Juvenile male Peregrine, Cockersand Abbey
Second winter Mediterranean Gull, Penrhos Coastal Park
Stonechat, Southstack
The Southstack lighthouse
The sea below Southstack cliffs - like somone has just spilled a few thousand gallons of milk!
Trearddur Bay
Herring Gull, Penrhos Coastal Park
Chough, Southstack
Pale-bellied Brent Geese, Beddmanarch Bay
Tornado F3 - over Penrhos CP. A doomed species with the advent of the Eurofighter!
Hawk trainer over Penrhos CP. These are based at nearby RAF Valley and are common sights.
RAF training helicopter looking suspiciously like a Police chopper. Again over Penrhos.
The bay at Malltraeth looking over to Newborough Warren
Puffin Island (now sadly devoid of Puffins until next Spring) from Penmon Point
The bay at Beaumaris, looking across to the Great Orme and Llandudno.xxxx
Last Friday heralded the start of our holidays. I kicked it off with my usual visit to HGF – nothing different to report though 52 Pink-footed Geese heading SE was a welcome site. The Green Sandpiper was still around though this was the last time I saw it. The usual pair of Buzzards were loafing around Midhops farm and both Linnets and Skylarks were present in the south field. The weather was superb – a nice, cold and crisp day with plenty of sun. A male Sparrowhawk visited the garden this morning and best of all – 14 Tree Sparrows at the Waterworks Lane feeding station – the first birds there since I started putting seed down again.
Xxx
We then set off for Anglesey. We have been coming here for years and again I got that feeling of coming home. This time we were staying in Trearddur Bay. The only birding in Anglesey today was a quick pit stop at Four Mile Bridge. Twelve Brent Geese flew off the Inland Sea and also present were 25 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Little Egrets and around 120 Wigeon. Tonight we viewed Jupiter without the normal light pollution – five moons and the bands around the planet were clearly visible! Saturday was a family day out the only birds of note were around 55 Shags and a couple of Guillemots from Penmon Head and a Purple Sandpiper with various waders on some rocks at high tide in Trearddur Bay – a nice spot from the living room window!
Xxx
Sunday morning I started with a quick mooch around Rhoscolyn – in contrast to the last few days it was grey and cold. Various waders around the bay and 25 Redwings flew through. We have been hearing migrating Redwings at night since we got here – otherwise nothing much to show for the brief sojourn. Around 35 House Sparrows were chattering away in the garden where we stayed.
Xxxx
Tuesday was the first birding day but grey skies and rain restricted birding efforts. The day kicked off with 15 Brent Geese flying off the Inland Sea and over the A55. I then headed off to Malltraeth, arriving around an hour after high tide. Predictably the area below the cob was flooded and aside from a Snipe and a few Little Grebes the pool by the road side was empty. On a small flash in the opposite fields were around 40 Pintails while 85+ Lapwings stood still in the rain nearby. Out on the sea were 50+ Wigeon, 120+ Shelduck while a Black-tailed Godwit flew over and along the edges patrolled 11 Little Egrets, 80+ Dunlin, 57 Curlews and 170+ Oystercatchers. A Raven also flew over.
Xxx
At the nearby duck pond at Llyn Parc Mawr there was nothing interesting with the pool full of Mallard plus a few Teal and Gadwall. I next ventured over to Llyn Coron where the world’s supply off Greylag Geese were present, along with four Buzzards and the same number of Stonechats. The day remained miserable and viewing difficult so I headed back to Penrhos Coastal Park, one of my favourite places, and thankfully the rain stopped. The tide had turned and I missed the first Great Northern Diver of the autumn here by about 30 minutes.
XXX
The star of the afternoon was a second winter Mediterranean Gull which was feeding along the tide line out in the bay. Just like the Ring-billed Gull 18 months ago it decided to visit and loiter around the car park with the Black-headed Gulls. Around 30 pale-bellied Brent Geese were feeding in the bay with juveniles clearly outnumbering the adults. I love watching these little geese and Penrhos is one of the best places to get close to them. Lots of waders around including 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a few Grey Plovers and plenty of Dunlin, Curlew and Ringed Plovers. The other bird of note today was a female Blackcap at Breakwater Country Park.
