As we get further into the breeding season, each day brings more birds arriving from Africa. Some of these will breed on the reserve or in the local area, while others stop off to feed on their way to more northerly breeding grounds.
Migrant breeding birds including reed and sedge warblers have been steadily building in number and can now be heard singing from many of the reedbed and scrub areas around the reserve. Other breeding birds now back with us also include common sandpiper, of which at least 2 are now present on the lagoons, lesser whitethroat which have been singing close to the Tal y Fan and Carneddau hides, and common whitethroat, a slightly later arrival which can now be heard and seen in the areas of low scrub. Grasshopper warblers have also been heard over the past couple of weeks, while a redstart was seen along the Ganol trail on 19/4, and a whinchat by the estuary track on 20/4. A yellow wagtail also flew over the reserve yesterday morning. Small numbers of whimbrel have been making appearances as they head northwards, generally seen on the estuary but moving on to the deep lagoon with the other wading birds at high tide, and similarly white wagtails have also been on the move, stopping off along the estuary to feed. A grey plover was also seen on 15/4 and a greenshank has been around since 19/4. A much more unusual sighting was a black kite, reported on Friday by a visitor which would be the first record for the reserve. Interestingly, a black kite was also reported yesterday near Chester, about 40 miles to the east so it’s possible that this could be the same bird.
Some of our water birds including coot and little grebe can now be seen on nests around the lagoons, and other species including gadwall and oystercatcher appear to be paired up and ready to nest. Several tufted duck also still remain along with small numbers of shoveller, teal and snipe.
Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any sign of our great-crested grebes, having arrived back on the shallow lagoon in late March they were initially seen courtship displaying but have since disappeared. Hopefully they might still make a reappearance in time to nest. Another bird which seems to have left us for the breeding season is water rail. Our winter survey in January revealed a good total of 19 calling birds on the reserve, but a survey we did on 6/4 to see if any were still around failed to produce any. We had hoped some might have stayed on to breed but evidently these were all wintering birds, some of which may have even headed back to the continent.
Otter continue to put in appearances, and although prove to be elusive during the daytime, our trail camera has picked them up recently on 13/4 and 16/4 as they go about foraging for food during the night.
Meanwhile warm and sunny weather over the past couple of weeks continues to produce insect sightings including brimstone and speckled wood butterflies and dark-edged beefly.