Goshawk, Hen Harrier, Whooper Swan, and a fleeting flock of Cattle Egret
The nights have drawn in earlier this week, and so too have plenty of interesting birds been drawn to the wetlands.
Gentle breezes have blown crunchy leaves along the paths. Meanwhile, breathtaking birds of prey have surveyed the wetlands for unsuspecting snacks.
Wildlife Sightings at WWT Llanelli from 26th October - 1st November 2024
Highlights: Goshawk, Hen Harrier, Whooper Swan, Cattle Egret
Posing perfectly on the stone islands of Deep Water Lake, a juvenile Goshawk showed off its wings for visitors watching from the Sir Peter Scot Hide. Once persecuted to extinction in the UK, their population has made a rebound and is most abundant in the North and in Wales. As stealthy predators, Goshawks will feast on a range of prey, from pigeons and crows to rabbits and squirrels! This wonderful image was taken by photographer My Wild Side.
Spotted soaring over the Dafen scrapes on Tuesday, the Hen Harrier is less gutsy than the Goshawk, hunting smaller prey like Voles and Meadow Pipits. Hen harriers have a distinctive owl-like face and are slightly smaller than a Buzzard. Males (like the one seen this week) have a grey body with black wing tips, while females and juveniles sport brown feathers with white-streaked wings.
We were lucky to be visited by a pair of Whooper Swans on the saltmarsh this Sunday, as they are not commonly seen on our site. These elegant birds travel all the way from Iceland to the UK to get away from the dark and icy winter. Though this species is on the Amber List, things are looking positive for the Whooper Swan as their winter population has tripled since 1996 and there are now around thirty breeding pairs residing in Scotland!
Additionally, a group of five Cattle Egret joined the sheep and ponies out on Deep Water Lake Island on Wednesday evening. Now the clocks have gone back, we are hoping to see more birds flying in to roost around Deep Water Lake as the darkness draws in earlier.
Finally, a gaggle of seven Brent Geese have been spotted out on the saltmarsh alongside a Pintail duck on the Saline lagoon nearby! The Brent goose is our smallest species of goose in the UK and feeds mainly on seaweed. This makes the saltmarsh and estuary the perfect spot for them to settle over the winter.
Featured Photo Credit: My Wild Side
