Spectacular spring at Slimbridge
Escape the everyday this season and enjoy an outdoor adventure for everyone.
Escape the everyday this season and enjoy an outdoor adventure for everyone.
Get closer to spring wildlife and feel renewed and refreshed by the vibrant energy of our wetlands at this time of year. See below highlights for your next day out with us.
Spot stunning spring wildlife
There’s something new to spot on every visit to Slimbridge.
The beginning of March has seen the first taster of spring with bumblebees buzzing about the site, the commencing of nest building, and the migration starting for the Bewick's swans, white-fronted geese and pochard.
Avocet and oystercatcher numbers will begin to increase across the site as they arrive back for the breeding season. 72 avocets have already been recorded on South Lake from the start of March.
Make sure to stop and study the summer plumage appearing, with the black-headed gulls, golden plover and black-tailed godwits looking fabulous!
Listen out to 'resident' birds in song including song thrush, blackbird, chaffinch, dunnock, robin and wren. And keep an ear out for skylark singing.
Sightings to look forward to include the first butterflies emerging from hibernation, cranes dancing and starting to re-establish their breeding territories and lapwings displaying over the wet grasslands.
In April sedge warbler and reed warbler will arrive and start to sing in the reedbeds so do listen out for these.
Follow our Latest Sightings page for the most recently wildlife seen on site.
Discover memorable activities
From learning Slimbridge secrets with our free, family-friendly app - Wetland Heroes, to experiencing activities like our pond dipping during our Easter holidays on our Duck Detectives trail, there’s plenty of memories to be made for all of the family.
From April you can see Slimbridge and our wildlife-rich wetlands like never before on a Canoe Safari. Paddle out along our serene waterways. Look out for ducks, geese and swans from the water and explore the trail surrounded by reed-bed habitats, overhanging trees and vibrant flowers.
At the beginning of May celebrate Dawn Chorus Day with us on a special Birdsong Workshop and come and listen to the fabulous chorus of birdsong as they wake for the day.
New this spring
We are always working to improve and update our centre so that everyone can enjoy a great day out with us.
Our latest updates include opening a Changing Places Toilet which gives visitors to Slimbridge use of a larger accessible toilet for severely disabled people, as well as an adjustable changing bench, hoist and washbasin.
We have also revamped our Welly Boot Land play area, providing new play equipment and improved surfacing.
Ready to visit?
If you’ve been inspired to visit Slimbridge this spring, find out more and plan your visit online.
