Phoebe Vaughan is duckery warden at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. Follow her blog throughout the seasons in order to discover the highs and lows of working as an Aviculture Warden at WWT Slimbridge. Follow Phoebe's diary and keep up to date with all the feathery goings-on at the duckery.
Duck diary
Let's hear it for the boys!
Well having set aside a whole post last month in order to celebrate the efforts of the girls, let's re-dress the balance... Just look at this male Hooded Merganser. No male sawbill puts quite as much effort into the vanity department as the Hoodie. The sk
23 July 2014
Some finer details... Red.
Awh the joys of interpretation... I spend more time looking after my charges than reading formal papers on them... Left on my lonesome as I often am, observations are readily made as to the reasons behind some wildfowl colourations. I love tying physical
19 June 2014
Let's hear it for the girls!
There are some gorgeous little natural incubators dotted about the WWT breeding aviaries at the moment. I thought that with so many photo opportunities around I would give you a short class in 'Egg defence.' As with all expectant mothers, it goes without
27 May 2014
Gravid. Heavy. Huge!
Just a little post for those of you who fancy a potentially new technical term! We all know that ducks lay eggs, and we are all familiar with the term "pregnant," but there is a more appropriate term for avian species. Pregnant is a term reserved for mamm
2 May 2014
Flirting; the waterfowl way...
Attraction is a fascinating concept. I just love looking at the breeding birds interact at this time of year. There are so many reasons for and variations in copulation display across the animal kingdom that it is difficult to even know where to start! I
11 April 2014
New pairs in the breeding pens!
Whilst we are not new to breeding any of these species, they are all new 2014 additions to our breeding aviaries this season. Why is this important news you say? Well, a mixed exhibit is genuinely considered by many in the breeding business as a genuine
1 April 2014
Arundel hatches it's first Nene chick; at Slimbridge!
Anything cute and fluffy is sure to get an "aaah" round these parts, but my personal belief is that nothing on earth beats the cuteness of a Nene gosling. BBF's gosling looking up quizzically. This particular gosli
19 March 2014
A week "job-swapping" at Pensthorpe.
This week I was lucky enough to visit Pensthorpe Wildlife and Gardens in order to work and learn behind the scenes. Their warden Kat MacPherson then made her own way to WWT Slimbridge Wetlands Centre for a low-down in flamingo husbandry.
8 March 2014
Welcoming BIJ and BGP to the WWT way.
A quick note to celebrate the partnership of Nene pair BIJ and BGP and the new part they have to play in our adoptions scheme at WWT Slimbridge! This pretty young duo will now be offered out for adoption as part of our adoptions packages. As ever, adopter
1 March 2014
Breeding :)
There are springtime vibes in the air at WWT Slimbridge Wetlands centre this February, as some very dedicated females begin their breeding seasons... An intrepid female southern pochard on her nest in mid-January!
25 February 2014
Class of 2013.
Inspired by my colleague James after he pictured the beak of a juvenile Bewick's swan turning from pink to yellow, I've decided to go back and catch up on the class of 2013. A male Freck coming into colour for the first ti
3 February 2014
Another selection of "early birds!"
In addition to the previous post, some more southern hemisphere species are also beginning to get in the mood at the WWT Slimbridge Wetlands Centre this week... A heavy South African black duck. This gorgeous SA black
30 January 2014
A New Year; a new season!
January. Traditionally a month of freezing temperatures and hard frosts, bare ground, minimal vegetation, and minimal natural enrichment. This is a time for wildfowl to hunker down, sit in sheltered hollows and catch any passing rays; all the time using u
16 January 2014
Hurrah for the little brown jobs (LBJs)!
The small brown ducks are having a moment, a moment of rarity. The Madagascan pochard has been pushed to the brink and back, the Baers pochard is on the brink. Ferruginous duck numbers are declining, and small brown endemics like the Koloa and Laysan rema
17 December 2013
Nene pairs released for the 2014 breeding season.
Nene in the catching corral. The Nene flock at Slimbridge fluctuates from between 65-85 birds during the seasons, and our beloved pairs breed and multiply in the Spring before being redistributed in the Autumn. Some
12 December 2013