Ynys-hir

A quick wander through the reserve this morning in beautiful weather yet again. At Lodge Farm (Morfa Cyd) 5 ruff were feeding on the flooded areas with 6 golden plover and lots of redshank and lapwing. A few white wagtails were on the drier areas there and for the first time it appears that snipe are breeding with 3 birds chipping away amongst the rushes. From the Breakwater hide a few whimbrel, ringed plover and dunlin were on the sand flats with 8 Greenland wheatear on the fields and a quick rest on the bench overlooking Ynys Edwin bog produced lots of willow warblers singing, tree pipit and grasshopper warbler. Throughout the wetter areas there seem to be lots of teal still which bodes well for a good breeding season after very few breeding last year and 3 pairs of shoveler are still with us (along with a pair of wigeon) which is also encouraging. To finish off a superb lesser spotted woodpecker was drumming and calling well close to the Visitor Centre and after a few minutes I managed to find it and watch it for over 5 minutes before it flew off into the wood.