News
Seasonal species highlights - autumn hints and tips
Autumn this year has proved to be great so far, with lots of bird species being spotted on our reserve. Many visitors ask us for species highlights to look out for during a visit, so bearded tits aside (these were spotted around our saline lagoon on Sat
4 November 2022
Top 5 things to do this October half term
Visiting our wetlands in autumn can be truly amazing. But it's great to have an idea when visiting with family and friends of the best things to do while you're here. With this in mind, we wanted to share our TOP 5 things to do this half term week! 1
17 October 2022
Because you know we're all about the bats...
When you wander around Washington WWT you’ll see a lot of bird boxes up in the trees, but there are other boxes that look a little different with the entrance at the bottom. These have been designed to provide roosts for bats rather than birds. Becau
8 October 2022
Wetland-inspired words to mark National Poetry Day
It's #NationalPoetryDay, the annual celebration of making, experiencing and sharing poetry.This year's theme is 'Environment', with a call to action to find or write a poem that speaks about something you’d like to change or praise about the environment
6 October 2022
13 reasons why we LOVE otter Musa on his birthday
As our otter dad Musa celebrates his 13th birthday, we take a look at why he's such a hit
3 October 2022
Eeks!sperience the weird but wonderful side of wetlands
Be part of our eek! Weeks interactive family wildlife trail this October
29 September 2022
Success for new otter enrichment tools
When it comes to mental wellbeing, it’s not just us humans who benefit from a bit of mindfulness every now and then. Our Asian short-clawed otter family – Musa, Mimi and their son Buster – are carefully monitored by our team to ensure that their
27 September 2022
Restore your wellbeing in our wetlands this autumn
To experience wetlands in autumn is to know them at their most restorative. Just as they offer a two-way rest and refuelling point for migrating birds and sanctuary to thousands of animals as the colder weather creeps in, they also provide the perfect pl
15 September 2022
Art workshops set to get creative juices flowing this autumn
A series of wetland-themed workshops are being held this autumn at Washington Wetland Centre by the incredibly talented Amy Brooks, AKA Mrs BArts. Come and join us for some creative fun, perfect for those with art experience or those new to art, everyon
23 August 2022
WWT Washington achieves ‘TOP 10’ status for UK common tern populations
Washington Wetland Centre has been ranked in the ‘Top 10’ sites for common tern in Great Britain. Our site has been named the ninth most important in the UK for populations of amber-listed common tern by a Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) data report fro
17 August 2022
How our animals stay cool in hot weather
With the recent hot weather and more forecast, we often get asked how we help keep our animals cool. There's no real art to keeping our birds and otter family cool; many techniques are down to their own adaptations. But there are definitely some ways we
13 August 2022
Amazing moths!
Moths are arguably the Marmite of the insect world but for us, it’s a definite love.Often feared or maligned as dusty, cloth-eating pests, these fascinating creatures are more similar to their colourful butterfly cousins than you might realise – and a
10 August 2022
Placement student gains valuable experience at Washington Wetland Centre
Each and every day we are inspired by our staff and volunteers. We are very fortunate to work in an environment with so much passion, knowledge and trust. One where we motive our peers and encourage growth for anyone that wants it. We open this opportuni
8 August 2022
Families flock to Washington Wetland Centre to become fully-fledged Junior Wetland Rangers
North East families looking for some fun with a difference this summer are heading to a Wearside wetland reserve to become fully-fledged Junior Wetland Rangers. Young visitors to Washington Wetland Centre are getting hands-on with real-life rangers durin
2 August 2022
Top 5 things to do this summer at Washington Wetland Centre
Families across the North East can follow in the muddy footsteps of Washington Wetland Centre’s rangers this summer, with a host of daily hands-on activities designed to teach conservation skills while having fun outdoors. Read on for our Top Tip
25 July 2022