Xxx
On Wednesday I made another visit in sunshine to Penrhos and got some better views of the Med Gull. 7 Little Egrets, 30+ Brent Geese and the usual wader line up with around 450 Golden Plover in the distance. I later made a trip to Southstack – as I approached I noticed a raptor flying around the base of Holy Mountain. I stopped the car and got out and was rewarded with….a Kestrel. I was sure this was not the bird that had caught my eye so I stayed still and a few minutes later an adult male Peregrine joined the Kestrel with the two floating briefly side by side. Marvellous! At the reserve the wind was blowing steadily and the cliffs were largely empty. I ended up following a group of Stonechats around – four Choughs and a couple of Ravens also put in an appearance. And that was the end of the Anglesey trip.
Xxxx
Thursday morning I wandered over to Cockersand Abbey. It was nice and sunny and devoid of birders, but not so birds! I expect most birders had gone down the road to Bank End Farm to see the dowitchers, however as I had an appointment to keep in the afternoon I couldn’t take the risk of being cut off by the 9m+ tide (thanks to a local birder for telling me this). Initially most birds were distant but after an hour or so the tide started to rise and push birds closer. It really is a superb place to watch waders and the sun doesn’t get in your eyes!
Xxx
Grey and Golden Plovers, Redshanks galore, lots of Dunlin and a flock of over 1000 Knot flitted around – it was great to watch the Knot flocks swirling around the sky. I spotted a drake Scaup in the channel – around 40 Eiders, 40+ Pintails and 6 Red-breasted Mergansers were also floating around. A couple of birders did eventually show up with one poor chap getting excited by a distant row of fence posts which he mistook for a group of birders watching the dowitchers!!! Best of all was a juvenile male Peregrine which flew over and was mobbed by a flock of corvids. Suddenly he dropped and grabbed a Crow and flew around 200m before letting the shocked corvid loose. He made a repeat appearance around 30 minutes later. A second winter Great Black-backed Gull was busy swallowing something whole – I could see a pinkish leg and a webbed foot sticking out of its mouth. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the site – I will definitely be back here.
Xxx
Today I started with over three hundred Pink-footed Geese lfying east over Rixton as I drove along the A57 to work. Late morning I had a quick look at the feeding station. A flock of 35+ Tree Sparrows were present along with a male Yellowhammer. They suddenly flew off while alarm calling – a Peregrine then flew off a nearby pylon and revealed itself to be the cause. Three different Peregrines on successive days – superb! I came back at dusk this evening – the Tree Sparrow flock was busy chattering away in the hedge and a covey of eight Grey Partridges were feeding steadily. When the Tree Sparrows flew off to roost I counted 54 birds leaving the hedge! Amazing.
Xxx
We then set off for Anglesey. We have been coming here for years and again I got that feeling of coming home. This time we were staying in Trearddur Bay. The only birding in Anglesey today was a quick pit stop at Four Mile Bridge. Twelve Brent Geese flew off the Inland Sea and also present were 25 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Little Egrets and around 120 Wigeon. Tonight we viewed Jupiter without the normal light pollution – five moons and the bands around the planet were clearly visible! Saturday was a family day out the only birds of note were around 55 Shags and a couple of Guillemots from Penmon Head and a Purple Sandpiper with various waders on some rocks at high tide in Trearddur Bay – a nice spot from the living room window!
Xxx
Sunday morning I started with a quick mooch around Rhoscolyn – in contrast to the last few days it was grey and cold. Various waders around the bay and 25 Redwings flew through. We have been hearing migrating Redwings at night since we got here – otherwise nothing much to show for the brief sojourn. Around 35 House Sparrows were chattering away in the garden where we stayed.
Xxxx
Tuesday was the first birding day but grey skies and rain restricted birding efforts. The day kicked off with 15 Brent Geese flying off the Inland Sea and over the A55. I then headed off to Malltraeth, arriving around an hour after high tide. Predictably the area below the cob was flooded and aside from a Snipe and a few Little Grebes the pool by the road side was empty. On a small flash in the opposite fields were around 40 Pintails while 85+ Lapwings stood still in the rain nearby. Out on the sea were 50+ Wigeon, 120+ Shelduck while a Black-tailed Godwit flew over and along the edges patrolled 11 Little Egrets, 80+ Dunlin, 57 Curlews and 170+ Oystercatchers. A Raven also flew over.
