Birding in a Winter Wonderland.

Today I headed over to North East Wales for some winter wonderland birding. Here's some of the cracking birds we saw including an interesting Common Crossbill with two wing-bars. Thanks to Tony and Mogs for their company and Tony for his expert 4x4 driving, without which we wouldn't have reached the places we did reach. Top man! (and the bacon butties ;-)

Winter Wonderland

Black Grouse

Male Red Grouse, we saw c.25 birds on the moors.

I've never seen them do this with their tail! Prairie-chicken-esque!

We had 60+ Black Grouse

Hard times for Wrens.

Good Grouse habitat.

Frosty snow

I never realised how well patterned female Red Grouse are.

Male Red Grouse.

Male Brambling.

Snowy Stonechat

Dippers are quite numerous in the area.

My first "two barred" Common Crossbill.

Goldfinch.

Fieldfare

Tagged Red Kite

A1

 Kelvin

You need to be the early bird to catch the worm as quite quickly the moors can be covered in
Cars, Cyclists and  walkers. Use your car as a hide for best results and to minimise disturbance.

Winter wonderland.

Stunning scenery.

"two barred" Common Crossbill
Feeding by Car Park at the foot of Craig bran banog.

"Unbarred" Common Crossbill.

"wing barred"Crossbill.
 I'm putting some other images together to publish here soon.