LUCKY ducks have flown in the face of the old saying about never put-ting all your eggs in one basket. Members of the Northumbria Basketry Group have helped boost breeding success rates at the WWT Washington Wetland Centre on the banks of the River Wear.

They have woven a series of unique “nest baskets” for use by the centre’s various water birds. And their efforts have paid off, with double the numbers of endangered white-headed ducks hatching so far this season.

Species of international importance, including the Hawaiian goose – the world’s rarest goose – the Laysan teal and the globally threatened red-breasted goose, are all at WWT Washington.

But some species, such as the white-headed duck, have a lower survival rate than others, so extra assistance is needed to try to boost their chances of success.

That is where the basket makers come in.

They designed the willow baskets to provide a secure shell in which the birds could then build their own nests. This offers greater protection than open nests which are vulnerable to predators.

They also made baskets with tunnels, which are attractive to smaller species, and another version with a lipped rim.