Conwy and Anglesey Birdwatching Tour
Conwy and Anglesey Birdwatching Tour
We met Richard and Norma at their Llandudno hotel and within a few minutes we were watching birds on the Great Orme. Gannets were passing offshore, Cormorants and Shags roosting on the cliffs, a Kestrel landed just yards away as a Raven peered down from rocks above.
A short drive and we arrived at RSPB Conwy with wonderful views of Conwy Castle and the hills above.
As always the reserve was full of birds! A lovely Grey Plover was roosting on the lagoon with Lapwings, a Water Rail was having a bath at the edge of the reeds, allowing long looks. In the bushes Blackcaps and Bullfinch. Meadow Pipits fed on the grassland and were restless with the urge to migrate.
Meadow Pipits from the Tal-y-fan hide
We dragged ourselves away from the bird feast at RSPB Conwy and headed for Anglesey.
First stop was Beddmanarch Bay where we had timed our arrival perfectly - the tide was just dropping and masses of birds were flying in to feed on the exposed mud. Bar-tailed Godwits, Knot, Dunlin and Ringed Plover all fed just yards away. Then larger birds flew in, gangs of Pale-bellied Brent Geese, fresh in from their Arctic Canada breeding grounds! These dainty little geese gave us wonderful views as they fed on the green algae.
Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Beddmanarch Bay
Then on again to RSPB South Stack where we quickly found our main target bird, a gang of showy Chough fed and swooped over the roadside fields. As we watched these charasmatic corvids a Stonechat popped up right next to us.
Stonechat at RSPB South Stack
We enjoyed a lovely lunch at the RSPB cafe, including some very good chocolate cake, then a phone call from local birder Ken Croft had us heading for the nearby Alaw Estuary.
The very rare Lesser Yellowlegs on the Alaw Estuary
Ken was watching a really rare bird, a visitor from North America, a Lesser Yellowlegs! Rather like our familar Redshank but of course with yellow legs.
We were soon stood with Ken on the bank of the river and enjoyed brilliant views of this vagrant from across the pond. Thanks for call Ken!
We finished the day off by visiting Llyn Coron and Malltraeth where we added lots more wildfowl and waders to our list and came across this Great spotted Woodpecker keeping look out from a telegragh pole!
We had a great day out with Richard and Norma and look forward to birding with them again, a truely memorable day!