Birds To See Near Fresh Water In West Wales
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Nests in many coastal locations. Like Herring Gull but dark grey back/upper wings and very yellow legs. Wingtips darker than rest of wing. Inner two thirds of trailing edge of upperwing is white. Bill yellow with orange spot. Red ring around yellow eye. Roosts on reservoirs and lakes.
Little Egret
A recent arrival in the area, this is an elegant bright white bird very similar to but much smaller than a heron. When it flies, it tucks its neck in and sticks its legs out to the rear.
Little Grebe
Small and round with almost no tail. Bobs around and dives suddenly. Chestnut face with darker cap and rump. Flanks rusty when puffed out. Short bill straight and pointed. Chunky head.
Mallard
The duck everyone knows. Male with dark green head, grey and brown body with patches of dark blue. He goes much duller in the summer though. Female is dull brown with patches of purple blue on back of wing when in flight. The only duck which utters a loud ‘QUACK’
Moorhen
Dark plumage. Bright red bill has yellow tip. White flank line and white patch under each side of cocked tail. Raises tail when on water or walking and has nervous, springy walk and often flicks tail. Babies are little black pompoms.
Mute Swan
The most common swan. White plumage and reddish orange bill with black patch above it. Some birds stay in their territories all year; some move short distances to form winter flocks.
Oystercatcher
Black and white with long, narrow orange bill. Black head and rump with white underparts. Flight shows broad angled white stripe on each wing and white rump with black tail tip. Large flocks often utter high-pitched twee-twee when in flight. They land in a big tumble and set to feeding on shore or mud.
Pied Wagtail
It’s that little grey bird with black and white tail and head which you can see hopping about with wagging tail often in supermarket carparks or bits of wasteland. But they love water, too.
Pochard
Easy to spot. Wide, typical round head and flat bill. Head chestnut, chest and tail black with pale grey elsewhere. Female duller with russet chest; same divisions of colour bands as male. Night feeder so drifts around sleepily by day.
Red-breasted Merganser
Look out for wispy crest which makes the male look as if he’s having a bad hair day. He has green/blue head, white collar and dark breast with white wing patches. Orange-red, thin bill with hint of uptilt. Eyes are orangey red. Female is brownish grey with rufous-brown head and pale throat.
Reed Bunting
Mostly beside water but may appear in winter fields. Male: black head in summer (grey/brown winter) with white collar. Streaky brown/black back tinged with yellowish brown. Freckled greyish underparts. Female: dark crown and white eye stripe. Tail: blunt. Black with broad white patches on sides.
Sand Martin
Makes holes in sand or earth banks often beside water. In flight: brown upper, wings and breast band. Underparts white. Wings very pointy and tail has shallow notch. Much smaller than swift.