Anglesey in the sunshine
Doung, Eddie and Lewis had driven up from Mid Wales for a custom day out, so it was a little later start than usual. After a quick cuppa we headed off west along the coast and made our first birding stop over-looking an estuary. Lots of birds here and we were soon watching a Greenshank feeding next to a Whimbrel close to our view point. Three Little Egrets were in the same creek and the light was perfect for great views through the Leica scope. Lots of Curlew and Redshank were further out on the mudflats with Goosanders and Great crested Grebes floated on the calm sea. We then picked out four Eider duck just offshore and noticed a tiny chick with them, great to know they have bred here.
We headed over the Menai Straits onto Anglesey, still under cloudless blue skies, and to RSPB South Stack. Stopping by a small pool we watched a Green Sandpiper feeding in the shallow water along with four Gadwall. At South Stack we took the cliff path and the scenery was just stunning. Carptes of purple heather covered the heath and sea was turquoise and like a millpond. The whole of Snowdonia and the Llyen Peninsula stretched away in the distance and we could see Bardsey Island out to the west.
A juvenile Peregrine cruised along the cliff tops at eye-level allowing us amazing views of the young falcon. In the sunshine we could see every feather detail and we soaked up these exceptional views as the Peregrine seemed totally unconcerned by our close presence! Five Chough soared up from below us, calling excitedly, and again allowed us eye to eye views, just wonderful to see these rare corvids so close in perfect light.
Fulmars patrolled the cliffs just below us, backward and forward they went on their stiff wings. Off-shore Manx Shearwaters were passing a good way out but the views with the scopes were quite good. Dark above white below the shearwaters skimmed the surface of the calm sea. As we watched these great birds we saw Gannets and picked out several harbour porpoises breaking the flat surface of the water. On the heath Stonechats were feeding fledged young and one particular male posed near the path for us.
Reaching the view point over-looking the lighthouse we again watched Chough showing off their acrobatic flying skills below us. The seabird cliffs were empty with the auks having taken their young out to sea.
At nearby Holyhead we found three handsome Black Guillemots and just along the coast we stopped for lunch and as we ate we were trated to very close views of a cracking adult Mediterranean Gull.
We spent the rest of the day at Cemlyn on the north coast of Anglesey and the sun just kept shinning! Most of the breeding terns had moved off but still some thirty Sandwich Terns, with juveniles, were on the islands in the lagoon and a single adult Arctic Tern posed on a post for us. A family of Red-breasted Mergansers loafed on the bank of the lagoon.
On the beach we found three lovely breeding plumaged Turnstones and a Sanderling roosting with a juvenile Dunlin and a gang of Ringed Plover. A strange moaning noise gave away the presence of a herd of Atlantic grey seals hauled out on the rocks, enjoying the sun. Again we saw harbour porpoise offshore and plenty of Manx Shearwaters were passing, this time much closer in allowing great views. A Wheatear popped up on the rocks just below us.
A brilliant day of great wildlife and great company in perfect weather, can't ask for more than that! If you would like a day out enjoying great birds in stunning scenery simply drop us a line and we will do the rest. Email us at...
info@thebiggesttwitch.com
We look forward to enjoying birds with you.