An early morning visit to RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve, not far from home here in Llandudno, North Wales produced some good birding. The morning was damp and breezy and did not look great for birding but once up it seemed crazy not to give it a go. A short drive and the Conwy Estuary adjacent to the reserve was in view. Two Little Egrets fished the rising tide with a Grey Heron. The bushes around the reserve car park were just about devoid of birds, maybe should have stayed in bed? Nothing showing along the boardwalk. At the viewing screen things got better, a flock of 14 Black tailed Godwit fed around the fast disappearing pools of water. The birds were all adults in brick-red breeding plumage, very handsome. Dwarfed by the godwits were a dozen breeding plumaged Dunlin all sporting their neat black belly patches. Three Common Sandpipers were busy dashing around on the drying mud.
Walking towards the Tal-y-fan hide, fellow birder Rob Sandham was standing on the track looking intently into the reedbed. Joining Rob it was soon obvious what had his attention, two juvenile Bearded Tits! These beautiful birds were climbing around in the tops of the reeds and really showing off, a real treat. The wind was swaying the reeds back and forth and Rob was trying hard to get some photos of the birds as they moved around. Standing back admiring the buffy and black plumaged birds was just wonderful as they occasionally gave their distinctive “pinging” calls. After some ten minutes of showing off the two young birds moved deeper into the reeds and were swallowed up the swaying fronds.
A circular walk around the reserve past the lagoons then back along the estuary track produced a good variety of birds. Great crested Grebes had two young sheltering under a bank. Wildfowl included Pochard, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Teal and Red-breasted Merganser. Of suspect origin were an adult Lesser white fronted Goose and a Black Swan. Two Common Crossbills flew east calling loudly. Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge and Reed Warbler were all singing. A Greenshank and at least two more Common Sandpiper were seen on the second lagoon where several Lapwing pottered about on the islands. The estuary held plenty of Shelduck and Curlew and at least 14 Little Egrets.
A good haul of birds for early July! If you would like to join us for great birding just drop us an email for details.