A good turnout of
thirty-eight members and friends set off from Stockport for the society’s last
trip of the season to Anglesey. The day started well with a Grey Wagtail
perched up on the Last Monsoon, the second coach pick up point. On the journey
over to Wales we spotted numerous Buzzard and the occasional Kestrel.
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| Cemlyn Bay - Holly Page |
After a comfort
and provisions stop in Colwyn Bay we arrived on the island and the coach made
its way down the twisty lanes towards Cemlyn Bay. Unfortunately, the road lay
out meant we couldn’t get the coach to the car park, so we disembarked and
walked the last kilometre.
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| Whitethroat - Alan & Glo |
On the lagoon we
quickly picked up Little Egret, Shelduck and Red-breasted Merganser. A Grey
Heron fished in the shallows and a Redshank was seen. Swallows, Sand and House
Martins hunted insects over the water. There were Common Whitethroat in the
scrub and a Sedge Warbler was seen by a couple of people. A distant Cuckoo was
heard calling.
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| Grey Heron - Holly Page |
The tern islands
were busy with adult birds coming and going, bringing food for the young birds
that were generally hidden in the vegetation. Common and Sandwich Tern were the
dominant species, but a handful of Artic Tern were also identified.
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| Sandwich Tern - John Wharton |
The first mystery
bird of the day was a tern showing some features of Roseate. The bill was very
dark and appeared blood red at the base. The bird didn’t show any flush on the
breast (as you might expect at this time of year) and it was repeatedly
interacting with a single Common tern. The size and structure was also
identical to the adjacent Common Terns. A conversation with the warden
confirmed no Roseate’s had been recorded to his knowledge in the six days he
had been there. The conclusion was it was likely to be a Common Tern, with
unusual bill colouration.
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| Cemlyn Bay - Holly Page |
Turning away from the terns and gulls we
looked out into Cemlyn Bay and found three Black Guillemot to entertain us.
Further out in the open sea we identified passing Gannet, Razorbill and Shag. A
walk up to the headland produced excellent views of Manx Shearwater with birds
relatively close. Oystercatcher and Curlew sat on the rocky shore.
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| Linnet - Alan & Glo |
We re-found the
coach and set off to our second destination of the day. Due to reconstruction
of the RSPB visitor centre at South Stack the car park was closed. The coach
parked where it could on the lower South Stack Road and we had to walk the
kilometre or so up to Ellin’s Tower. On route we picked up Stonechat, Linnet
and Meadow Pipit to add to the day list.
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| Stonechat - Holly Page |
Arriving at the
cliffs we set up to view the seabird colonies. There were excellent numbers of
Guillemot, both on the cliffs and in the sea below. Razorbill numbers were
good, with Fulmer, Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gull present. We did have
distant views of Puffin with up to seven birds seen and the Kittiwake colony
under South Stack lighthouse looked healthy. The occasional Gannet and Manx
Shearwater passed around the headland.
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| Chough - John Wharton |
After a
refreshment stop at the temporary RSPB facilities members made their way back
down the hill to the coach for the return journey to Stockport.
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| South Stack - Holly Page |
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