Best of Anglesey Tour 4 May

We met Mike, Judy, Alex and Zoe near Bangor, for their custom day out, and soon crossed the Menai Straits onto Anglesey. First stop was RSPB South Stack and the good birds started before we had reached the reserve. A roadside field with a pool held a pair of Shoveler and three Gadwall. Ruth spotted a Chough feeding in an adjacent paddock, lovely to see this rare crow so quickly. A few hundred yards down the lane and we stopped to check a field with lots of crows feeding. Ruth soon picked out a stunning Hooded Crow! This rarity was a classic adult, not one of the hybrid birds sometime seen in the area.






The "Hoodie" showed well but was photo-bombed by a Jackdaw!

As we watched the Hooded Crow we had it, a Chough, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and a Magpie all in the same binocular view. We reached the reserve, with a good list of birds already seen, and walked the coast path towards the seabird colony. Wheatears were on the heathland and Fulmar swept around the stacks. Suddenly a Peregrine was above the cliff, hanging in the breeze. Alan noticed two feral pigeons flying below the cliffs and thought it would be a good idea to watch carefully. At first the Peregrine seemed not to notice and turned away. Keep watching! The falcon gained height and then hurled itself through the air like a rocket towards the pigeons, wow! The attacker passed right overhead and tore after its targets, luckily for the pigeons the falcon missed and rose above the birds to try again out of sight behind the cliffs. What a wonderful encounter.



We were soon enjoying eyeball to eyeball views of the female Peregrine on a ledge just below us. Fantastic through the Leica scope, every tiny detail in sharp focus. We watched Puffins on the water below the cliffs and massed ranks of Common Guillemots on the ledges.



New birds came thick and fast here as we enjoyed Fulmar, Kittiwake, Gannets, Manx Shearwaters, Rock Pipit, Stonechat, Ravens and more wonderful Chough. All that excitment had given us a thirst and we were soon enjoying a cuppa and a slice of cake in the RSPB Cafe. Even here the birds kept coming with White Wagtails in the field from the cafe window.

Next stop we watched Black Guillemots at close range as they swam, dived, flew and even sat on some stone steps showing off their scarlet feet. A nearby lake gave us lots of new birds. Sedge Warblers sang and did their display flights over the reeds. Both Great crested and Little Grebes were on the water where lots of Tufted Duck and Pochard. A stunning male Reed Bunting sang from a willow bush. Many Sand Martins and Swallows skimmed over the surface with small numbers of House Martins.

Time for lunch and we enjoyed a lovely meal alongside Beddmanarch Bay and enjoyed a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, nice bonus. Well fed we headed north to Cemlyn Lagoon. As we neared the lagoon we met our friend Graham Clarkson who told us a Roseate Tern was on the islands! A quick move and we were watching this lovely bird just a few minutes later. The Roseate Tern was roosting with some 100 Arctic Terns with masses of Sandwich Terns just behind, marvellous. Roseate Terns are very rare birds in world terms so a real thrill to see this bird.



A careful scan through the mass of birds on the islands picked out 3 Mediterranean Gulls, Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Common Sandpipers. We walked out to the beach and enjoyed great views of a wader flock on the rocks just below us. Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Turnstones all showed off and flocks of Whimbrel passed.







On the sea two Red-throated Diver drifted past on the tide, more Manx Shearwaters and Gannets passed. Wheatears were on the stonewalls and White Wagtails ran around in the grass fields. Time for another cuppa and this time scones, jam and cream! Is their a better way to finish a bird filled day with great company?

We would love to put together a perfect custom day for you, just drop us a line and we can do the rest. We know you will have a lovely day out and enjoy lots of great birds in stunning places.

info@thebiggesttwitch.com

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