I ddarllen y blog yma yng Nghymraeg cliciwch yma os gwelwch yn dda
As spring quickly approaches, you might be lucky enough to hear the melodic sounds of the warbler family. Over the coming months these fine little visitors will be arriving in their droves as they migrate to Wales to enjoy the lively spring and warmer summer months.
Image: Wood warbler, Andy Hay rspb-images.com.
But in order to reach us safely, some, such as whitethroats and willow warblers, first have to undertake quite the treacherous journeys. Making their way from Africa, they cross seas, mountains and deserts to arrive in time for spring. You may think they’re crazy to be risking their lives every year, but it would be even riskier for them if they stayed put. Believe it or not, migration is all about survival.
Both the willow warblers and whitethroats choose to come to Wales as we have far fewer birds competing for the same nesting sites. Also, our warm, wet summers typically mean that a lot of insects are around which act as valuable sustenance, while our long summer days – when the sun sets much later than it does in Africa – give parents more time to feed their growing chicks. And with less predators to threaten chicks in Wales, in comparison to Africa, migration actually makes life a whole lot easier.
Another summer visitor to Wales is the attractive but unobtrusive wood warbler. With its fluorescent yellow shine, these handsome birds would catch your eye from the off. They love spending their summers displaying and singing in the western oak woodland found here in Wales, none more so than at some of our woodland reserves like RSPB Ynys-hir and RSPB Carngafallt.
Yet whilst you may normally associate warblers with Wales’ brief summers, some have broken the known trend by staying in Wales for the coldest of months.
Chiffchaffs and blackcaps brave the winter, with both preferring to immerse themselves in Welsh life all year round. The latter is a greyish warbler, which is known to vigorously defend a garden feeder. Although primarily a summer visitor, blackcaps from Germany and north-east Europe are increasingly spending the winter in Wales. The chiffchaff, a small warbler with a distinctive tail-wagging movement, is distinguished by its song that resembles its name.
Therefore this springtime, as you wake up to (hopefully) rays of sunshine shining through your windows, why not get outdoors and witness the abundance of wildlife that may have travelled far and wide to share their spring and summer with you?