Washington news
Five go off on an adventure (video)!
The chicks get used to their new surroundings Frankie, Nico, Fran, Phil and Flo – WWT Washington Wetland Centre’s very own famous five flamingo chicks – have embarked on their biggest adventure yet; moving in w
5 May 2013
Beautiful bluebells and wonderful wildlife ponds
At this time of year, things are changing daily on the reserve. On 3 May, the first bluebells started to flower in the dappled shade of Spring Gill Wood. At the moment, the gill is definitely the place to be if you enjoy flowering flora, as wood sorrel
5 May 2013
Happy news from the heronry
Grey heron chicks on a nest (N.B. a little older than our current ones!) "Despite the weather-related setback to the grey heron colony earlier this year, it is great to see that the second nesting attempts have been a
1 May 2013
Spring migrant update
What a difference a week makes. After a recent break of six days away, it was great to get back out on the reserve and check the progress of our spring arrivals - and I was not disappointed! Chiffchaff by Ray Cottrell
21 April 2013
New life is starting to stir amongst our wonderful wetlands
Don’t miss what’s starting to lay, nest and hatch at our award-winning nature reserve this spring! Nene and gosling by Kathleen Misajon Nothing gets you closer to the magic of spring than witnessing the emergence
11 April 2013
Can you tell what it is yet!?..
With essential tree felling work still going on around site (partly cutting down dangerous trees, partly pollarding/coppicing to encourage spectacularly colourful regrowth and entice more wildlife), we've been asked what we're doing with the left over log
7 April 2013
Read the latest goings on from our wildlife reserve
Reserve manager John Gowland said: "The theme of this report has very much been guided by the easterly winds, which have been bringing cold weather to our shores. Avocet by Alan Hewitt Last year’s March reserve repo
4 April 2013
Lunch with the birds - interview with our reserve manager John Gowland
Our reserve manager John Gowland met up with the Sunderland Echo's Alison Goulding on her lunch break, as part of Bird Watching magazine's Birding Lunch campaign (1-5 April 2013
27 March 2013
'Nenenene' heralds new life despite wintry weather
Two Hawaiian goose goslings have defied the winter weather and hatched at our duckery, where they can now be seen by the public. Also know as 'nenes' (pronounced 'naynays') because of their soft grumbling call, these gentle geese - classified as vulnera
25 March 2013
National tourism award finals beckon for WWT Washington
WWT Washington Wetland Centre is thrilled to announce that it is a finalist in the Small Visitor Attraction category of the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2013. Eurasian crane by Kaleel Zibe Excited st
21 March 2013
Star student scoops major science award for flamingo flock project
A North East research student has been named the UK’s Young Scientist of the Year 2013 for her work involving some of WWT Washington Wetland Centre’s most endangered waterbirds. Emily O’Regan clinched the prestigious title at the National Science +
19 March 2013
Washington volunteer clinches top zoo job
A Washington volunteer has flown the nest and landed a top aviculture job at an internationally-renowned conservation charity. Rebecca Meikle, who began volunteering alongside captive animal manager Owen Joiner at the age of 15, fought of tough competitio
13 March 2013
Essential tree works taking place
We have essential tree surgery taking place on site from Monday 11 March for a few days. This will involve the removal of some dangerous trees and the pollarding or coppicing of others. We will try to keep disruption to an absolute minimum but apologise f
7 March 2013
A 'wood'-erful new welcome for our visitors
Doesn’t the new dead-hedge fence winding down our entrance path look brilliant!? It’s the work of our reserve warden John and his very dedicated volunteers, who have spent a great deal of time and effort on it. As well as creating a rather magical-loo
7 March 2013
Besottered! When Musa met Mimi...
Musa the otter has met his love match! Musa (top) and Mimi. Photo by Annie Lee. Our resident Asian short-clawed otter has fallen head over paws for an 18-month-old female brought in from the Wildfowl & Wetlands Tr
21 February 2013