A Windy And Sometimes Wet Day On Anglesey Produces Great Birds 10 July 2023

RSPB South Stack, Anglesey on a sunny day, not always like this!

We are great believers in sticking to plan “A” and very often plan “A” turns out to be the best one. So, when the weather forecast predicted showery rain for our day trip to Anglesey no problem, pack the waterproofs.

We met Richard and then Louise at Llandudno at 8am and then picked up Elen in Menai Bridge on Anglesey. So far, the weather was good, dry and overcast, we headed for RSPB South Stack first. Even before we reached the reserve, we watched Red-billed Chough and a family of Stonechats in the fields.

At the reserve we walked down to the cliffs, pausing to watch a showy Common Whitethroat, before taking in the glorious views of the cliffs, lighthouse, and sea. It was wonderful to see so many birds still at the breeding cliffs and we didn’t know what to look at first – Common Guillemots, Razorbills, Atlantic Puffins, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Shag all vied for our attention. And there was more, offshore Gannets were passing and then we picked out Manx Shearwaters! Richard was particularly delighted to these ocean wanderers as it was a new bird for his 2023 year list, but not any bird, it was bird number 199 in his quest to see 200 species this year! Could we find him that number 200 bird today?

Always a thrill to see Atlantic Puffins such wonderful birds.

It began to spit with rain, and it was pretty windy at the cliff top so having had a bird overload time we headed for the café for hot drinks. As we left the reserve, we again stopped to enjoy super views of Red-billed Chough. A short drive took us to Holyhead Harbour where luckily the rain and stopped and we enjoyed wonderful views of dapper Black Guillemots. We were lucky to see a youngster being fed by an adult bird, at least seven of these handsome seabirds were enjoyed along with Shag, Cormorant, Grey Heron and Little Egret here.

At nearby Beddmanarch Bay the rain came back with a vengeance, and it was very hard to see the lone Bar-tailed Godwit amongst the Curlew! We moved to the Inland Sea where thankfully the rain had more or less stopped and enjoyed comparing a fine adult Mediterranean Gull alongside a Black-headed Gull both in breeding plumage. With black clouds again looming again we opted for an early lunch, the Sea Shanty always great, and then headed north for Cemlyn Lagoon.

We always love visiting Cemlyn Lagoon so much to see! So many birds!

Luckily it was dry here and we immediately saw the pair of Pied Avocets, first ones ever to nest of Anglesey, at the east end of the lagoon. Sadly, the four young that hatched failed to survive but hopefully they will try again next year. We then walked out onto the shingle ridge and within minutes Richard had his number 200 for 2023 – Arctic Tern! Big smiles and high fives – a great achievement and it is only July. Not just one Arctic Tern here on the beach but hundreds and we could compare them with Common and Sandwich Terns all three species in the same scope view. It was wonderful to enjoy the sights and smells of the busy tern colony up close. Then Alan picked out a beautiful adult Roseate Tern amongst the mixed flock resting on the beach close by. This was a fantastic bird to see and yes bird 201 for Richard. We all enjoyed super prolonged looks at this rare tern and again great to compare it to the other three species close to it.

The bird number 200 for 2023 for Richard - Arctic Tern at Cemlyn photographed by Richard.

Then bird number 201 quickly followed and a lifer for all the guests - Roseate Tern - in the centre.

We then headed out towards the west side of the headland at Cemlyn stopping to watch Dunlin, Common Ringed Plover and Common Redshank feeding in a muddy bay. Then the rain came again, Elen and Louise wisely scurried back to the car, unwisely Alan and Richard continued and got soaked! They did a few more Manx Shearwaters through the downpour and a gang of Atlantic grey seals hauled out on the rocks but the car would have been the sensible option!

Time for one more stop and we called in at RSPB Cors Ddyga where it was blowing a gale but at least dry after we had driven through crazy rain to get there. A stunning male Marsh Harrier battled the wind allowing us super views. Northern Lapwings were on the wet grassland along with Shoveler and Gadwall, lots of Pied Wagtails too. At the bridge we enjoyed close views of Sand Martins and Common Swifts. On the walk back a Common Kestrel posed for us.

A really great day with lovely company and it was a surprise to total up the birds we had enjoyed – 70 species in some challenging conditions. A wonderful variety of species enjoyed too and lovely to share Richard’s 200th bird for 2023.

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