Yellow-Necked Mouse, Golden Plover, Goshawk, and some stunning Scarlet Elf Cups
From birds, to mushrooms, to mammals – January has brought a variety of species for us to admire
We’re all wrapped up warm for winter, and so are the mice!
Wildlife Sightings at WWT Llanelli from 4th – 20th January 2025
Highlights: Yellow-Necked Mouse, Golden Plover, Goshawk, Scarlet Elf Cup
The time of the year has come when we clear out old nests from our bird boxes scattered around the site, repairing and preparing them to serve as cosy homes for Blue Tits and Great Tits again this spring. In the process of our survey, we found some unexpected squatters – Yellow-Necked Mice! Unhappy to have their nap disturbed, the mice poked their heads out of the bird box to shoo us away. Thus, we left them to stay warm in their treetop home.
A flittering flock of Golden Plover were spotted at the start of the month flying over the Saline Lagoon in a group of over three hundred individuals! These birds fly in close knot swarms in the winter and often join mixed flocks with Lapwing. There’s safety in numbers, and these two species know it!
We have had multiple sightings of birds of prey recently, notably a Goshawk near the Centre Building. Once extinct in the UK, they have been back in action since the late 1960s, swooping through the air and catching their prey mid-flight! Unfortunately for the clattering of Jackdaws nearby, they were on the menu...
But the Goshawk was not the only raptor hunting around the Millenium Wetlands – A female Marsh Harrier and a Merlin were both seen on Saturday. Perched on a post on the Western Scrapes, the Merlin was a welcome surprise, as they tend to frequent the Saltmarsh rather than the Millenium Wetlands.
Keeping up the fungi fun from last time, the Scarlet Elf Cup has been popping up all over the wetlands! Brightening up any winter’s day, the distinct red fruiting bodies of this fungus stand out against the woodland floor and provide a yummy snack for the mice and slugs inhabiting the area.
Other honourable mentions seen since our last blog include a Green Sandpiper, a Weasel, and the Glossy Ibis which has stuck around the area (hopefully to return to the wetlands soon!). Finally, the Otter who has made her home in Deep Water Lake was observed catching and feeding fish two her two kits! But which is cuter – baby otters or cosy mice? (We can’t decide!)
Featured Photo Credit: Abbie Jordan
