Just back from a break on Anglesey - managed to get some birding in.

Highlights were superb views of the second winter Ring-billed Gull at Penrhos and an adult Iceland Gull at Breakwater CP. Supporting cast included:

Spoonbill (immature bird that has been around a couple of months)
Black Guillemot (Holyhead harbour and Penmon Point)
Purple Sandpiper (Holyhead harbour and Trearddur Bay)
Chough (Southstack and Breakwater CP)
Slav Grebe & Brent Geese (Beddmanarch Bay)
Peregrine (Southstack)

Various Auks, Shags, Kittiwakes, Ravens etc

Also had 3 Wheatears, a singing Chiffchaff and a Swallow on 18th plus large movements of Mipits

-- Edited by Mike Baron at 11:47, 2008-03-24

went to north wales today with local rspb group
highlight were
pensarn
100s of common scoter,missed out on snow buntings
llanfairfechan
30+ red t divers
1 eider
razorbills
red b mergansers a few of the males were displaying
lots of g c grebes
1little egret
conwy rspb
good views of 1 water pipit
and we finished off at kinmel bay industrial estate with
cracking views of a short eared owl hunting on wasteland and then perched in a dead tree

hi tony got the book today on north wales from conwy rspb cracking book it is too

Paul Heaton wrote:

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( thebiggesttwitch.com) dont click on this you will have to type it in yourself, dont want to upset Mr Mckerchar,

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Please see the thread currently at the top of every forum with regards links



-- Edited by Ian McKerchar at 11:56, 2008-02-08

Alan Davies excellent birder and author of that book is currently on a world twitch, he has just jacked it all in and trying to set a WORLD year list, the mans mad, you can catch up with his travels on the web ( thebiggesttwitch.com) dont click on this you will have to type it in yourself, dont want to upset Mr Mckerchar,
keep birding
and reading those bird book, ps warfy how you doing with Birders tale of a tribe

You are so right Tony it is an excellent book. Although I have found a few of the sites before off local birders, the amount of information is really helpful with the tips about timing etc. I would recommend it to anybody without hesitation if you are going to North Wales.
Steve

I got a book today called "Best birdwatching sites in North Wales' by Alan Davies and Owen Roberts from Buckingham Press.

This looks a really excellent book with details of about 60 sites in North Wales - access details, maps, likely species, grid refs, what birds are present at what times of year, best at high tide/low tide etc. Also key facts such as scope required, free parking at x, nearest cafe and disabled access / muddy paths / steep climb etc.

ISBN 978-0-955033-94-0

I went twice Gary. The first time the tide was in and didn't see anything. I think the geese go over to the inland lake on the other side of the A55.
The second time the tide was well on the way out and the brent geese were in front of the car park and the Slav grebes were in the central channel. Lots of waders and ducks around but a bit of a way out so I think a scope is essential.
Steve

thanks Henry i know the spot i usually stop there on my way to south stack just didnt know the name.

Hi Gary.
Bedmannach Bay is along the A55 on Anglesey where you cross over the cob very near holyhead. There is water on both sides of the road but if you turn off before the cob and go along the adjacent cob road (the old main road to Holyhead) and then take the first right after the water into the Country Parc and park up there. A scan near high tide should reveal the Slavs and Brent Geese.
If the tide is low the Geese are often out of sight over on the other side of the cob or around the corner. There's also Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover and chance of a diver or something.
Hope this helps Gary.
Thanks. Henry.

hi steve could you tell me where abouts beddman bay is .i go to anglesey a few times a year visiting my mum in benlech.

Glad you found the Snow Buntings Sid. I was assumining you were SidA on the North Wales website when I left my post on it (I'm Steverfns on that site!). I go once or twice a month so will put posts on in the future if anything turns up in case you fancy going.
Steve

I too did the North Wales trip today -

Snow Buntings at Pensarn ( 4 Males, 3 Fem), Rock Pipit and Purple Sands (7) at Rhos, next to nothing at Conway Reserve and 2 Playful Short Earred Owls at Kimmnel.

Nice day

Sid A

I was in North Wales this week-end and despite the weather saw a few nice birds.
At Beddmannarch Bay in Angelsey were 4 Slavonian Grebes and 67 pale-bellied Brent Geese along with lots of waders including grey plover, knot, dunlin.
At Pensarn were the 7 Snow Buntings along with a Red-throated Diver, another Slavonian Grebe and hundres of Common Scoter off shore. A Short-eared Owl was also present at the site in Kinmel Bay.
At high tide at Rhos this morning were 11 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks with Turnstone , Knot, Dunlin, Redshank and another 2 Red-throated divers off shore.
The Purple Sandpipers and other waders were so close sat on the rocks I would recommend it for photography just as the tide is high and about to go out. Today wasn't the weather for photos but still managed to get one!
Cheers
Steve

-- Edited by Steve Collins at 18:23, 2008-01-20