millennium Wetlands have been full of action too, with snipe (and the occasional Jack snipe) darting through the reedbeds. We’ve also been lucky enough to spot otters as well as weasels and stoats. And keep an eye out for redwings. Their little ‘tseep’ calls are everywhere! Our volunteers have been hard at work getting our wet woodlands in tip top shape for willow tits, and we hope to have kingfishers scouting for nest sites very soon.

WWT Welney

Swans, storms and surprises.

At WWT Welney, despite the seasonal floods, our team has been keeping spirits high. After the waters receded in October, the wetlands looked incredible, filled with wintering birds. December brought more flooding, but despite water levels now having receded, the swans are continuing to stay away from the regular swan feeds, leaving us with a cozy crowd of pochard and mallards instead.

But the swans have been making up for it elsewhere. Our winter roost counts revealed a jaw-dropping 14,444 whooper swans! Unfortunately, Bewick’s swan numbers have dipped this year, with only 71 counted, but we’re hopeful for better counts later on this winter. Other winter visitors include short-eared owls, cranes, and even some brent geese. And when the waters lower, the land is packed with black-tailed godwits, lapwings, and plenty of waders.

Whooper swans, black-tailed godwits, pintail and teal at Welney © Dawn Balmer/X

Caerlaverock

A goose-tastic recovery.

A round of applause for the barnacle geese, whose numbers have bounced back to pre-bird flu levels after some productive summers!

Barnacle geese at Caerlaverock © WWT Caerlaverock

The site’s new pools have been a smash hit with lapwings, snipe, and golden plovers. And we’ve also had a mischievous otter cavorting near the office. Who can blame the site manager for being distracted?

It’s also been great to see egrets using the site more with 19 little egrets and two great egrets spotted on some of our newly created wetlands.

Great egret at Caerlaverock © WWT Caerlaverock

And now for the numbers game...

We couldn’t resist crunching some numbers from across our ten reserves for you bird nerds out there. It’s great to see how WWT sites are now supporting such good numbers of roosting egrets this winter:

  • 127 cattle egrets
  • 2 great egrets
  • 150 little egrets
  • A combined peak of 279 egrets roosting this winter, compared to 140 Bewick’s swans. A fascinating shift in just a decade.

Supporting wildlife, together

Thank you for supporting our conservation work across our WWT reserves. Each of these achievements is only possible with your help. Together, we’re creating a brighter future for wildlife.

Ready to get your next nature fix?

This winter our sites are proving that wetlands really are one of the best places to see British wildlife up close. So don’t wish away winter quite yet. Make the most of the last few weeks to visit one of our centres and have an amazing wildlife encounter.

Not a member? Book online and save time on arrival.

Find your nearest WWT wetland site
  • Share this article