Depending on your location certain birds that are considered nationally common could be classed as locally rare. The lack of certain species is usually down to the lack of suitable habitat, whether for breeding in the summer or feeding during the winter, and geographical location, coastal or far inland. Here at Lake Vyrnwy there is a good mix of habitat but our location restricts certain species, especially coastal birds for obvious reasons, and therefore we can get quite excited about some of the commoner species.
Oystercatcher (23rd April - Gavin Chambers)
This week we had 2 Shelduck on the lake (22nd), a Lapwing and Starling in our ‘Curlew Area’ (22nd) and an Oystercatcher on the shoreline (23rd). All four species are considered to be scarce if not rare on the reserve, though Starlings are present more often through the winter months.
It has been a full week of Grouse counting with a few more Black Grouse and a lot more Red Grouse recorded across the reserve. The first Grasshopper Warbler was heard on the 20th right on the edge of the reserve and Tawny Owl, Cuckoo and Skylark have been very vocal during the counts. There has also been a few displaying/drumming Snipe, which is a fascinating sound to hear. Rather than being a sound created vocally, it is instead created by spreading its tail feathers and diving quickly through the air causing the feathers to vibrate and create this wonderful drumming sound. Listen here - drumming best heard around 55 seconds into clip.
Male Wheatear along Dinas Mawddwy road (19th April - Gavin Chambers)
Migrants are still moving in with the first Wood Warbler heard around the lake on the 20th and a Whitethroat on the 24th. A pair of Common Sandpipers were seen off the Old Village car park on the 24th and there has certainly been an increase in Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Tree Pipit numbers. The Dinas Mawddwy road has been good for Wheatear this year and a female Ring Ouzel has been seen again this week around the farm buildings.
Green Hairstreak on one of its Larval Foodplants - Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) - (23rd April - Gavin Chambers)
Despite what appeared to be good conditions for butterflies, the weekly survey didn’t produce the numbers expected. However there were a couple of new species for the year in the form of Green-veined Whites and a couple of Green Hairstreaks. The first Orange-tip Butterflies were also seen on the wing for the first time mid-week, though not during the survey.
Plant of the Week
Opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage / Eglyn cyferbynddail (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium) (Photo by Gethin Elias)
A low, sprawling mass of leafy shoots that root at intervals, the leaves rounded and bluntly toothed, with stalks no longer than the leaf blades. Flowers are yellow green and most saxifrages have five sepals, five petals and ten stamens. It grows in shady wet areas and is currently flowering well on the reserve at the moment, en masse smelling like honey.
Previous Blog: Recent Sightings (13th-18th April)
Great blogs Gavin. Sounds like a good start to the field season.