Ruff, Grey Plover, Common Sandpiper, and a stealthy Stoat
A week of wandering waders, fluttering butterflies, and a Stoat on the prowl
Wildlife Sightings at WWT Llanelli from 31st March – 6th April 2025
Highlights: Ruff, Grey Plover, Common Sandpiper, Stoat
Today on the Dafen Scrapes, visitors set their scopes on a Ruff wading alone in the most distant scrape from the hide. Not frequently seen on site, the Ruff makes for an exciting highlight for this week. They are strikingly sexually dimorphic in breeding season, with males sporting large shaggy “ruffs” on their necks. These “ruffs” are used in mating displays, competing with other males to attract a partner. And these communal displays can be violent – justifying the species’ scientific name, Calidris pugnax, meaning "fighting sandpiper".
At this time of year, Grey Plover begin the return journey north to their Siberian breeding grounds, so these particular birds may have just been stopping by before continuing on their long journey. Spotted on the Saline Lagoon, the “ponderance” of plovers foraged in marine invertebrates and crustaceans in their own special way – watching, running, and pecking – just to repeat the process again.
Wednesday brought a Common Sandpiper to the Freshwater Lagoon, bobbing up and down in a behaviour known as “teetering”. Though not as rare as its close relatives, the Common Sandpiper is still classified as an “amber” species under the Birds of Conservation Concern list due to declining numbers in the UK and wider Europe.
Our final highlight of the week is the super cute Stoat! Easily confused with Weasels, you can differentiate a Stoat by its larger size and bounding style of movement, which contrasts with the Weasel’s low-down scurry. Keep a close eye out on the Millennium Wetlands if you want to spot these adorable predators, though we can’t guarantee that you will!
The butterflies are coming out in full force, and new arrivals to the scene are the Common Blue and Orange-tip. The now-blooming wildflowers all over the Grounds and Millennium Wetlands make the perfect food source, so no matter where you go, you’re sure to see one flutter by.
Finally, the first day of April saw a Peregrine soaring over the Saltmarsh for those in the British Steel Hide to see.
