Is spring around the corner?
We drove in sunshine to Pensarn Beach once again to find Steve Culley and Rob Sandham already in place, scanning out to sea. Someone had reported a Long-tailed Duck off here, amongst the raft of Scoter. Alan set up the scope and started to scan. ‘Got it!’ he said. Sure enough, the sunlight picked out a handsome drake Long-tailed Duck amongst the black duck riding the shallow waves that ruffled the surface. Nice to see this bird in its breeding plumage, striking with its piebald facial markings.
Large numbers of Scoter were strung out along the coast just offshore and we worked our way systematically through them. The vast majority were Common Scoter, compact duck, the males black all over with a yellow lump on the bill, the females a brown colour with a paler face. However, in amongst them were a small number of Velvet Scoter. At first glance, they’re similar-looking but closer inspection and you notice the longer neck and more upright stance, as if they’re stretching their necks and looking around for something. The males’ bills are longer too, and an orange-yellow colour, so with careful scanning, we picked out nine Velvets amongst the Commons. No sign of those elusive Surf Scoter though.
By now a good gaggle of birders had arrived, almost three generations, with veterans such as John Lawton-Roberts on the one hand, a grandfather of Welsh ornithology if you like, and young Alex, a volunteer from RSPB Conwy and a relative newcomer to the scene, while the majority of us were ‘of a certain age’ somewhere in between.
The sun had disappeared behind the clouds by now, so the visibility wasn’t as good. The Long-tailed Duck was proving harder to find now his plumage wasn’t being highlighted by the sun, but two Red-throated Divers could be seen, and two Great Crested Grebes were getting into their smart breeding plumage. Returning with some fortifying hot chocolate from the nearby café, Ruth heard a male Skylark tentatively trying out its song. We’d watched our garden birds becoming more territorial, and noticed trees festooned with catkins bursting into colour along the hedgerows on our way out this morning. Clearly nature was feeling that spring was just around the corner. The cool wind didn’t seem to support this theory though, and by now feeling thoroughly chilled, we said our goodbyes and headed home.