Sunday 14th, Conwy RSPB Great White Egret showing really well on the shallow lagoon, Lesser Whitethroat showing in bushes at back of reserve. Plenty to see but those were the highlights.

Pensychnant Pass had plenty of Stonechats about with lots of juveniles.

River Clwyd had a good number of Sandwich Terns.

Delivering in North Wales again today so managed a couple of sea-watches in my respective breaks, a little misty in places but not too bad.

Criccieth (near Porthmadog).

- Manx Shearwater ... impossible to put a number on, I stopped counting at 80 as it soon became apparent that there was a constant stream of them heading from the west coast towards Abersoch on the peninsula. Could well be in excess of 150 individuals.
- Gannet ...10 maybe, imm's and few adults

Old Colwyn.

- Sandwich Tern 5 (1 ad, 4 imm)
- Common Scoter maybe 100+ out towards the windmills
- Great Crested Grebe 1
- Cormorant 15+
- Oystercatcher 5 over the sea
- Great Black-backed Gull 3
- 2 of the young Sandwich Terns were being pursued by a large chocolate brown coloured imm Gull of Skua appearance, it was definitely a Gull but I can't determine the species.

Visited South Stack yesterday.... Superb weather. Had two Puffin, 00s of Razorbills and Guillemots, some Choughs, Gannets and Rock PIpits too. BLown away by the experience, done On public transport. Early I visited the LIttle Tern colony at Gronant. All these birds minus the gannet were lifers.

 

 

 

A great 3 day trip to Rhoscolyn on holyhead.
Friday 17th
-2 sedge warblers at borthwen
-2 stonechat, 1 male and 1 young
-7 oystercatchers and 1 young being very well protected by parents
-2 whiethroats
-linnets
-1 peregrine over
Saturday 18th
-2 chough, 1 pair
-1 sedge warbler
-4 stonechat, 1 pair, a lone male and 1 male with food heading into a gorse bush
-9 sandwich tern
-1 rock pipit
-3 skylark
-7 oystercatcher
-1 summer plumage golden plover, which is unusual anglesey in the summer.
Sunday 19th
-5 chough, 1 pair and a group of 3
-1 stonechat
-1 skylark
-7 oystercatcher

A few days in Rhosneigr the week just gone, Monday late afternoon to Friday early afternoon. A great birding spot; nice beach with extensive dunes, rocky coast, coastal scrub and a large shallow lake (Llyn Maelog, which is given its own list). Species seen here, including sea watches, included:

Chiffchaff
Willow warbler
House sparrow
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Linnet (two seen mating)
Reed bunting
Sand martin (a couple of active colonies)
House martin (several nesting in the village)
Swallow
Stonechat
Meadow pipit
Rock pipit
Pied wagtail
Skylark
Starling
Jackdaw
Rook
Raven
Swift
Collared dove
Red-breasted merganser
Great crested grebe (a couple bobbing about offshore)
Ringed plover (peak count 11)
Dunlin (peak count 17)
Sanderling (2)
Turnstone (4; these four wader species in mixed flock on the Tuesday)
Oystercatcher (everywhere)
Whimbrel (one or possibly two)
Little egret
Grey heron
Arctic tern (our most beautiful bird?)
Common tern
Sandwich tern
Black-headed gull
Lesser black-backed gull
Herring gull
Great black-backed gull
Shag
Cormorant
Gannet
Buzzard

Llyn Maelog:

Goldcrest
Chiffchaff
Willow warbler (two seen mating)
Blackcap
Whitethroat
Sedge warbler
Reed warbler
Cetti's warbler
Linnet
Reed bunting
House martin
Swallow
Swift
Moorhen
Coot (a couple of young)
Gadwall
Tufted duck
Greylag geese
Mute swan (one)
Great crested grebe
Grey heron
Lesser black-backed gull
Herring gull
Great black-backed gull
Cormorant
Sparrowhawk

As well as a good variety of species, some amazing views (especially of species such as skylark and Cetti's warbler), and plenty of breeding evidence; fledgling blue tit, great tit, dunnock, linnet, robin and carrion crow all seen, juvenile stonechat, pied wagtail and starling, and willow warbler, whitethroat, rock pipit and reed bunting all seen carrying food. There's also an active tern colony off the beach; for obvious reasons, you can't approach too close, but when the birds were put up on occasion, it looked approximately 300 strong. Impossible to estimate the species ratio, or if all three species were breeding there, but of the terns ID'd closer in (hunting or flying over), the sandwich was the most frequently noted.

