Fersiwn Gymraeg ar gael yma
SPOILER ALERT! Do not read if you haven't watched BBC's Wild Isles - Grasslands - yet
And so, we watched the third episode in the Wild Isles series in great wonder tonight, exploring these isles’ vast grasslands and the creatures big and small who roam them. There are several of these which we can catch a glimpse of across Wales – read on to find out where…
Along with a male hare being put through his paces to impress a female with very high standards, we learnt very early on in tonight’s episode that since Sir David Attenborough’s childhood in the 1930s, the UK has lost around 95% of its wildflower meadows. Quite a sobering but crucial fact to take forward into this episode when looking and learning about the wide variety of birds, insects and mammals that depend on our grassland habitats.
We saw ground nesting birds such as lapwings and oystercatchers working as a community to defend their young chicks from a menacing common gull. When considering the natural competition and rivalry which usually exists among different species, this was incredibly interesting to see. We are fortunate to have several locations in Wales where you can witness fantastic flocks of Lapwing; RSPB Cors Ddyga up on Ynys Môn is a fantastic spot to see them.
Amazing grazing
There has often been reference to Nature Friendly Farming in this series – we certainly know how critical this is to the future of our wildlife in Wales as over 85% of the country is farmland. But we saw a different kind of Nature Friendly Farming tonight, as we saw ancient native species such as wild cattle and horses grazing vast grasslands, making way for vegetation, and providing habitats for all kinds of wildlife. For a fine example in Wales of this ancient way of farming with nature, look no further than our friends who work across the Celtic Rainforest – in RSPB Ynys-hir for example, we use highland cattle as natural farmers.
We saw a ‘cat & mouse’ (or owl & vole, rather!) scenario between a Short-Eared Owl and a Field Vole, whose numbers have decreased vastly due to - yes that’s right - loss of habitat. We have several areas of Wales where Short Eared Owls can often be seen – curiously enough, even RSPB Ramsey Island has welcomed some in the past, along with resident Little Owls!
As we watched in wonder at the Mason Bee’s mission of finding the ideal sheltering shell for its eggs, we also learnt that a third of our food is pollinated by bees. That’s why it is a matter of urgency that we can revive meadows which support these pollinators. We have lost half of the UK’s native butterfly species, but we were treated to a very special caterpillar defying the odds when preyed upon by ants; and in time, becomes the majestic Large Blue butterfly after essentially convincing a whole colony of ants (via some toxic honey-like liquid and some sensational sounds) that it is the Queen Ant!
Flower power
Helping our pollinators is something we can all do across Wales, whether we live in a rural or urban location - planting native wildflowers in the Spring and the Autumn will reap great benefits to your garden as well as your local bees and butterflies.
An intense battle between two male Black Grouse provided much entertainment, as they went head-to-head to gain dominance of the lek. The Black Grouse has faced much adversity and today remains on the red list even though conservation efforts in the last few decades have improved the situation for these beautiful birds. You can witness the males performing a fascinating mating ritual ‘dance’ by joining us bright and early on one of our guided walks in Llandegla Forest each spring.
Historically, the Hen Harrier has been a well-known victim of illegal persecution – a sad past made even more bewildering when witnessing their magnificent sky dance, weaving, and rolling through the sky. Equally as impressive was seeing the mid-air ‘food pass’ between the male and the female – a speciality of these birds. Thankfully, they have returned to our skies in the last few decades, and while they also remain on the red list, we are very fortunate to see Hen Harriers roaming the air at RSPB Lake Vyrnwy.
We look forward eagerly to the fourth episode of Wild Isles, focusing on the wildlife found in our freshwaters – and we look forward to helping you explore the parts of Wales where you may be able to see some of them with your own eyes!