It was one of those perfect winter days, still, cold, clear and sunny. The sky was just so blue and the mountains of Snowdonia were stark against it, plastered in thick snow, the sea was flat calm and the same blue as the sky. One draw back of having such a stunning view from the window it hardly lures you to type! But with Ruth at work at Blah d Blah, the company that designed our website Alan was free to work on the computer on his RSPB research. The sun streamed in through the windows what an amazing day.
But work had to be done so the keyboard took a good hammering as the sun kept shinning. Good progress was made and by late afternoon a break was needed. Just then a phone call from Julian Hughes at RSPB Conwy told of some video tapes returned for us from HTV so what better than to go and pick them up? The sun was starting to sink but still a lovely day, so binoculars and telescope were grabbed and out of the door. Just fifteen minutes later and Alan was at RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve and ready to see some birds.
The coffee shop was nice and warm and the view simply stunning, overlooking the half frozen lagoon, Conwy Castle and the mountains beyond, magic! Two Curlews were feeding on the bank just out side the window, what an amazing view of these elegant waders. But the idea was to get out in the fresh air so a short walk down to the Tal-y-fan hide and set up the scope to scan the lagoons. First bird no telescope was required, a Robin hopped up just inches from Alan’s face, wow! He or she was obviously hungry and a rummage through the pockets produced the remains of an old bar of chocolate, crumbling the chocolate on the edge of the hide the Robin tucked in! As the Robin fed it was back to the lagoon and plenty of birds to see. Flocks of Eurasian Teal were feeding close in front of the hide and further out Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and Little Grebe dived for food in the deeper water. On the islands Wigeon grazed amongst Common Snipe sleeping in the afternoon sun. A lovely scene with the backdrop of the castle and snow covered mountains.
Leaving the hide and walking further around the reserve Alan met up with Mike Duckham, Assitant Site Manager and top volunteer Colin Metcalfe. The guys were putting up a fence to protect a newly planted hedge from the ponies that graze the reserve, great fun in the mud! On again and along the Ganol Trail at the far end of the reserve and a lovely male Stonechat popped up on a rock, wow! A beautiful bird glowing orange in the winter sun. Two Reed Buntings popped up alongside the track and swayed at the top of a reed.
The path brings you down to the shore of the Conwy Estuary where the views get even better! The whole of the estuary opens up and the vista of the Carneddau Mountains streches to the huge blue sky. The mudflats were shimmering in the low winter sun light stricking the wet smooth mud, blinding refelections made birding difficult! Flocks of Redshank were feeding on the edge of the rising tide, moving closer and closer. A gang of Curlews were roosting on the saltmarsh heads pulled in and feathers puffed up against the cold. As the sun sank the light actually got better as the blinding reflections off the mud were no longer. With the better light it was now possible to scan through the gathering gulls arriving to roost on the estuary. Most were Black-headed Gulls with smaller numbers of Herring Gulls and Common Gulls. Amongst a gang of Black-headed was a paler slightly larger gull, a stunning adult Mediterranean Gull! A scarce bird in North Wales and a real looker with it’s pure white wings and heavy red bill with a dark eye mask, great bird. A Grey Seal surfaced out in the river channel and was at once mobbed by a gang of Herring Gulls. A nice end to the walk, back to the visitor centre and to get warm, one thing about watching gulls at this time of year it is numbing!