Also a day spent at South Stack; just as the taxi brought me to the car park, a thick sea mist rolled in, making even the cliff faces unobservable. It cleared a bit in te late morning, but never enough to makle a sea watch possible. Still a great day; the foggy periods were spent looking for other species, and there was enough time to enjoy watching the auks do their thing. Sightings:

3 whitethroat
10+ linnet
4 swallow
9 stonechat (including two fledglings)
1 wheatear
6+ meadow pipit
6+ rock pipit
6+ chough
3 raven (one taking a guillemot egg)
5+ puffin
Guillemot
Razorbill (I don't know the numbers of these two species, but the ratio seemed roughly 4:1 in favour of guillemot)
2 kittiwake
20+ lesser black-backed gull
200+ herring gull (including chicks)
c10 great black-backed gull
1 (or 2) fulmar

Peregrine seen on the coastal path on the walk back to Holyhead.

Another fantastic wildlife rich few days here, hopefully will be back soon.


-- Edited by Shannon Llewellyn on Sunday 12th of June 2016 02:58:26 PM

Coed Hafod classic ancient oak woodland 9.30 - 12.30pm, Raining initially but once the sun came out there was bird song everywhere,

Wood Warbler 6, 4 seen and additional 2 heard
Redstart 2 males, many more heard
Pied Flycatcher 7, 5 male and 2 female
Willow Warbler 3
Chiffchaff 2
Goldcrest
Treecreeper
Red Kite
Sparrowhawk displaying over the wood canopy, Initially thoughts of Goshawk

Originally posted today by Dave Ousey:

24.04.16

As the weather in the west seemed pretty good on Sunday we decided to visit Anglesey, Wales. Three A Teamers met in Rochdale for a 6am start, both Steve`s and myself with Steve K at the wheel. It was quite a nice, if cold ,morning as we headed into North Wales reaching Holyhead harbour around 8-15am, two Black Guillemots were seen, but not much else. At South Stack RSPB reserve  we went to the cliff top view and lots of Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and just four Puffins were seen. Fulmar, Shag, Raven, Rock Pipit, Gannet, Manx Shearwater were all seen from the stack, then 2 Great Skua passed heading north, what a nice surprise they were! A couple of Common Scoter and the ever entertaining party of Choughs completed an always good visit. We called in at a new reserve in Holyhead called something like Breakwater Park? Lots of dog walkers,so we moved on quickly. Next stop was what we used to call the inland sea, now called Penrhos with its own small nature reserve. A few Sandwich Terns and two Red Breasted Merganser were fishing in the sea, but the hoped for Whimbrel were not seen.

After a short while we decided to visit RSPB Valley Lakes in Caergeilog, the sun was shining really well now but it was still a little chilly. We soon heard lots of Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers singing and after a very pleasant walk towards the railway track we heard Cetti`s Warbler blasting out their loud song. Willow Warbler, Blackcap and a fine pair of Little Grebe made up a very pleasant hour at this warbler rich reserve. As we were about to leave we saw Alan Davies, of The Biggest Twitch fame, we had a good talk about birding in general. A nice birder on a bike told us about a noisy Lesser Whitethroat about half a mile away, so, off we went and enjoyed hearing and watching the bird perform. We heard about an Osprey that had been seen in the morning perched on a pylon near the Britania Bridge, as we passed over we looked for it, but it had gone!

At the Spinnies, Aber Ogwen a few Red Breasted Merganser, Little Egret and a few birds on the feeders were seen but not much els,e like the hoped for Kingfisher or Water Rail. A few good waders had been reported at Frodsham and as we where passing we called in. As we slowly made our way along the bumpy track to the tanks, Steve K said, Reeling we knew what he meant, a Grasshopper Warbler. With a bit of pishing etc the bird nearly flew into the car and landed a few feet away, nice when this happens! Along the track it became apparent that some construction work was going on, more wind farm nonsense and the usual barrage of no entry sign`s etc. It did not stop me having a good walk through the barriers(the guard on site was okay with us) and being rewarded with views of Ruff, Black Tailed Godwit, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Little Ringed Plover, a birder on site did help me locate a couple of the birds though!

 

Trip to south stack, walking to Holyhead station via breakwater park. 48 species (if I've remembered to write them all down) includes guillemots and razorbills in their thousands (apparently the lady in charge of sightings there says that yesterday the cliffs were bare), a goldcrest (very, very close but largly hidden in gorse), raven over very close, chough, sparrowhawk, 100+ meadow pipits, skylark, swallows, house martins, over a dozen chiffchaff with one confirmed willow warbler at the breakwater park to finnish with over a dozen of entertaining jackdaws and herring gulls that almost made me miss my train back. A great trip well worth the effort despite been early on in the year. oh, Gadwall and shoveler were seen from the train with a buzzard close.

Should read this thread more carefully as I went looking for Black Redstart at the quarry on the Great Orme, not the Little Orme :( yesterday (Easter Monday).

It was rather chilly and blowy on the top, so not much about. Besides the corvids and tons of Herring Gull, there were

Great Orme Summit (12:45 - 13.30)
- 1 m Pied Wagtail
- 2 Stonechat inc 1 nice mail
- c6 meadow Pipit
- 1 singing Dunnock
- 1 Buzzard
- 1 Kestrel (mobbing the Buzzard)

also
Llandudno Bay (11:00)
- pr Guillemot

A 4.45am start got us up on the moors at World's End one hour later. We approached via the village of Minera and almost as soon as we got up on the moors proper, we found a lek off to our right containing 18 Black Grouse, all males. We stayed in the car for just over an hour watching, filming and taking photographs. We then continued along the minor road and after a few minutes found another lek, this time with 6 birds. Finally, we drove on to World's End itself where we found our third and final lek containing a further 13 birds. So 37 Black Grouse in total, all males. A superb experience.

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Thursday 24th of March 2016 06:59:48 PM

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Thursday 24th of March 2016 07:00:49 PM

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Thursday 24th of March 2016 07:04:46 PM

-- Edited by Mark Jarrett on Thursday 24th of March 2016 07:05:49 PM

Yesterday Carys & I headed to the World's End area, but this time in the afternoon with a different species in mind.

We headed to the start of the Offa's Dyke path and first did a scan over the moor, but with low cloud & fine drizzle the visibilty was very poor and we couldn't see much at all. Lots of mountain bikes were heading out so we had our doubts about finf=ding birds but decided that we were there and we might as well give it a try. So donning waterproofs we headed out across the moor. On the way across we had great views of many Red Grouse and added to the ones heard calling we had a count of over 20 individuals, the most I have ever had here, they seem to be doing pretty well. On reaching the far side of the moor we scanned around and Carys found the long-staying Great Grey Shrike on the ridge to our right. Later on it came closer and gave great scoped views as the weather lifted a little and visibility was good.

We headed back and took a slow drive sown the road past the old 'plantation car park' following the river down the valley. On the way back up we finally got views of the bird we had been looking for in this area with a Dipper on the rocks to the right of the road. Then on the way back up we noticed at least 20 Black Grouse out on the moor at one of the lek sights, followed by another 11 at the known lek close to the road. Having struggled for photos in the half light this was a godsend and I digiscoped away to my hearts content. We stayed 20 minutes on our own & left all the birds still there, occasionally squaring up & calling, more half-heartedly than the early morning lek but still a great spectacle to see. This was at 3pm if anyone wants to try as an alternative to a dawn start

A great afternoon and with the unexpected bonus of great photographic opportunities at an afternoon lek!!

We were at Kinmel Bay about 10.30.  The snow buntings were elusive, but we found them in the fenced off area at the east end of the boardwalk, together with at least 2 pairs of Ringed Plover. Skylarks were singing until the clouds came down, and it was good to see lambs in the fields.  There were plenty of scoter but too far offshore to distinguish between them.

I've sent you a PM

Good day out in North Wales and Anglesey in less than ideal weather but regardless some good birds seen.

Worlds End 7.00 - 7.30am
Black Grouse 15 males in Lek

Holyhead Harbour
Black Guillimot 2 in summer plumage and 2 in winter plumage
Great Northern Diver
Red breasted Merganser
Oystercatcher 20+
No sign of the Hooded Crow (2nd time I've dipped)

Bedmanarch Bay
Slavonian Grebe 1 in winter plumage
Black Guillimot 2, 1 winter, 1 summer plumage
Great Creasted Grebe 3
Goldeneye 3m

Kinmel Bay
Snow Bunting 1 very mobile
Reed Bunting
Skylark
Ringed Plover
Sanderling
Oystercatcher

Nice trip from Friday night till Tuesday in Nantlle. Highlights from each day are following
Saturday in Caernarfon:
3 mute swans
5 red breasted mergansers (2m,3f)
2 shags
9 cormorants
1 little egret
7 redshank in the harbour at high tide
30+ turnstone on the shore
2 rock pipits
Sunday
Nantlle lake:
4 whooper swans
2 tufted ducks (2m)
Newborough:
3 shags
2 cormorants
13 great crested grebes
7 turnstones
Monday
Nantlle lake
4 goldeneye (2m,2f)
3 goosander (2m,1f)
2 tufted ducks (2m)
Porthmadog
4 little egrets
4 snipe
7 little grebe
1 swan species
Borth-y-gest:
1 great crested grebe
1 slavonian grebe
3 little egrets
9 red breasted merganser
19 wigeon
34 dunlin
Tuesday
Nantlle lake:
4 whooper swans
Little orme:
male black redstart, stunning views down to 20 ft
2 chough
1 raven
2 grey seals

Awsome Afternoons birding in North wales -On a whim decided to head to the Little orme Llandudno in the hope of seeing the Black Redstart Male in the Top Quarry . On Arrival I found the path leading to the quarry ,It must be the steepest path to any bird,Think Pendle without steps, streight up,and slippy slidy -Anyone with no head for hights or bad legs don't bother trying.
Anyway finally got up there and and was the only one there ,I soon found the Black Redstart and what a stunner ,ive never managed to get close ever to one of these ,but the hour and half I spent with this bird made up for it,What a cracking bird ,and one of those experience I will never forget,as it spent most of its time about 15 feet away ,I sat low on a rock and it soon got used to me,and was happily feeding around me all the time ,from where I was Ihad stunning views over Colwyn bay.
So What did I see On the Little Orme
Black Redstart - 1 Male Top Quarry- 1 Female Bottom Quarry
Chough-2
Raven-2
Stonechat-2
Rock Pipit-1
Red Throated Diver - 2 Flying East
Also quite a good Number of Grey Grey Seals in Angel Bay smile emoticon

Then went to Rhos on Sea
Purple Sandpiper-7+
Red Throated Diver-1
Common Scoter -Plenty

Finished off at Kimnel Bay where I saw
Snow Bunting - 1 Pair (The Males a stunner)
Sanderling-200

Part day in North Wales today, primarily to see the Hawfiches and Snow Buntings at Llanbedr Y Cennin and Kinmel Bay respectively. Also visited the lower quarry on Little Orme but didn't have enough time to get up to the upper quarry. The weather was fine and cold, some sun and a little bit of rain.

Llanbedr Y Cennin

Hawfinch (6)
Red Kite (1)
Nuthatch
Great spotted Woodpecker
Raven (1)

Little Orme

Fulmar (c.10)
Stonechat (1)
Teal (4)
Shag (c.6)
Common Scoter (6)
Kittiwake (c.10)

Kinmel Bay

Snow Bunting (2)
Skylark (2)

No sign of either Black Redstart or Chough at Little Orme although, as stated, we didn't venture to the upper quarry. The Snow Buntings were quite confiding until disturbed by a couple of dog walkers. Seed is still being put down on the shingle by the big log one hundred yards east of the car park and just past the graffiti sprayed No 3s at the side of the cycle track.

Today was another reminder that we should never be slaves to the weather forecast.  Though chilly, and a little breezy, the sun shone all morning and there was only the briefest rain shower.

Highlights....

Kinmel Bay (8:45 to 9:30) - Snow Bunting 1, 200 yards east of Asda, on the sand, just beyond the sea wall.  Also Reed Bunting, 2 Skylark, 7 Ringed Plover.

Llanbedr-y-Cennin - Easiest Hawfinches ever.  A couple watched in top of tree on road beyond church (heading eastwards), followed by at least another eight in flight, possibly more. 

Little Orme - f Black Redstart at bottom of quarry, just above Angel Bay, but then ascended quarry wall.  c6 Fulmar on ledges.  Raven and two Chough.  Pair of Stonechat. Shag.  Single Common Scoter close offshore from Penrhyn Bay, and small flock of Wigeon.  Three Rock Pipits near storm drain, but no sign of Twite.

Colwyn Bay - there was very little on the sea all morning, but a Great Northern Diver was fairly close offshore at the eastern end of the prom.

Home by 14:00.

 

An entertaining run around some classic North Wales spots today with Steve Burke and Chris Chandler, mainly prompted by numerous Hawfinch sites around the country reporting birds in the last week. We headed for Llanbedr y Cennin at around 7am with high hopes.

First stop was very brief at Pensarn beach, hoping for some easy Snow Buntings. We were a bit conscious of time so we didn't stay long, the birds weren't found in any case. We picked up a few decent birds, Red-breasted Mergansers and Ringed Plovers showing well were nice. A few Common Scoters were on the water.

At Llanbedr we parked outside the church gates, and as we disembarked we could hear Hawfinches calling from the trees by the church. We saw 4 birds within 5 minutes! As other birders arrived and people spread out we began to see lots of movement in the trees behind the churchyard and continuing along the line of the hill. A group of 7 was seen together then we had a view of 12 birds flying together back to the churchyard. Then we saw a group of 5 feeding well in a tree and low enough that they were in front of a dark background, which allowed a great view of their plumage. Absolutely superb stuff. I don't think any of us thought we'd see a dozen birds when we set off. We stayed for about 90 minutes, and we were watching Hawfinches for half of them by my reckoning.

We headed for Conwy RSPB absolutely buzzing, I have posted on the other thread for that visit.

Had another bash at trying for Surf Scoter within the Common Scoter flock at Old Colwyn/Llandulas. Failed again! Arrived at the lay by just east of Old Colwyn at 10.30 to be met by sunshine and very blustery winds, so much so that it was necessary to push down on my scope to try and keep it steady. There must have been well over 1000 Common Scoter but not much else.

Went on to Llanfairfechan and Morfa Madryn after an hour or so and stayed in that area until 13.30, the sun had gone in by now although it was, in the main, cloudy and fine. No divers or grebes on the sea, save for a few Great crested Grebes. The highlight was around 50 Pintail. On the flooded fields adjacent to Morfa Madryn were Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, Little Egret and Curlew.

Next stop the front at Llandulas which drew an absolute blank, so doubled back to the front at Old Conwyn where the large Common Scoter flock was stretched out adjacent to the shoreline, some birds way out with others closer in (but still quite distant). An hour of searching produced a female Velvet Scoter but no Surfs. Whilst looking, also came across Red throated Diver and Red breasted Merganser. Birds of note:-

Red throated Diver (5)
Great crested Grebe (c.10)
Cormorant
Little Egret (1)
Shelduck
Wigeon (c.200)
Teal (c.100)
Pintail (c.50)
Common Scoter (c.2000)
Velvet Scoter (1f)
Red breasted Merganser (c.8)
Buzzard (1)
Oystercatcher
Turnstone (c.15)
Curlew (c.200)

Anglesey is a wet place at the moment.  Fields west of Valley, normally dotted with feeding crows, are now home to ducks: Mallard, Shoveler and Gadwall were all dabbling happily, while Redshank and Curlew fed along the edges.  The flood water at the foot of Gorad Hill, which hosted two White-fronted Geese a couple of weeks ago, is now home to a pair of Mute Swans.

 

The main objective of my weekend visit was to help with the December WeBS count.  As a new recruit, I act as a utility player, so my third count of 2015 took me to my third different location: the series of bays on the North West coast between Porth Penrhyn Mawr and the mouth of the Alaw, finishing with a section of Beddmanarch Bay visible from Penrhos CP. 

 

Happily, though there was some drizzle about, the weather was a good deal kinder than the previous day.  It was not a bad place to be asked to look over, with a fair variety of birds, but no enormous numbers to tax the counter.  There were at least two Great Northern Divers around the river mouth, and probably a different bird opposite Holyhead harbour.  Singles of Slavonian Grebe and Black Guillemot (in winter plumage) were in the channel at Penrhos CP, along with seven Great Crested Grebes, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser and c30 Wigeon.  As the tide dropped, 100+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese dropped in.  The highest counts of waders were 375 Dunlin and c80 Grey Plover roosting on rocky islets off the NW shore at high tide.  There were decent numbers of Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher, while Ringed Plover and Turnstone both appeared in lower numbers.  Some of the best birds were out of scope for the count, with the wet fields attracting big numbers of Golden Plover (500+) and Lapwing (300+).  Nine Pintail, on the sea, were just outside the boundary.  Non-water birds included Chough (three on the beach at Penrhyn), Stonechat, Linnet and Reed Bunting plus Jay and Coal Tit in the woods at Penrhos. 

Saturday was nearly a write-off.  However, five Fieldfare, a Lesser Redpoll and c150 Lapwings flew over my base at Silver Bay when the rain finally stopped.  I dropped in at a very flooded Malltraeth Marsh late afternoon, where 18 Whooper Swans were on the floods.  On a late walk over my patch on Sunday afternoon I had an unexpected find in a flooded cattle field to the south of Bodior: a feeding Greenshank.

Elsewhere, there were two Great Northern Divers and a Scaup on the Inland Sea WeBS count.  Two long-staying Firecrests are still at Porth Eilian.

 

pensarn beach 8.45-1.30pm in very choppy conditions but paid of very nicely.

1 leach's petrel, just after 11am about 40-50 yds from the tideline giving great scope views as it was dangling its legs down & feeding of the surface, watched for almost 5 mins before it eventually got fed up of the gulls around it. then about 20 mins later possibly the same petrel in almost the same spot for a couple of minutes before being harassed by the gulls again.
1 red throated diver
1 kittiwake
4 auk sp, 1 of them possibly a black guillemot !
2 guillemot
6 red breasted merganser
2 great crested grebe
lots of common scoter far out, but several a bit closer in.
thousands of gulls, majority herring gull, 5 great black backed gull, 3 lesser black backed gull, common gull & black headed gull, couldn't find anything else !
a nice surprise of a 40+ flock of greenfinch
3 linnet
1 skylark
3 meadow pipit
38 lapwing over
lots of oystercatcher around
35 redshank
1 ringed plover
1 dunlin
15 curlew

I managed to find a brief window in the weather at Silver Bay on Saturday morning.  Visiting winter thrushes are still around in good number, with marked increases in Blackbird and Song Thrush and a few Redwings feeding.  A double figure flock of Greenfinches has taken a liking to the seeds from the burnet rose hips at the foot of my garden.  Also visiting the garden is the Great Spotted Woodpecker that has taken a liking to my palm tree.

There were few waders on the beach, but I put up a Woodcock from the edge of the cattle field by the plantation and three Snipe from the headland.  Star of the show was also on the headland: a Firecrest feeding alone in low bushes favoured by Reed Buntings; there seems to have been quite an influx of them in North Wales over the past few weeks.  It gave wonderful views for a couple of minutes before moving into denser scrub.  It is my third record here, the first since March 2013.

Not much birding done in Sunday's hideous weather, but there was a good selection of common waders around the mouth of the Alaw, and eight Pintail a little further upstream.

I managed an hour at Cemlyn yesterday, the highlights were: 1x Kingfisher, 2 x little egret, 3 x redshank, 1 x curlew and a skein of pink footed geese. I didn't hear about the yellow browed warbler that was spotted at Wylfa though. On the way back home today I stopped off at Conwy RSPB to walk the dogs up the cycle path to the castle when I bumped into a Steve Culley who told me that there were three spoonbill on the reserve. I threw my keys at my wife and daughter and practically ran to the hide expecting a long walk home later. Excellent views of a top lifer.