Peter Morris, head of PR & Campaigns at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) has kindly answered some questions about their nature reserves and their important conservation work.

Can you explain a bit about the WWT, what is your aim and how did you start?

The Slimbridge Wetlands Centre was set up in 1946 by Sir Peter Scott, the son of Antarctic explorer Captain Robert Falcon Scott. In Captain Scott’s final letter before he died, he asked his wife to get their son interested in nature. Sir Peter Scott was inspired to found the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and he become one of the world’s pioneer conservationists.

WWT continues to promote Sir Peter’s four aims of education, recreation, research and conservation action – and that everyone can have fun getting close to nature. We now have nine visitor sites around the UK where families come to have fun and children often have their first experience of getting close to nature by, for example, feeding the rarest goose in the world. As well as inspiring the conservationists of the future, we work around the world to save endangered wetlands and wetland species. We are involved in projects as far apart as China, Bulgaria and Madagascar where we are saving wetlands for wildlife and people.

What sort of birds can be seen at the Wetland Centres and how do the reserves differ?

WWT Wetland Centres are designed to make close-encounters with awe-inspiring nature possible for everyone. Each site takes you on a journey into wetland habitats, one of our most precious resources. Wetlands act like a sponge which stores rainwater and controls flooding. Wetlands create clean water by filtering it, and the nutrients filtered out create food for abundant and diverse plantlife. At our centres you start by finding out about the water cycle before discovering some of the amazing plants and animals which live in wetlands. You can pond dip for minibeasts and go hunting for frogs, newts and dragonflies. Then it’s out to our collections of amazing water birds and wetland mammals from around the world all seen in their natural environments.

You might find a nene ‘pronounced Nay Nay” – a goose from Hawaii which WWT saved from extinction in the 1950s. You can not only see the surviving few’s descendants, they’ll insist you fuss them and feed them too! All our centres are surrounded by beautiful reserves where you can see the best of British wildlife rolled out before you. Guides in hides will help you identify the thousands of birds you might see before you. It’s quite a sight, Sir Peter Scott used to call it Britain’s “avian Serengeti”.

Each of our nine visitor centres around the UK has a different ‘feel’ and the ever-changing natural surroundings create unforgettable experiences. Caerlaverock on the coast near Dumfries has a very wild feel as you look at the world’s main wintering ground for barnacle geese. Thousands graze across the landscape and fill the sky when disturbed. At the other end of the scale in London it’s just amazing to be engrossed in watching and listening to a bittern booming in a reed bed while the buzz of London traffic and planes fades away into the distance. The centres offer different experiences too. Martin Mere in Lancashire is one of several which offer canoe safaris so you can glide up to waterbirds without disturbing them. You can do the same at Arundel in the shadow of the fantastic castle but with a little less effort in an electric boat. You can sneak up on wildlife while keeping fit on a mountain bike at Llanelli.

There are different animals at different sites – Washington in north east England and Castle Espie in Northern Ireland are among the centres where you can see otters feeding and playing. If you’re very lucky you might even see a beaver at Slimbridge or Martin Mere. Welney in Cambridgeshire is the best place to see one of England’s best kept secrets, the Fenlands: Its the site of mass winter gatherings of many thousands of wild ducks, geese and swans.

Do the birds change according to the seasons, and migrations? What birds can seen in summer that are not there in winter and vice versa?

Every day is different at our centres. We provide a great quality habitat for our permanent collections of international birds, and that means we’ve always got wild birds dropping in to enjoy the surroundings too. In spring and summer it’s the habitat that attracts them. The reeds and marshes provide nesting grounds for ducks, coots, swans and much more. Dragonflies, wildflowers and amphibians provide food for buntings and warblers.

Hawaiian Goose / Nene - Credit:WWT

In spring and early summer our centres are bursting with new life as fluffy ducklings hatch, tadpoles begin their transformation into frogs and butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies surround our ponds. In winter it’s the mass arrival of overwintering migrants from the Arctic that bring the really big spectacles. Whether it’s trying to spot an elusive bittern or watching our regular feeds to the shyest of swans, the endangered Bewick’s (pronounced like Buick) swan, that’s when Sir Peter Scott’s “avian Serengeti” really comes into its own. Did you know that we can tell you every Bewick’s swan’s life history, family history and where it’s been each year by looking at the pattern on each swan’s beak? Each one of our visitor centres run regular events and talks throughout the year to help you find out what’s happening as the year rolls on so keep an eye on our website HERE!

