News
Smew success!
I love Smew. They seem... precise, with tremendous character and depth. I adore the way they animatedly nod at each other as if gossiping maliciously amongst themselves. If a Laysan teal has a cigar and a Carolina a tutu, then a Smew would definitely hav
12 July 2011
New wetland at WWT Welney gets thumbs up from breeding waders
A pair of black-tailed godwits has successfully reared a brood of three chicks on 80 ha of recently created wetlands at WWT Welney Wetland Centre in Norfolk next to the Ouse Washes reserve. Black tailed godwits are now a very rare bird on the Ouse Washes
11 July 2011
Somerset's got wetland talent! Yatton councillor wins WWT's Marsh Award for Wetland Conservation
At a special wetland conference this week, Councillor Tony Moulin received the Marsh Award for Wetland Conservation and a prize of £1,000. WWT gives the Marsh Award to recognise the good work and talent of people who create and look after wetlands. This
5 July 2011
Wetland loss threatens wildlife and people, leading conservationists warn
More wetlands need to be created across the UK to safeguard wildlife and human health and prosperity, according to leading experts. Nearly one hundred of the country’s top wetland conservation scientists met last week to discuss the threat to wetlands,
5 July 2011
Somerset’s Got Wetland Talent!
Yatton councillor wins £1,000 for his work at the Strawberry Line and Biddle Street SSSI Jo Winyard of the Marsh Christian Trust presents Tony Moulin with The Marsh Award for Wetland Conservation, L-R: Faith Moulin, Tony Moulin, Jo Winyard, Rob Shore (W
1 July 2011
Billy the bruiser rules the roost
Little Billy the bruiser rules the roost A small crane, who makes slugs and worms his dish of the day, has emerged as the surprise leader of the pack at this year’s Crane School at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire. Billy is one of the class of cranes b
1 July 2011
Chinese spotbill surprise...
My experience of Chinese Spotbill is that they are a flighty duck, with a delicate temperament and a tendency for secrecy. In 2010 we put a pair in a breeding aviary in the outside duckery, and they spent all year doing absolutely nothing whilst hiding i
1 July 2011
Research team take rare eggs to save species from extinction
Under gruelling conditions and amid fears it might be too late, a conservation breeding team in the remote Russian Far East has collected a clutch of spoon-billed sandpiper eggs, signalling an incredible step towards safeguarding the species from extincti
28 June 2011
A little gosling take over!
The Duckery is over-run this year, not least with the influx of goslings coming our way!Never before have the Downy Duckling Day tours been blessed with so many little balls of fluff toddling across the grass... To top it all off they contain species whi
28 June 2011
Schools demand access to the outdoor classroom
Teachers are calling for more outside facilities to ensure all children and young people have the opportunity to learn outdoors and have contact with nature. Tomorrow (Friday 24 June), more than 50 sites will respond to this demand by hosting visits from
24 June 2011
Relax and enjoy a stress-free September with WWT
Wellbeing Month, 1-30 September Escape the stresses of daily life this September and regain that relaxed holiday feeling as you head into autumn. September at Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) centres across the UK is ‘Wellbeing Month’, and there is
23 June 2011
Bufflehead
Bufflehead are brilliant. They hatch from the tiniest of eggs into veritable balls of monochrome fluff, and their bold black caps and soft dark eyes prove to be very captivating. As the very smallest of the divers they are exceptionally delicate, easy to
23 June 2011
Greater Magellan developments
Yay! After a difficult incubation period with cracked eggs and an abandoning mum, Mrs. Magellan's eggs finally hatched in our incubators to produce 5 wonderful goslings... These little stripy balls hatched out to great applause from duckery staff after t
21 June 2011
Black-headed ducks
These ducks may be brown, dull, and mousey in many aspects, but they are absolutely stunning in others! The black-headed duck or "cuckoo duck" is to me the most fascinating and innovative of all the birds we keep at Slimbridge. The birds live solitary liv
16 June 2011
Black bellied whistling ducks :)
These little guys have worked hard to become the universal Downy Duckling Day favourite this year, and they really do deserve it!! The black-bellied or southern red-billed whistling duck is a relatively common duck native to the southern USA, Mexico an
13 June 2011