We’re delighted to be partnering with Netflix and Aardman on Robin Robin, a half-hour, stop-motion, festive story for the whole family, about a young robin trying to fit in. It’s debuting on Netflix on 24 November – get the date in your diary!
To celebrate, we’re inviting you to join exclusive Robin Robin-themed adventure trails right here at Newport Wetlands this Christmas season.
The week when the kids were off school, we saw some wild and windy weather. The beginning of the week started off with lovely weather and half term excitement, but by the end of the week we were battening down the hatches and hoping the birds weren’t blown too far away.
Our Halloween trail was in full swing, bringing spooky glee to the site with tricky riddles and prizes at the end, who could resist. Throughout…
Autumn is certainly bringing very changeable weather to the wetlands at the moment with lots of wind, rain and beautiful sunshine often all within the same five minutes! The hedges have had their annual trim to allow new growth next year and half term is well underway.
Curlew have been on the mudflats in great numbers with more than 100 reported on Friday 22nd, with their distinctive calls they are always a pleasure to…
There’s a chill in the air down here at Newport, signalling Autumn is well and truly here. The reserve is gradually changing colour, and the team are gearing up for the October half term holidays which start next week.
In terms of sightings, recordings are still taking place and you’ll be excited to read that the Bittern has made a reappearance!! On Tuesday (12th) our new volunteer Liv sighted not one but…
We are back and we aim to get our weekly sightings blog back to your screens in no time! We hope you have missed reading all the Wetland drama as much as we have missed writing about it. With the summer now behind us we are welcoming in the autumn awesomeness! But before we do let’s have a big round up of all the summer fun we have enjoyed with the visitors (both human and wildlife) here at Newport Wetlands.
We…
Recent sightings blog 28th June to 4th July
This week has seen a summer boom in our sightings. The team at Newport Wetlands and our visitors have seen more birds, insects, mammals and invertebrates than we could all count on our hands put together! We had a first for the year which was exciting, a grass snake made an appearance more than a couple of times. It was basking in the sunshine making the most of it before the…
Do you ever wonder what creatures live in our rivers, lakes and ponds? Well, let us give you an idea of what life underwater is like for an array of different species that call it home. At Newport Wetlands we have many large freshwater lagoons which are home to a lot more than just the birds you see swimming on the surface.
Species you may find include Three-spined stickleback, Phantom midge larva (glass worm), Bloodworm…
Summer is underway and we are excited to announce the Big Wild Summer!
This summer, we will be hosting events at Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve, providing you with unique opportunities to connect with nature and experience the wildlife that call the reserve home.
Our team will ensure your experience with us is fun filled whilst being Covid secure. Please see our Covid events page for more information about what…
Recent sightings 21st - 27th June 2021
As the summer solstice was celebrated at the start of the week, it seems here at Newport Wetlands summer is still on furlough. However, regardless of if it will be a scorcher or a wash out, we’re gearing up on the reserve for the Big Wild Summer which is happening across RSPB reserves throughout the UK. Our visitor experience team are busy behind the scenes planning lots of fun activi…
Recent sightings 14th June to 20th June.
As we approach the summer solstice with the days at their longest, it might be a nice idea to talk about one of our night-time visitors. More and more moths have been caught in the moth trap recently and these past few days have seen a magnificent display of different species. The majority of our moths are mostly a mystery to our visitors due to them being more active at night…
Recent Sightings from 7th to 13th June
This week has seen a purple explosion on our site as the orchids bloom. The southern marsh orchids are leading the pack, with hundreds of them popping up amongst the reeds all-round the reserve. The vivid colour of the orchids, combined with other wildflowers such as grass vetchling and buttercups, really show that summer has arrived. We also have a few bee orchids coming out around…
Recent Sightings from May 31st to 6th June
The Wetlands sprung into June this week welcoming the sunshine and blue skies. Visitors enjoyed the bank holiday sunshine and kicked off the half term week for schools. We saw one of the busiest days since reopening, on bank holiday Monday and we don’t just mean the visitors! The warm weather and scorching sunshine have given a burst of energy to the dragonflies, bees and butterflies…
Recent Sightings from 24th to 30th May
It’s the last week in May and normal play has resumed with plenty of warm sunny weather this week at the Wetlands. This is the time of year when wildflowers and the insects that feed off them really come to life. The reserve is alive with colour from the bright purple southern marsh orchids to carpets of yellow buttercups. Perfect for pollinators, these diverse flower meadows…
Recent Sightings from 17th to 23rd May
We are heading for the wettest May on record in a month, a time when the wildlife can usually expect some relief from persistent rain. Despite the challenge there have been plenty of wildlife sightings. It is peak breeding season and there is food to find and chicks to feed.
