Avocet, Water Pipit, Marsh Harrier, and a few cosy Harvest Mouse nests
Avocets and colourful sunsets have brought a flourish of life to the wetlands as the evenings draw in earlier
A week of calm, dry weather has been much welcomed by visitors and animals alike!
Wildlife Sightings at WWT Llanelli from 9th - 15th November 2024
Highlights: Avocet, Water Pipit, Marsh Harrier, Harvest Mouse
The Avocet from last week has been joined by two new friends! The three have been wading around the Saline Lagoon together for the last week.
Two Water Pipits have also been seen near the Saline Lagoon. Scarcely found in Wales, these little birds are closely related to Meadow and Rock Pipits. Their names provide a hint to the best way of distinguishing the three, Water Pipits feed near water, Rock Pipits on rocks, and so on.
The British Steel Hide has been the source of many sightings this week, and a Marsh Harrier is next up. Also seen over Deep Water Lake, the harrier has been flying low on the lookout for prey. Voles and Shrews best be on the look out with this deadly predator around!
Fortunately for the Harvest Mouse, they aren’t usually on the Marsh Harrier’s menu. On Wednesday, the Reserve Team took part in a Harvest Mouse survey alongside our weekly volunteers. We searched long grass and reedbeds for nests leftover from the breeding season and were successful in finding a few! As Harvest Mice are nocturnal, it was almost guaranteed that we would only find nests, but their presence on site was reassuring nonetheless!
Other mice have not been so lucky, as a Weasel was spotted near the new Heron’s Wing Hide bridge, snacking on one unfortunate rodent.
Finally, the feeders near the Sir Peter Scott Hide and Heron’s Wing Hide bridge have been a hit with many bird species. We have had Jays, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Grey Wagtails, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker using the feeders frequently.
Featured Photo Credit: Billymill60
