Best of North Wales Tour and we headed for the Isle of Anglesey
Five Day Best of North Wales Tour and we headed for the Isle of Anglesey.
Red-billed Chough are always a delight to see on our North Wales tours.
Day two.On the way to Anglesey we made a quick stop at a viewpoint overlooking RSPB Conwy where we enjoyed lots of birds on the lagoons and adjacent estuary. Our first stop on Anglesey was at Beddmanarch Bay where it was very windy but lovely and sunny. Even before the minibus stopped we had spotted a cracking adult summer plumaged Mediterranean Gull amongst some Black-headed Gulls close to the road. We scanned the choppy waters of the bay and Ruth picked out a distant Slavonian Grebe that bobbed about in the waves. Luckily the beautiful Pale-bellied Brent Geese were so close we had super views with the naked eye! We also enjoyed seeing both Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwits here.
At nearby RSPB South Stack it was blowing a gale but we still found a pair of Red-billed Chough feeding in a field before braving the wind to see the stunning views over the lighthouse. We also enjoyed a pair of Stonechats, Ravens and hundreds of Common Guillemots already back on the cliffs here despite the gale.
Luckily it was much more sheltered down at Holyhead Harbour and we immediately saw the wintering Common Sandpiper at close range, this bird has been very elusive so lovely to see it at once. Black Guillemots showed off in the sunshine in a variety of plumages from full summer to winter so lovely to compare these very different looking birds. A hot drink went down very well as we scanned the harbour.
It was great to see Purple Sandpipers eventually such super birds.
Just down the road we checked a rocky bay in the hope of seeing Purple Sandpipers but despite all eight of scanning the wave lashed rocks no sign of one. We kept scanning but no we were out of luck and Alan was just about to call “time for lunch” when Ruth spotted two Purple Sandpipers! Where the birds had been before we had no idea as we had all checked that rock numerous times but there they were!
Lunch was really great and everyone loved the choice of café.
First stop after lunch was a cow field near the village of Valley and we saw a gang of egrets even before we reached the parking spot. We quickly picked out “the” egret – a Cattle Egret amongst seven Little Egrets all showing very well in the lovely sunshine. The cows were as interested in us as we were in the egrets all coming to the gate next to us and “mooing” loudly.
At Aberffraw we watched Fieldfares in a field, a Greenshank on the estuary, a Goldcrest in a hawthrorn bush and a beautiful flock of Golden Plover in the sun – a wow moment.
At Newbrough Forest it was very busy with people and dogs, being a sunny Sunday not at all surprising, but we enjoyed some birds in the pines and a selection of ducks on the small lake along with nice views of Little Grebes.
Our last call of the day was RSPB Cors Ddyga where we walked the track down to the bridge and enjoyed superb views of Pintail, Eurasian Wigeon, Eurasian Teal and Northern Shoveler in the late afternoon sun. There were stunning Northern Lapwings here too also looking fantastic in the perfect light along with Whooper Swans and a very showy pair of Stonechats.
What a wonderful day packed with amazing birds, stunning scenery, wonderful weather and great company.
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