Grey Phalaropes return to Lisvane

 

On Friday afternoon I made the trip to Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs in Cardiff, where two Grey Phalaropes had been reported on Lisvane Reservoir. After the remarkable encounters I had with phalaropes here last autumn, it was an opportunity that was simply too tempting to ignore.

The two birds were easy enough to locate, although for much of the afternoon they remained frustratingly distant, spending most of their time out towards the middle of the reservoir.

They certainly weren't resting.

Both birds were extraordinarily active, constantly motoring across the surface of the water as they fed. Beneath them, their little lobed feet, rather reminiscent of miniature Coot feet ( Phalarope means bird with coot like feet) were seemingly in perpetual motion, disturbing the water and helping to bring tiny aquatic invertebrates within reach of their bills.

Grey Phalaropes are famous for their characteristic habit of spinning rapidly in circles, creating small vortices that draw prey towards the surface. Curiously, however, I don't recall seeing either of these birds spin at all during my visit. Instead, they simply powered their way across the reservoir, continually pecking at morsels from the surface.

What surprised me even more was how frequently they took to the air.

Every so often one would suddenly lift from the water and begin darting about above the reservoir, apparently picking flying insects from the air, before dropping back onto the surface and immediately resuming its frenetic feeding. It was fascinating to watch and demonstrated just how opportunistic these tiny waders can be.

From a photography point of view, their habit of remaining in the middle of the reservoir made life rather difficult. Patience eventually paid off, however, and both birds gradually worked their way a little closer.

Naturally, just as I began to think I might finally get some better photographs, they took flight again.

I certainly didn't enjoy the almost ridiculously close views that I had here last year, but that hardly mattered. Read more about my 2025 encounters here and here.

Grey Phalaropes are scarce autumn visitors to Britain, normally spending the non-breeding season far out at sea, and inland birds are often associated with autumn weather systems that push these ocean-going waders away from their usual environment. UK records begin increasing from around mid-September, with occasional birds turning up on reservoirs well away from the coast.

Their eventual destination is perhaps better described as the open Atlantic, including productive waters off the west coast of South Africa

For the moment, though, these two diminutive travellers had exchanged the rolling Atlantic for the considerably calmer waters of a Cardiff reservoir.

I really enjoyed my time spent sitting on a bench in the lovely September sunshine at Lisvane, watching these beautiful little Phalaropes.