N.D.C.

 A wet evening at North Duffield Carrs. I arrived just after a grey plover had flown off. I found it difficult to see the birds on the far side of the reserve due to the heavy rain.

On the scrape in front of the hide a mute swan was sitting on its nest.

in between the heavy downpours of rain the bird stood up and I could see several eggs.

 Visibility improved when the rain stopped and I was able to see the birds at the far side of the reserve. Amongst the mute swans was a black swan and a single whooper swan. Shelduck and greylag geese were also feeding in the distance.

The rain started again and the swan settled down on its nest. A common sandpiper was slowly walking around the edge of the scrape as it looked for food. It was my first sandpiper of the year, tick number 132. A very poor photo.

 Closer to the hide a sedge warbler was looking for food in the stems of reeds, another poor photo.

A pair of shoveler were also on the scrape as was a single redshank. When the rain stopped I left for home.

Great Orme and RSPB Conwy

 Last day of my trip to North Wales.

On previous days I went to the the top of the Great Orme after tea, in the hope of finding the ring ouzels that were reported daily. So I thought that I would reverse my order of visits and start off on the Great Orme.

The birds were reported to be near the limestone pavement so off I set.

there is more than one bit of limestone pavement, so I slowly worked my across all the three main bits that I could see. I saw this meadow pipit having a bath in the one of the cracks.

I came across this male wheatear

 the area is popular with dog walkers, so after 90 minutes, I gave up. My phone thought that I was on the Isle of Man, so I could not check bird guides, so drove back down to Llandudno.

It was nearly lunch time and no reports of anything special so I decided to go to RSPB Conwy for lunch. They have a good selection of sandwiches and make a nice cup of tea, Jason was on reception so we spoke about the female pied flycatcher that I reported on Monday. He had not been able to go and see it but the warden had. It was only the second record for the reserve, so Jason sent me off to try to find something special.

On Monday it was short sleeved shirt weather, not today, back to woolly hat etc. Lots of chiffchaffs and willow warblers singing, but they were well hidden. From one of the screens I saw this white wagtail.

Whilst I was scanning the area I could see swallows and sand martins swooping low as they hunted for insects just above the surface of the water and whilst doing that I saw my first swift of the year. The cold weather meant that the insects were not flying very high and it was difficult to keep track of the swift as it hunted over the water.

Further along the path I met a lady who asked if I could identify this bird.

she had never seen a long tailed tit before. It was high tide so there were no birds to be seen on the estuary and I could not find a common sandpiper that had been reported on the lagoon. From one screen I was watching a pair of red breasted mergansers when I heard a cetti's warbler to my left. I had heard the birds on other parts of the reserve and at North Cave, but this was my first sighting of a bird this year. A very poor photo

Nothing of note to report from the rest of my time on the reserve.

A pleasant few days in the part of Wales. The weather could have been a little warmer and more sun to improve some of the pictures but overall I had a good time. 80 species for the trip, with 13 year ticks to take my total to 131.

Anglesey

 Day two of my little trip. Yesterday I was wearing a short sleeved shirt and enjoying the sun, today it is back to woolly hat etc to keep out the wind and rain.

I was at South Stack by 0830.

Lots of guillemots and razorbills on the cliffs and on the sea.

The wild flowers look nice

A chough was feeding on the grass.

Cemlyn was my next stop

I found walking along the pebbles on the beach hardwork.

It was cold here, I was glad I had brought my warm hat!

Lots of activity on the islands. A med gull was having a tussle with a black headed gull.

Sandwich terns were everywhere.

a red breasted merganser swam past

there were two common terns on the reserve

The very helpful warden suggested that I visit RSPB Cors Ddyga.

There is an electric fence to protect the nesting lapwings from foxes.

lots of lapwings chicks about, so the system must be working.

golden plovers were looking smart in their summer plumage, a shame that they were so far away.

a little grebe was fishing

There are several paths that you can select to walk along, the route I chose was about 4 miles long.

At one point the path is next to a river, and a grey heron was on the bank.

I turned left at this point. A sedge warbler was singing from a reed bed and these goldfinches were on a wire.

a marsh harrier was hunting over the wetter areas. On my way back to my car I came across a male stonechat

lots of willow warblers and chiffchaffs about.

a single meadow pipit.

Just before I reached my car I saw a grey wagtail in a ditch by the side of the road.

I was pleased with my visit and grateful to the warden for suggesting it. A total of 31 species including a year tick, taking my years total to 128.

RSPB Conwy

 Catching up on last years cancelled holiday in Llandudno. As I sit typing this post I can look out of the window and see herring gulls, sandwich terns and gannets fishing. I arrived her just before lunch. After dropping off luggage I went to RSPB Conwy.

The hides were closed but you could look through the screens. 

Mute swans, shelducks, herring and great black backed gulls. Tufted ducks, mallard and gadwall were on the water.

This canada goose was re-arranging its nest and keeping an eye on its egg. I am sure that the herring gull would look after it!

The path through the reserve leads to the Conwy estuary. It was low tide, so the few birds that I could see were in the distance. On the right hand side of the path are lots of brambles which form the reserve boundary. This whitethroat perched on top of some brambles to sing.

My first of the year. A little further along I got a glimpse of a sedge warbler. I had heard them singing in the reeds on the reserve but had not managed to see one.

This was my fourth tick of the day and took my year total to 121. South Stack tomorrow.

Afternoon at Nosterfield.

 An afternoon at Nosterfield, to see if I could see the garganey that has been reported on a regular basis. 

In the car park I stopped for a chat with Sue from Harrogate. She had seen the garganey but it was asleep.

I walked along the path towards the North viewing screen and heard and saw a chiffchaff.

There was lots of activity on the North Lake. A pair of redshanks were chasing about. 2 male shovelers were displaying well to each other.

When a female appeared one of the male came close to her and started to feed along side her.

Lapwings came close to the screen.

A single whooper swan is still on the reserve. As I was looking through my scope for the garganey I found a pair of yellow wagtails, my first of the year. Eventually I spotted a male garganey, much further right than I had been told to look. A poor picture due to the distance.

I then returned to the car park and looked from the viewing screen over the main lake.

Rabbits were enjoying the sunshine.

On the far side of the lake I saw ringed plovers and a pair of ruff. The male was in his black summer plumage, but too far away for a photo.

A pair of little grebes came close.

For the past few days I have been able to hear a great spotted woodpecker from my garden. This is a shot from this mornings viewing.