Easter Weekend and little time for getting out birding sadly. Ruth has a friend staying so the girls have been busy shopping, cinema, walks and more shopping. Alan has been tied to the telephone updating both Birdline Wales and North West. With a good arrival of migrant’s birds in the sunny weather it has been keeping him very busy. This morning with the sky clear and looking like another good day Alan was out early before the bird news began to come in.
Arriving at RSPB Conwy it was very cold, frosty, as the sun had not cleared the eastern horizon. A brave Willow Warbler sang loudly near the entrance gate, apparently oblivious to the cold. Grey Herons were on their nest in the wood opposite the reserve. On the estuary five Little Egrets were feeding in the low water channels. Taking the estuary track a Reed Warbler was singing to the left of the Benarth hide but hidden deep in the reeds, first of the year for Alan. Both Great Crested and Little Grebes showed well from the hide and a late Goldeneye dived on the lagoon. Out on the saltmarsh a good count of 31 White Wagtails were migrant birds heading north, perhaps for Iceland? At the edge of the mudflats a gang of Redshank fed and through the telescope a Greenshank could be seen amongst them. Still plenty of Black-headed Gulls on the estuary and a single Common Gull flew in to join them. By the railway line both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff sang and a pair of Bullfinch was a lovely sight in the morning sun. Four Teal exploded from the Afon Ganol stream, vertical take-off by these tiny ducks. Lesser Redpoll and Siskin both flew over, more migrants. A Common Buzzard sitting in the top of a Silver Birch was mercilessly dive-bombed by a pair of Herring Gulls. Two lovely Long-tailed Tits showed off near the Carneddau Hide, perhaps they are thinking of nesting? At the Tal-y-fan Hide eight Black-tailed Godwit and a single Dunlin fed on the mud and a pair of Shoveler loafed on the far side of the lagoon. Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Shelduck all showed off in the slowly warming spring sunshine. A burst of song from the willows behind the hide announced the presence of a male Blackcap. The reeds near the hide held a second singing Reed Warbler chugging away hoping for a mate. Lapwing tumbled and called over the islands in the lagoons and looks like several pairs have eggs, hope they can produce some young this year. Back at the estuary and a handsome drake Red-breasted Merganser swam down the main river channel.
Would you like to go birding with Alan? See Black Grouse leking? Upland raptors? Seabird colonies on Anglesey? Special birds of Snowdonia including Ring Ouzel and Twite? Classic North Wales – Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Redstart and Hawfinch? Or a tailor made day to suit you?
See below for details….We are giving a talk on The Biggest Twitch at RSPB Conwy on 16th April at 7pm, again a donation to the reserve will be made, do come along and hear all about our adventure and support this great reserve. Tickets available at the reserve, Tel. 01492 584091 for details. If you have or know of a group that would like a talk please get in touch, info@thebiggesttwitch.comWould you like to come birding with The Biggest Twitch? Well now you can!
We are putting together a package of birding tours here in the UK, Europe and further a field using our huge experience to share our enthusiasm for birds, wildlife and wild places with you. We offer custom tours throughout the year in North Wales, day trips or longer to see all the special birds, dates to suit you. Who better to guide you than the author of “The Best Birdwatching Sites in North Wales”?
Highlights could include Red-billed Chough, Black and Red Grouse, Dipper, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Goshawk, Atlantic Puffin, Ring Ouzel, Hawfinch.  Expect to see a lot of birds!
info@thebiggesttwitch.com or call Alan on 07778 677141We are offering the following trips as set departure tours:Galapagos Islands and Ecuador: April 2010 – there’s been a lot of interest already!
India, Tigers and the north: November 2010We offer custom tours to the following countries with dates to suit you for an individual tour, or you can join a group of like-minded people:Spain, visiting Extremadura and/or the Coto de Doñana
Eastern Turkey for wonderful birds and mountain scenery
Finland and Norway with the very best guides for all the owls and woodpeckersIf you would like more details of any of these, please email us at info@thebiggesttwitch.com.  We would love you to join us for wonderful birds and much more!