What is the current situation for wildfowl birds in the British Isles?

There are reasons to be cheerful. Scotland provides the main overwintering ground for barnacle geese whose numbers have bounced back well after a worrying decline. Meanwhile Bewick’s swans have enjoyed a bumper breeding year, but they needed it after the number visiting the UK halved in the last decade. There are also grounds for concern. The world population of pink-footed geese has dropped by a quarter in the last two years. The weather is a big factor – late snow in the arctic can cause a bad breeding season, while periodic weather differences or longer term climate change can mean birds simply go elsewhere. Some of our sea ducks are in real trouble. Velvet scoter numbers around the UK have crashed from several thousand to less than a hundred in just a few years, and the picture for the long-tailed duck is similar.

There are also specific threats which can affect individual birds. Some are illegally shot at, others ingest spent lead shot left on the ground which has been shot legally, but still poisons them with unpleasant and sometimes fatal consequences. WWT carries out constant monitoring of the numbers and the health of birds and works to educate people on the factors which affect them.

What pressures do wetland habitats face and how are they effected?

The biggest two pressures are climate change and human development. Drought and flood obviously affects water levels in wetlands – ironically the fewer wetlands there are, the more that contributes to flooding and drought because wetlands store and regulate water flow. WWT is working with the Government and others to encourage future planning to incorporate wetland technology to improve drainage, as well as providing a home for wildlife. This will also help to lessen the impact of new development. We have to be realistic – people need homes and businesses – so we have to look at ways to build new developments which work with wetland environments for the good of both wildlife and people. We have a subsidiary called WWT Consulting Ltd which works with private developers to incorporate wetland habitat into new designs.

What can local nature groups and landowners do to attract wildfowl birds to their areas?

The single most helpful thing that anyone can do is have a water source bordered by plant life. The plant life will filter pollutants running into the water and help to keep the water clean. It will provide homes for insects and amphibians, and food and cover for birds. Wetlands are sometimes called the rainforests of Britain because they can become so abundant and biodiverse in a short time – so build your own little rainforest! It’s also worth noting how easily-disturbed many wildfowl are. So it’s great when people out walking, or taking their dog for a walk, are aware of this and are content to watch from a distance to give the birds space to feed and breed.

What is the rarest bird to have ever visited the WWT reserves?

In British terms, a White-tailed Plover we saw at Slimbridge in July 2010 was only the 6th British sighting on record. In global terms (smallest populations) the Lesser White-fronted Goose and Aquatic Warbler are the rarest, both recorded at Slimbridge in the past.

What is the best conservation success the WWT has achieved?

There are many: Currently we are working hard to save the Madagascar pochard which was down to its last 20 individuals at one site in Madagascar. We are working with local communities and the Government there to secure its future. We are also saving the spoon-billed sandpiper from extinction – this cute little fellow was down to its last hundred pairs in Eastern Russia. We brought a number of eggs back to the UK to hatch and raise the chicks safely. Once we have enough breeding pairs we hope to return eggs to Russia and start restocking the wild population.

This isn’t just about saving one cute species, if we save the spoon-billed sandpiper we will improve the survival chances of millions of birds from more than 250 species, of which 30 are threatened, who share the migratory route along the east coast of Asia with nearly half the world’s human population.

Do you have any current campaigns and how can people get involved?

You can help us save the spoon-billed sandpiper. As well as our work in Russia, the chicks we are raising in the UK need round-the-clock specialist care – any chick we lose is a massive blow to the entire species. We would love you to find out more about this bird and even consider donating – there are more details at this link HERE. Anyone can get involved by visiting one of our Wetland Centres to learn more about the difference you can make. Becoming a member of WWT supports our work and is the best way to stay informed so you can be an advocate for wetlands, helping others understand how critical they are to life on earth.

Are there volunteering opportunities at the WWT reserves, if so what and how can people apply to help?

We rely on volunteers at all our nine visitor centres around the UK to look after the reserves, the wildlife living there and the thousands of visitors who enjoy our centres every day. There are more details about volunteering HERE

Sign up for the WWT email newsletter HERE

Visit the WWT website HERE