Washington news
How our animals stay warm in cold weather
With the recent cold weather and more forecast, we often get asked how our animals stay warm. There's no real art to keeping our birds and otter family warm; many techniques are down to their own adaptations. But there are some things we do and ways we
10 January 2024
Exploring our wetlands in the rain
Have a wild adventure whatever the weather
2 January 2024
New Year's Day wildlife list
New Year's Day has been kicked off nicely with a wildlife count by volunteer Melissa. She found 37 bird species, 11 fungus, 10 flowering plants, 1 mammal (plus tracks of another 5) and 4 invertebrates! Here's her breakdown: Bird species Blue titBlackbir
1 January 2024
Elf Academy brings festive cheer to Northeast children
More than 150 children across the Northeast will receive an extra special festive gift this year, thanks to WWT Washington’s Elf Academy graduates. The donated gifts form part of the wetland centre’s Christmas event, which sees children enrolling on
20 December 2023
A winter wonderland inspired by the art of Sir Quentin Blake
Grab your best bobble hat, pick up a Quentin Blake ‘Drawn to Water’ illustrated guide, and get exploring! While other parts of the natural world hibernate, wetlands come to life as thousands of birds make WWT Washington their home over winter. Y
12 December 2023
Planned path works - 29 November 2023
Path closure noticeWe have contractors on site on Wednesday 29 November to fix the path between our otter enclosure and Wader Lake. To allow vehicle access, we'll be closing off the path from our domestic duck exhibit down to the otters for the duration o
27 November 2023
Alternative spooky animals
When you hear the words ‘spooky animals’ your mind probably instantly goes to things like bats, black cats, crows, rats, and toads. These are just some animals that instantly seem spooky and have a long association with the magic and mystical in Briti
1 November 2023
The art in autumn leaves
Autumn is the time of year we see a dramatic change of colour within nature. But the science behind it is really quite clever...
31 October 2023
Top Things to do This Autumn
Autumnal wetlands are spectacular places to be.With dramatic skies, an abundance of bird life and colour aplenty, they are truly uplifting in their beauty and offer something to engage people of all ages and interests.Knowing that there’s so much to dis
26 October 2023
EEK!-xperience the weirder side of wetlands this half-term
Calling all f-f-f-families - the frighteningly fantastic eek! week is returning to Washington Wetland Centre this October! Join us as we get close to the weird and wonderful side of wetland nature during this interactive, outdoor event. Winding its wa
18 October 2023
Restore your mental wellbeing in our uplifting wetlands this autumn
Whether it’s a gently swaying reedbed, a calm meandering river, huge open skies above a glass-like lake or the seclusion of a small woodland pond, wetlands in all their forms offer us a ready distraction from our everyday lives. Not only do they give u
10 October 2023
Centre wins top tourism award from VisitEngland
We've won a top tourism award!Washington Wetland Centre has been awarded a Gold Accolade from VisitEngland – one of just eight visitor attractions in the North East to clinch the honour. Our site is among a handful of worthy winners from across the reg
5 October 2023
Musa celebrates his 14th birthday
Asian short-clawed otter Musa may be 14, but he's showing no signs of slowing down. He's an incredibly active otter and has been a firm favourite with staff and visitors at Washington Wetland Centre for 12 years! To celebrate his 14th birthday, we wante
3 October 2023
Work begins on new artificial sand martin bank at Wader Lake
An artificial sand martin bank – with space for a potential 100 nesting pairs – is being built at WWT Washington Wetland Centre.Work began this week on the creation of the bank at Wader Lake, which welcomes the migratory birds from April onwards each
28 September 2023
Autumn migration is in full swing for many birds
Autumn is a fantastic time to see nature on the move. Many wetland birds are preparing for the long journey to their winter destinations at this time of year. Our reserve offers the perfect place to rest and refuel overnight or during periods of bad wea
26 September 2023