Recent Wildlife Sightings 13th - 19th April
Highlights: Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Great Crested Grebe, Barnacle Goose
The chorus of tuneful warblers grew louder with the brightening skies and milder temperatures this week, while elegant Grebes danced their courtship display on a fresh spring morning.
Highlights: Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Great Crested Grebe, Barnacle Goose
The influx of migrating warblers continued this week, with the first Lesser Whitethroat being spotted down Centre Path in Millennium Wetlands. Singing a slightly harsher song than its larger cousin that arrived last week, the Common Whitethroat, this bird was also a little harder to spot, favouring much denser undergrowth. The distinctive sound of a reeling Grasshopper Warbler was picked out near Water Vole City on Tuesday, standing out from the scratchy warbles of its relatives. Remarkably similar to the chirp of a grasshopper emanating from long grass on a summer's day, it's handy this bird has such a unique song as their preference for perching low in bushes makes them difficult to spot.
We were pleased to see a mate arrive for the lonely Great Crested Grebe on Deep Water Lake this week, giving us a chance to witness a delightful springtime spectacle. Within days of its arrival, the pair had begun performing their elaborate courtship display, flicking their heads about in unison. Hopefully we will see some mini Grebes hitching a ride on the back of their parents before too long.
On Freshwater Lagoon, the now regular Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper have been growing in numbers, with sets of two and four of each respective wader now being present on the islands most days. The Long-Tailed Duck that has been very attached to Europe Pen recently was joined by two Barnacle Goose this week, both of whom were quite happy sitting on the path while visitors stopped to admire their dapper black and white plumage.
Over the Saltmarsh, the Pallid Harrier continued its regular appearances on Sunday, hunting for small mammals to fuel its trips to and from Gower. A little less aerial, the White-Fronted Goose has been seen still habitually feeding in its favourite spot on the marshes, looking quite content in its choice of domain.
