Yesterday I visited Slimbridge Wetland Centre and was treated to a leisurely sojourn amoungst hundreds of ducks, geese, swans, and other waterfowl from around the world. In the space of one afternoon, I was able to see Nene Geese (Branta sandvicensis), Mandarin (Aix galericulata), Radjah Shelducks (Tadorna radjah), Northern Pintails (Anas acuta) and many other species.

It took me a three-hour drive to get there (much longer than expected) and since the days are now nearing their shortest point of the year, the sun seemed to be setting as I arrived at the centre. It was overcast, the ice cold air numbed my fingers, and the light was quickly fading so the fact that I was able to take any photographs at all was a small miracle. But the birds were friendly and curious about the camera and the clouds split to let in a warm early-evening glow, so I was surprised to find that many of the images turned out all right. I put together a photo album containing the best images from the trip.

The highlight of the visit for me was seeing the Nene (or Hawaiian) Geese (Branta sandvicensis). Nenes are a lovely, gentle species of goose, native to the Hawaiian Islands (they are the state bird of Hawaii). Nenes evolved in the absence of natural predators so when man arrived on the islands (bringing along predators such as mongooses and cats), the good-natured birds were driven close to extinction. By 1950, only 30 nenes survived. That year, three nenes were sent to Slimbridge for captive breeding under the care of conservationist Sir Peter Scott. The breeding program was instrumental in saving the species. During the 1960s, more than 200 birds were sent from Slimbridge to Hawaii where they were released into protected reserves. Now, thanks in no small part to the work of conservationists at Slimbridge, the wild population of nenes is between 700 and 800 birds.

Slimbridge Wetland Centre consists of 325 hectares of internationally protected wetlands and serves as the headquarters of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT). In total, there are 128 species of wildfowl at the centre—it is the world's largest collection of swans, geese, and ducks. It's also the only place where you can see all six species of Flamingos together.

The centre consists of several loops of walkways (all easily accessible) that snake through the wetlands. There is a visitor center where you can have lunch, wander the galleries of wildlife art and photography, and shop for gifts. Also located within the visitor center is the Sloane Observation Tower, which is well worth a visit as it offers an aerial view of the entire Slimbridge reserve.

The nature center lies at the uppermost extent of the Severn Estuary in the village of Slimbridge, about midway between Gloucester and Bristol, England. The area was first established as a protected area in 1946 by Sir Peter Scott. At that time, it was called the Severn Wildfowl Trust and after two name changes, the area was named the Slimbridge Wetland Centre in 1989. Sir Peter Scott was an ornithologist, conservationist, painter who also co-founded the World Wide Fund for Nature and designed its well-recognized panda logo.

Find out more:

• Slimbridge Wetland Centre Photo Gallery
• Slimbridge Wetland Centre (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust)

Photos © Laura Klappenbach. Top: Crested Duck (Lophonetta specularioides). Middle: Nene Goose (Branta Sandwicensis). Bottom: Chilean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis).