This is the fifth winter in which I have visited Anglesey on alternate weekends, and this one was the coldest that I have known: even the beach was frozen at Silver Bay this morning. However, the sun shone, the easterly wind didn't trouble the west coast, and the quality and quantity of birds was top class.

The best place to be was the Inland Sea. The freezing of the smaller ponds had driven freshwater ducks onto the estuary to join the usual winter residents. From the roadside between Four Mile Bridge and Trearddur Bay the masses comprised Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Shoveler, Shelduck, Mallard, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser. There were many waders too: Dunlin (500+), Curlew, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Grey Plover, Greenshank. A return visit to the A55 side at lunchtime added a Slavonian Grebe, a Blck-necked Grebe (first on the island for me), a Razorbill and a raft of 19 Scaup.

Llyn Llywenan, north of Bodedern, was on form too. I finally managed to connect with two long-staying Greenland White-fronted Geese on Saturday afternoon(2) and also found a Long-tailed Duck. Today there were two Whooper Swans at the southern end. This site is not helped at weekends by its proximity to Anglesey Shooting School.

A Hooded Crow was feeding in front of the chapel at Llanfachraeth on Saturday lunch time.

My own patch, as always, produced a good variety, which included Chough, Knot, Reed Bunting, Fieldfare, Redwing, Lapwing, Stonechat, Snipe etc. The last bird of the weekend was a Woodcock, which jinked past in the dusk, 50 yards from my door.

Final tally for the weekend was 81 species.

An evening, three full days and a morning around Rhosneigr this week, to have a look to see what's about. Explored all along the beach, which runs from rocky headland in the south to tidal mudflats in the north, the extensive dune networks and a couple of visits to Llyn Maelog. Highlights:

Beach, village, and surrounding habitats:

Linnet
Stonechat
Pied wagtail
Meadow pipit
Rock pipit
Skylark
Starling (ubiquitous)
Song thrush
Jackdaw (ubiquitous)
Chough
Raven
Kingfisher
Wigeon
Shelduck
Red-breasted merganser
Brent geese (a first for me)
Little grebe
Ringed plover
Golden plover
Grey plover
Lapwing
Dunlin
Sanderling (just the one)
Turnstone (plenty; I love turnstones)
Redshank (ubiquitous)
Greenshank
Snipe
Oystercatcher (ubiquitous)
Curlew (including one roosting flock of 82)
Little egret
Grey heron
Shag
Cormorant
Black-headed gull
Common gull
Herring gull
Great black-backed gull
Kestrel
Buzzard

Llyn Maelog:

Goldcrest, house sparrow, goldfinch, stonechat, meadow pipit, skylark, rook and usual passerines (dunnock in good numbers)
Water rail heard
Moorhen
Coot (over 150)
Teal
Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
Pintail (just the one; the last species I noted on the holiday)
Goldeneye
Tufted duck
Pochard
Goosander
Great crested grebe
Mute swan
Redshank
Oystercatcher
Grey heron
Cormorant
Black-headed gull
Common gull
Herring gull
Great black-backed gull

2 Common Scoter on Llyn Brenig this pm, at the north end. Lots of Fieldfare & Redwing in the area. A pair of Crossbill gave good roadside views on the B4501just north of the reservoir.

Saturday 8th October
Seawatch at Old Colwyn with Chris Chandler.

Of note...
- Common Scoter literally 100's of them.
(No sign of the Surf Scoter)
- Red-throated Diver 6
- Great Black-backed Gulls 2
- Oystercatcher 2
- Great Crested Grebe 1

See out of county wildlife for our Dolphin sighting.

Booted Warbler still present on Great Orme and showing well @ 9.00am,

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Saturday 8th of October 2016 09:35:40 AM

The Booted Warbler showing well at 1330hrs on Great Orme today, in the very spot of Doc's directions, well done Paul.

Glad to be of help Mike, whilst watching it yesterday evening we had two Choughs fly over calling, luck of the draw I suppose!

Great close views of the Great Orme Booted Warbler this morning - never keeping still for long:- fly catching, flitting from gorse to gorse with the occasional wing flick when perched - very entertaining. However it could have been a different story as it had apparently been attacked by a Kestrel minutes before I arrived at 08.00, according to a birder who saw this happen.

Also of interest around the car park area, two Chough and a Blackcap.

Then round to the Great Orme copper mines where, within the boundary fence were three Black Redstarts (all fem/juv) and then looking from the path up to the Rainbow Bridge from the promenade at Colwyn Bay, distant views of a Surf Scoter amongst a small group of common Scoters. 

-- Edited by sid ashton on Wednesday 5th of October 2016 04:37:52 PM

Booted Warbler showing well, on and off this morning,near the top limestone pavement car park, up the Great Orme in sunny Llandudno .Alas no sign of the reported Firecrests or Yellow Browed Warbler, down "millionaire's row" for me. However a nice freshly in Redwing at the "hawthorns".

Cheers Chris

-- Edited by Chris Greene on Tuesday 4th of October 2016 07:14:15 PM

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 4th of October 2016 10:55:57 PM

At least 2 Redwing called over Llandudno last night (2nd Oct).

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