Xxx
At the nearby duck pond at Llyn Parc Mawr there was nothing interesting with the pool full of Mallard plus a few Teal and Gadwall. I next ventured over to Llyn Coron where the world’s supply off Greylag Geese were present, along with four Buzzards and the same number of Stonechats. The day remained miserable and viewing difficult so I headed back to Penrhos Coastal Park, one of my favourite places, and thankfully the rain stopped. The tide had turned and I missed the first Great Northern Diver of the autumn here by about 30 minutes.
XXX
The star of the afternoon was a second winter Mediterranean Gull which was feeding along the tide line out in the bay. Just like the Ring-billed Gull 18 months ago it decided to visit and loiter around the car park with the Black-headed Gulls. Around 30 pale-bellied Brent Geese were feeding in the bay with juveniles clearly outnumbering the adults. I love watching these little geese and Penrhos is one of the best places to get close to them. Lots of waders around including 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, a few Grey Plovers and plenty of Dunlin, Curlew and Ringed Plovers. The other bird of note today was a female Blackcap at Breakwater Country Park.
Xxx
On Wednesday I made another visit in sunshine to Penrhos and got some better views of the Med Gull. 7 Little Egrets, 30+ Brent Geese and the usual wader line up with around 450 Golden Plover in the distance. I later made a trip to Southstack – as I approached I noticed a raptor flying around the base of Holy Mountain. I stopped the car and got out and was rewarded with….a Kestrel. I was sure this was not the bird that had caught my eye so I stayed still and a few minutes later an adult male Peregrine joined the Kestrel with the two floating briefly side by side. Marvellous! At the reserve the wind was blowing steadily and the cliffs were largely empty. I ended up following a group of Stonechats around – four Choughs and a couple of Ravens also put in an appearance. And that was the end of the Anglesey trip.
Xxxx
Thursday morning I wandered over to Cockersand Abbey. It was nice and sunny and devoid of birders, but not so birds! I expect most birders had gone down the road to Bank End Farm to see the dowitchers, however as I had an appointment to keep in the afternoon I couldn’t take the risk of being cut off by the 9m+ tide (thanks to a local birder for telling me this). Initially most birds were distant but after an hour or so the tide started to rise and push birds closer. It really is a superb place to watch waders and the sun doesn’t get in your eyes!
Xxx
Grey and Golden Plovers, Redshanks galore, lots of Dunlin and a flock of over 1000 Knot flitted around – it was great to watch the Knot flocks swirling around the sky. I spotted a drake Scaup in the channel – around 40 Eiders, 40+ Pintails and 6 Red-breasted Mergansers were also floating around. A couple of birders did eventually show up with one poor chap getting excited by a distant row of fence posts which he mistook for a group of birders watching the dowitchers!!! Best of all was a juvenile male Peregrine which flew over and was mobbed by a flock of corvids. Suddenly he dropped and grabbed a Crow and flew around 200m before letting the shocked corvid loose. He made a repeat appearance around 30 minutes later. A second winter Great Black-backed Gull was busy swallowing something whole – I could see a pinkish leg and a webbed foot sticking out of its mouth. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the site – I will definitely be back here.
Xxx
Today I started with over three hundred Pink-footed Geese lfying east over Rixton as I drove along the A57 to work. Late morning I had a quick look at the feeding station. A flock of 35+ Tree Sparrows were present along with a male Yellowhammer. They suddenly flew off while alarm calling – a Peregrine then flew off a nearby pylon and revealed itself to be the cause. Three different Peregrines on successive days – superb! I came back at dusk this evening – the Tree Sparrow flock was busy chattering away in the hedge and a covey of eight Grey Partridges were feeding steadily. When the Tree Sparrows flew off to roost I counted 54 birds leaving the hedge! Amazing.
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