Saturday 5 March 2011

North Wales revisited

Bill, Tony & Ian roled up at 6am for a visit to North Wales it was set out to be a little bit of twitching and a catch up with a few birds we wont see around here or ones that have departed. Worlds End was the first spot, on arriving thinks looked pretty rough very low lying mist but a stroke of luck saw around 10 Black Grouse lecking only meters away from the road (pic taken through a compact at x3 zoom) It looked like most folk were interested in the Dartford Warbler than had been noted there we did give it a few mins with just a couple of misty views between us. A single Red Kite was seen on the A5 . The fish dock at Holyhead held 3 Black Guillemot until the cat kicked up its engines and headed for Ireland, Shag was also noted sat on a buoy. Tide was now about high so the Bonaparte's Gull would be missing until nearer low so with a few hours to kill South Stack was the next destination. A few Razorbills & Guillemots were on the drink so I expect they start building up soon for breeding Fulmar were already on the cliffs other birds were Raven, Rock Pipit & Stonechat. Target Bird Chough were found further up the coast non were around the stack. Time for Lligwy beach for the Gull a lifer for me, a few birders were all ready on the bird as we arrived so location wasn't a problem. Very good scope views were had but pics were harder as the bird was a little distant for Digyscoping. Last but not least was Sandbach flashes on the way home, the Iceland Gull showed pretty well but with light fading, time to route through the 1000s of blackheads wasn't possible. 10 Black tailed Godwits were pretty close in the flooded field off pump house flash plus all the Sandbach regulars

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