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Nature

Winterwatch

You don’t have to head deep into the country to spot

amazing wildlife. During the winter, birds flock from

colder, rural parts of Britain and mainland Europe

to London’s warmer wetlands – so there's plenty to

see. There are two, soon to be three, major wetland

centres in our capital, their reedbeds providing the

perfect refuge for birds, mammals and amphibians

The water margins

The WWT London Wetland Centre

in Barnes is, until the Walthamstow

site opens later in 2017 (see below),

the biggest wetland reserve in the

capital. It is a sprawling collection of

grazing marsh, reedbeds, lagoons and

birdwatching hides, all linked together

by winding walkways and bridges.

‘One of the main attractions at

Barnes in winter is the bittern,’ says

Czech Conroy, organiser for the

RSPB's Central London group.

‘They’re not resident, they come

over here from colder mainland

Europe. It isn’t easy to spot them, as

they hang out in reedbeds and are

well camouflaged. You might also see

bearded tits. Adverse winter weather

brings them to urban settings,' he says.

'Teal, wigeon and northern shoveler

ducks also visit in winter,’ he adds.

If you’re lucky, you might also spot

the striking goldeneye duck, an

uncommon visitor.

Woodberry Wetlands,
north London
In April 2016, a brand-new
wetlands centre opened in Manor
House, north London. The London
Wildlife Trust’s (LWT) Woodberry
Wetlands was created around the
East Reservoir in Stoke Newington,
built in 1833 but closed to the public
ever since. This hidden enclave of
wildlife, inaccessible for 180 years,
is home to birds, bats, amphibians
and many species of insect.

Walthamstow

Wetlands, east London

LWT’s £8 million Walthamstow

Wetlands is due to open in 2017 and

will connect 10 different reservoirs,

making it the biggest wetlands

reserve in Europe. While promoting

biodiversity, introducing new bird

species and helping bolster the

population of animals such as

hedgehogs, it will remain one of

the capital’s main sources of

drinking water.

London Wetland Centre, Barnes, south-west London

OPEN SEASON

When Sir David Attenborough

opened Woodberry Wetlands

nature reserve in April 2016, he

said: ‘Contact with the natural

world isn’t a luxury, it is actually

a necessity for all of us. To see

the seasons as they pass, not

just asphalt and concrete and

brick, but reeds and willows.

To see birds coming up from

Africa. To hear, above the

hubbub of the traffic, birdsong.’

Now Londoners and visitors

alike need only take the tube to

see and hear such delights.