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| Kingfisher (J Wharton) |
7th
January 2023
Weather: Showers, with a cold wind
Members and friends: 30
Thirty members and
friends set off from Stockport for our trip to a number of sites on the North
Wales coast. The journey was uneventful with only Buzzard, of note, recorded.
Our first stop of the day was at Aber Ogwen, where we walked down the narrow road to the Spinnies. Passing over the railway bridge we were greeted by a charm of Goldfinch, twittering in the trees overhead. A distant Mistle Thrush sang and few corvids searched for worms in the adjacent fields. The song of the thrush attracted the attention of two others and we watched two, presumably male, Mistle Thrush vying for the attention of the third, presumably female, bird. Robin, Blue Tit and Goldcrest were quickly added to the day’s list. Coal Tit and Chaffinch were recorded at the farm cottages and one of the fields held a small group of Redwing associating with a flock of Starling.
Siskin & Goldfinch (J Wharton)
At the Spinnies we found a handful of Mallard loafing on the muddy banks with, at least, two Little Egret and a Grey Heron present. Treecreeper was added to our list and from one of the hides we were fortunate to have excellent views of a female Kingfisher, fishing within metres of our party. Siskins fed on the adjacent feeders.
Jackdaw (J Wharton)
Moving over to view the estuary and the
outflow to Afon Ogwen we saw, at least, half a dozen Little Grebe fishing in
the waters. Further out in the Menai Straights we scoped Goldeneye, Wigeon,
Pintail and the occasional Great-crested Grebe. A handful of distant Red-breasted
Merganser were seen and, due to the high tide, the rocky shores held good
numbers of Oystercatcher. Curlew, Redshank and a single lone Dunlin were also recorded.
The flooded field by the carpark held further Oystercatcher, Curlew, Little Egret
and Grey Heron. They were joined by a flock of gulls, including two huge Great
Black-backed Gulls. A couple of Pied and
Grey Wagtail searched for flies by the water.
Lapwing (J Wharton)
Our second stop of the day was at Llanfairfechan with many of the group taking the opportunity of the walk from the wastewater treatment plant to the Boating Pool. Alighting the coach, a single Mute Swan sat in the middle of a field accompanied by a small flock of Greylag Geese. At the treatment works both Grey Wagtail and Pied Wagtail were feeding on the beds. The adjacent woodland was quiet.
Wigeon & Teal (J Wharton)
A large flock of Shelduck greeted us as we passed over the railway line. Ducks were present in good numbers over the saltmarsh, with Wigeon, Pintail, Teal and Mallard present. Amongst a large flock of Curlew we counted seven Bar-tailed Godwit. A small flock of Skylark moved through and we found a single Rock Pipit in one of the dykes. Canada Geese and Lapwing were present at the Morfa Madryn nature reserve. Stonechat and Linnet were both recorded on the walk through to Llanfairfechan, as well as a pair of Raven.
Dipper (J Wharton)
On the Boating Pool a pair Mute Swan were on the water, with four younger birds, potentially last year’s brood. A mixed group of gulls were in attendance, mainly Black-headed and Herring. Out on the shingle beach more gulls bathed in the outflow of Afon Llanfairfechan. Upstream a pair of Dipper were watched and a single grey Wagtail flew by. Scoping out into Conwy Bay we had distant Common Scoter, Shag, Cormorant, Razorbill and, at least, a couple of Red-throated Diver.
Kingfisher (J Wharton)
Our last stop of the day was at the Conwy RSPB reserve. Shoveler, Gadwall, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen and Coot were quickly added to the day’s list. The highlight was a distant female Scaup on the deeper lagoon. A Cetti’s Warbler gave itself away with a burst of song but we had no luck with a reported Firecrest or Spotted Redshank. A couple of hundred Starlings threatened to do a murmuration, but quickly disappeared into the reeds. The day ended with 84 species recorded.
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| Starlings (J Wharton) |
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