The Natural History of Slapton Ley | Birds

Flagship Species

Great Crested Grebe - Podiceps cristatus

Annual nesting at Slapton began in 1973 with breeding success varying considerably from year to year. This can be linked to the availability of fish in the Ley, mainly Roach and Rudd, whose populations also vary widely. In the spring the resident population will abandon the Ley on a daily basis to fish in the adjacent Start Bay if poor conditions prevail in the Ley. Breeding can often be much later than in the national population for this reason. The Slapton population represents the most south westerly population in the UK.

Water Rail - Rallus aquaticus

The Water Rail is much more common in the winter and on passage, however a small population probably breeds annually at Slapton. It was not until 1976 that breeding was proven and even now it is not proven every year although it is probably an annual event. Usually no more than about a dozen territories are detected with young being seen on just one or two territories annually, although that is almost certainly as a result of the difficulty in making detailed observations on most territories. It is certainly a red letter day when young are detected, particularly if they are very young, charismatically jet black with small ivory coloured bills. As with Great Crested Grebe this species is at the extreme limits of its breeding range.

Cetti's Warbler - Cettia cetti

This species has been spreading north west across Europe from the Mediterranean since the 1940's, arriving in the UK in the 1960's with first proven breeding in Devon in 1975. As a non migrant insectivorous bird it can suffer severe population declines in hard winters. The best tactic to obtain a view of this skulking species is to spend time at Slapton bridge as in most years one territorial male has territory on both sides of the road. Also early morning watching along the line can often produce singing males briefly on prominent perches, although they will be more distant than at the bridge.