Ducks and geese of course are not phased by a bit of wet weather with tufted ducks as usual spending time…
Recent Sightings from 10th to 16th May
It has been a generally wet week at the Wetlands with heavy showers, persistent rain and even hail featuring early in the week. It can prove challenging for nesting birds but many of the species found here are totally at home surrounded by water. Tufted ducks, gadwall and little grebes have been working hard on the lagoons. Coots with youngsters are also busy finding food for their…
Recent Sightings from 3rd to 9th May 2021
International Dawn Chorus Day last Sunday was a beautiful day full of birdsong at Newport Wetlands and so it has continued through this week. The more familiar garden birds such as blackbird, robin and wren are singing all along Perry Lane. Great tits, blue tits, long tailed tits, and goldfinch have also been spotted here. This is also a good place to listen for blackcaps and…
Mae Her Natur Dinas yn ddigwyddiad byd-eang sy’n dathlu grym iachau bod allan ym myd natur, drwy chwilio am fioamrywiaeth leol a’i chofnodi. Eleni, mae pethau’n cael eu gwneud ychydig yn wahanol ac rydym yn cydweithio â nifer o bartneriaid prosiect i annog pobl i gymryd rhan a dechrau cofnodi beth sydd yn eu hardal leol. Mae’r digwyddiad yn cael ei gynnal rhwng 30 Ebrill a 3 Mai, gyda phob diwrnod…
City Nature Challenge is a global event that celebrates the healing power of being out in nature by searching for and documenting local biodiversity. This year, things are being done a little differently and we are collaborating with a number of project partners to encourage people to get involved and start recording what is in their local area. The event runs from the 30th April – 3rd May, with each day focusing…
We may be in the midst of a blisteringly cold wintry spell but spring is just around the corner and there are already early signs appearing all around us. With the reserve still closed to all but those within walking distance, we can enjoy the signs of spring on our daily walks with just a little reflection of springtime at the wetlands.
Snow drops have appeared quite early this year, in large numbers along the hedgerows…
'Recent Sightings' from 29th to 31st January
Wow, what a fabulous weekend for birdwatching, this year's Big Garden Birdwatch has been a real success. Lockdown restrictions have meant many of us spending more time than ever in or looking at our gardens. More people are turning to garden birdwatching and this connection with nature can only be a good thing. The submissions are still coming in but 2021 could be…
Photo - Reedbeds in the breeze (Tracey Dunford)
With all the recent rainfall, flooding and soggy ground, we may be forgiven for assuming the UK has plenty of wetland habitat. On the contrary flooding is one of the direct outcomes of the loss of good quality wetlands areas.
Why are Wetlands so special?
These areas can take many different forms, including upland peat bog, lowland meadow grassland and the familiar coastal…
There is just over a week to go it is already looking set to be a very big year for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. Last year close to half a million people contributed to what has become extremely important dataset. The 42nd year is gearing up to the biggest for the largest wildlife survey in the world. Over the past year there has been a surge in interest in nature, and more than ever before, we've seen how important…
Photo: Starling murmuration at Newport Wetlands, Sarah Parmor
The starlings’ magnificent roosting spectacle is one of the great wildlife highlights at Newport Wetlands. November and December are the best months to view this fabulous aerial display when flocks of around 50k birds will come to roost in the reedbeds. Unfortunately we were unable to feature any starlings events in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions but let…
Recent sightings from 14 to 19 December 2020
This week brought the one or the other early present before the level 4 lockdown restrictions came into force on Sunday 20th December. The starlings continued to show up in good numbers for the murmurations. In previous years we have seen numbers dwindle from the middle of December but there hasn’t been any sign of this so far. Once again, the wading birds competed with the…
Recent sightings from 07 to 13 December 2020
Wading birds put on a really good show this week, both in terms of quantity of species and individuals. Over a thousand dunlins were joined by at least two hundred black-tailed godwits and curlews. Redshanks and grey plovers were around in good numbers and knots, lapwings and a few oystercatchers joined the party. Especially when spooked by the incoming tide or by a predator…
