Pair of rare Savi's warblers nesting on island reserve

A pair of rarely seen birds have nested in Wales for the first time.

There have only been eight previous sightings of Savi's warblers in Wales, according to the RSPB, but now a pair have been spotted at the Cors Ddyga reserve on Anglesey.

A lone male was first seen in June with the second bird spotted a month later, and volunteers who watched their movements confirmed they were breeding.

Savi's warblers are common in southern Europe.

Most records in Wales are of singing males that stay for a few days.

"We're absolutely thrilled to confirm that the first pair of Savi's warblers are nesting here on the reserve," said RSPB Cors Ddyga site manager Ian Hawkins.

"It goes to show that all the work we've put in to restore the wetland habitats has paid off and it's safe to say that Cors Ddyga is a nationally important place for nature."

This nesting follows the successful establishment of other rare species on the reserve.

Bitterns - elusive birds famous for their cryptic plumage and "booming" call - and marsh harriers have nested on the reserve for the fourth consecutive year.

Neither species had nested in Wales for several decades before 2016.