Two Day North Wales Tour For Alison Produced Amazing Birds 6 And 7 December 2021
Two Day North Wales Tour For Alison Produced Amazing Birds 6 And 7 December 2021
Spotted Redshank just one of over one hundred species enjoyed on our latest North Wales tour.
Alison booked a two day Birdwatching Trips tour – one day Best of North Wales and the second day Best of Anglesey. Alison was happy to share the days out with others, added bonus of sharing the costs so we advertised the days.
On the first day, our very popular Best of North Wales tour, Konrad joined us and within a few minutes of picking up Alison from her hotel we were all watching Ruddy Turnstones and Common Redshank at point blank range what a wonderful start. The weather was “testing” with gale force winds and showers but we battled on and we enjoyed a wonderful selection of birds all within half an hour’s drive of Llandudno.
The Great Orme gave us super views of Fulmars back and forth above us and a thrilling view of a Peregrine tearing through the sky right above us and landing on the cliffs. Offshore we watched Shags, Common Guillemots and a Razorbill bouncing around in the choppy sea. Rock Pipits really showed off and we enjoyed eye-level feather detail looks at these subtle little birds. Red-billed Chough and Raven put in brief appearances to add to the brilliant start to our day.
A few miles along the coast we visited Llanfairfechan where the tide was high concentrating the birds on the little beach and marsh that remained. What a fantastic spectacle it was, thousands of birds here! Clouds of waders swirled up into the gale and landed back on the shingle spit as hundreds of Wigeon, Teal and Pintail fed so close we could see every detail. A Peregrine Falcon dashed along the beach sending the mass of birds into the air in confused panic! We picked out Knot, Grey Plover and Black-tailed Godwits amongst the chaos in the sky. We also enjoyed comparing Goosanders with Red-breasted Mergansers at close range. From the nearby hide we could be out of the wind and watch waders roosting on a pool and enjoyed wonderful views of Bar-tailed Godwits amongst so many Curlew. Walking back to the car we stopped to look at Skylarks feeding on the tide-line.
Next stop RSPB Conwy where a warming hot chocolate went down very well before heading out to the hides. The tide was still high and the lagoons held lots of birds. There was one we were particularly keen to see a Smew, very rare in North Wales see previous blogs, luckily this lovely little duck was still here though views were rather distant. Waders were showing much better and we marvelled at the gorgeous Lapwings along with Black-tailed Godwits, a Knot, Dunlin and lots of Common Redshank. With careful scanning we picked out one Spotted Redshank amongst his common cousins and as we walked back to the car-park a Woodcock flew over the path in front of us – wow!
A look down the Conwy Valley was hampered by the gale force winds and sleet showers so we didn’t see so many birds. Redwings and Mistle Thrushes did give good views along with more Lapwings, Wigeon and six Common Buzzards.
A really enjoyable day despite the grim weather and over 70 species of birds enjoyed.
Pintail as such beautiful ducks and we enjoyed them on both days of this amazing North Wales tour.
On the second day of Alison’s tour we headed towards Anglesey and stopped to pick up Janice at Llanfairfechan on the way. Janice had arrived early and had spotted a Dipper in the stream by the car park and better still it was still there for us to see. We also had lovely close views of a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, a big flock of Dunlin, a lone Knot and a gang of Turnstones before heading for Anglesey.
Over at Valley on Anglesey we stopped to check a flooded field and enjoyed watching 82 Black-tailed Godwits at close range along with Curlews, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Redshank and a flock of Wigeon.
At Holyhead Harbour the wind was near gale force with huge waves crashing over the breakwater but we still enjoyed five Black Guillemots, Razorbill, lots of Shags and four Great Crested Grebes.
As we headed to nearby RSPB South Stack we found a pair of Red-billed Chough in a roadside field and enjoyed amazing close views. Up at the reserve the wind was crazy but we watched a Hooded Crow hanging on to a fence post, more Chough riding the wind and close views of Rock Pipits. A nearby bay allowed us to enjoy superb views of three Purple Sandpipers in the sunshine along with Ringed Plovers and more Turnstones. On the Inland Sea we saw big flocks of Pale-bellied Brent Geese, two lovely Slavonian Grebes and lots of Goldeneye.
A really lovely lunch went down well and then we visited Beddmanarch Bay where a lovely adult Mediterranean Gull posed for us and lots more Brent Geese fed so close.
The rest of the afternoon was spent at Malltraeth Marsh where we were so lucky with birds of prey – a perched Merlin allowed prolonged views, two Red Kites unusual here, at least five Marsh Harriers including two males, at least one Peregrine, a Kestrel and several Common Buzzards. To add to this impressive haul we enjoyed two Great Egrets, hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings, super views of Reed Buntings, Stonechats and Fieldfares and to top it all off a mind-blowing sceptical of vast numbers of Starlings coming into roost – wow!!
We over 70 species of birds enjoyed again and some top quality memories to take home.
We would love to put together a custom Birdwatching Trips tour perfect for you please just drop us a line and we can do the rest…
info@birdwatchingtrips.co.ukWe look forward to enjoying great birds and wildlife with you soon.