North Wales 19/02/2023

The more or less annual trip to World’s End. For once I arrived pre dawn and awaited the light. Despite being still dark, the hisses and bubbling noises meant the show had begun. Slowly the gloom eased and the shapes of lekking Black Grouse emerged. What may have been a couple of hens appeared briefly; but it was still too far do to tell. Twice therrr was a sudden ‘dread’ as nearly all birds suddenly departed. Whether that was a predator or a reaction to the females who knows, but they soon returned and resumed the combination of bubbling calls, hissing leaps and all out scrapping. A few Red Grouse appeared, with the odd one even entering the arena. The light remained doggedly poor for photos, but an  enjoyable experience.

Onwards to Clocaenog and this time I’d resolved to head to the modest peak of Craig-Bron-Banog mast, the best vantage point in the forest and reportedly the best place for good views of Goshawk. It was colder than expected and presumably this kept raptor activity low. Eventually three Goshawks appeared, but disappointingly distant. There were plenty of Crossbills and the odd Raven, but that was it. A return visit required.

Bittern, 12/02 2023

Exceptional views of this years’ wintering Bittern at Marbury this evening.

Anglesey Feb 2023

A long weekend in Anglesey with the missus in largely beautiful weather was welcome. Much of the time was spent waking the wonderful beaches at Newburhh Warren (where I saw my first Anglesey Red Squirrel), Rhosneiger and Benllach, but there was time for a few birds. We stayed in a lovely newly built cottage near Llanfachraeth at the base of the Alaw Estuary. The creek by the cottage held multiple Greenshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers and Little Egrets.

I walked the footpath along the southern shore of the estuary and also birders Beddmanarch Bay from 

Penhros. Highlights were c100 Pale-bellied and 1 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Mediterranean Gull, Slavonian Grebe and good numbers of commoner waders. 

At South Stack I was surprised to see the cliffs already stacked with Guillemots and a good number of Razorbills on the sea, whilst 4 Chough flew through cheerfully calling away.

A trip over to Benllach Bay failed to result in the Surf Scoter, but plenty of Common Scoter, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, lots of rafting Great-crested Grebes and Red-throated Divers were nice to see.

Finally a quick visit to Holyhead Fish Harbour yielded four Black Guillemots, before we set off for home. We broke the journey up with lunch then a quick stop of Llandullas yielded 2 drake Surf Scoters. They were quite distant but in excellent light and calm conditions the views were decent enough. At least 2 Velvet Scoters were amongst the Common Scoters and there seemed to be at least 30 Red-throated Divers.

Not a bad return for a chilling weekend, and a reminder how good the birding on Anglesey is. 

Back home there was still a couple of hours daylight, so I headed back to Kingsmead again for the impossible White-throated Sparrow. The score is now Sparrow 6. Me 0. Ah well.