Common Lizard, Ruddy Shelduck, Avocet, and a pair of reunited Great Crested Grebes
Sunshine, Slow Worms, and some seriously showy courtship!
Love is in the air on Deep Water Lake
Wildlife Sightings at WWT Llanelli from 24th – 30th March 2025
Highlights: Common Lizard, Ruddy Shelduck, Avocet, Great Crested Grebe
The weather is warming up, and the reptiles are coming out to bask! This week, a Common Lizard and a few Slow Worms have been spotted soaking up the sunshine. Fun fact: Slow Worms are lizards too - they’re just legless! But this doesn’t make them a snake! And it definitely doesn’t make them a worm - their name is a total misnomer.
We received reports on Tuesday that a Ruddy Shelduck had been spotted from the British Steel Hide; however,, the Reserve Team weren’t quite fast enough to catch a glimpse. These birds are native to Southern Europe, North Africa and Asia, so spotting one here was a surprise! However, it is believed that most wild Ruddy Shelduck in the UK are escapees from zoos.
Also seen from the British Steel Hide this week was a pair of Avocets, wading around in the Saline Lagoon. A charming bird with its signature upturned beak and blue legs making them nice and easy to spot! Did you know that Avocet chicks can search for food all by themselves within a few hours of hatching? They’re super cute and super talented.
Love has prevailed on Deep Water Lake – the Great Crested Grebe has finally been joined by its partner! The two have wasted no time and are already building their nest and engaging in elaborate courtship displays. Keep an eye out for the pair next time you’re in the Heron’s Wing Hide; you might just catch them throwing their heads back like they’re in a shampoo advert.
Additional bird sightings from this week include a Spotted Redshank on the Saline Lagoon on Tuesday and five Sand Martins and a Swallow on the Millennium Wetlands on Thursday.
In amphibian news, we’ve found a few Tadpoles swimming around in our ponds! With fish and birds dominant in our waters, we don’t find many frogs around the Millennium Wetlands, so this recent finding has been a positive one.
We can’t forget about fungi, and this week, King Alfred’s Cakes are on the menu. Don’t eat them though – despite their name, these mushrooms are about as unappetising as they look.
Featured Photo Credit: Jessica Crumpton
