YB Warbler, Firecrest and Snow Bunts @ Conwy

Bits and pieces in Conwy today - the Yellow browed warbler is still sgowing along the loop trail along with a Firecrest. There are 3 Snow Buntings on the edge of Conwy Golf Course, viwed by parking in the Beacons car park and walking along the edge of the golf course. Thers is another Snow Bunting in the shingle ridge at Penrhyn Bay beach.

Costa Rica Talk at BBG tonight

Rhion Pritchard and Dr Gareth Jones will be talking on Costa Rica at Bangor Birdgroup tonight. Doors open 7 - 7.30 pm. Brambell Building, Deiniol Rd Bangor.

Here's a digiscope shot I got of A Resplendent Quetzal in Costa Rica in September. It was more Resplendent than the first one I saw which was bald with no tail!

Grey Phal - no show!

There was no sign of the Rhoscolyn Grey Phal today at 8.10am and again at 11.30am :-(

The morning started very windy and wet and whilst on the phone Steve saw a striped gem from his office window! (see below). Ben went off to the Narrows and came across then next good bird in the form of this smart ocean-loving gull.

Pallas's Warbler and Sabines Gull - both breaking the latest records for the island

Grey Phal at Rhoscolyn

This Grey Phal was showing yesterday and today. It's on a small roadside pool at Rhoscolyn. Near 4 mile bridge turn off towards the White Eagle pub. The bird is on a small pool on the left near some black plastic bales before a stand of pines on the right by the house Plas Iago, before you get to The White Eagle. Parking is at a premium here so be careful. The bird is spinning away on this little pool. Occasionally having a little fly aroung the pond giving off a distinct "chip" note. It's pretty close so gives great views, I only managed a few digi-bin shots. Nice little lunch-time twitch! Norman was also enjoying the bird with me.

Report of Leach's Petrel, Great Orme

This relates to a bird released by the RSPCA today from the Great Orme after being picked up in Rhos on Sea town following the winds over the weekend.

Yellow-browed Warbler Conwy RSPB

Showed pretty well for about 20 mins this morning, calling frequently. Hopefully, it will be seen again tomorrow. Also 3 Whooper Swans in the morning and a Med Gull about midday from the Carneddau hide.

Rob H

Bits and bobs

A seawatch at Rhos Point over high tide produced a winter plummaged black guille and a prob juv Sab's gull but distant while Conwy RSPB has a whooper swan on the far lagoon and a brent goose with wigeon in the estuary. A merlin zapping along Gloddaeth Lane on the way back to Penrhyn Bay was a nice bonus.

Purple Sand, Rhos Point

Just one over the high tide today.  Big tides this weekend.  8 European WF Geese flew W/SW at midday over Rhos too. 
                             

  D-scoped

Unconfirmed report of possible.....

Two reports today, both third hand, of Shore Larks on Pensarn beach east of the railway station. John R and Ralph M have both had a look - no sign. Well worth a look if your over that way.

When in Norfolk last weekend we met "birders" that were very excited by larks on the beach and were happy they were Shore Larks because they were on the beach! The fact they looked like Skylarks didn't matter to them! So unconfimed report of possible at the moment!

Hope to see some of you at Martin Mere WWT over the weekend? We are speaking both days - new talk on The Biggest Twitch, plenty new pics.

Good birding
Alan and Ruth

The North West Birdwatching Fair

It's the North West Birdwatching Fair at Martin Mere this weekend. It's a great oppertunity to see Wildfowl, Raptors, Ruffs and Tree sparrows, plus the ornamental wildfowl. It's also a good chance to do some Birdy Christmas shopping. Also a quick drop in to the Bunting Hide at Pennington Flash on the way always gives great photo oppertunities for Bullfinches, Willow tits and the odd surprise too.

Great Grey Shrike @ Hafren Forest

One found by Tony Cross this afternoon, where the Afon Biga meets the Clywedog reservoir. It can be very elusive for long periods of time, but with a bit of patients it does occasionally perch relatively close to the road!!





This follows a good run of birds in monts over the past week or so, inc:

Great Grey Shrike @ Carno
Bittern, 3 Little Egrets and 5+ Water Rails @ Dolydd Hafren
2+ Short-eared Owls, and numerous Jack Snipe and Woodcock @ Llyn Hir
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker @ Caerhowel
40+ Brambling @ Llanidloes
Possible Cetti's Warbler, Little Egret, Greenshank, 3+ Green Sandpipers @ LCyD
Hen Harrier and 4+ Red Grouse @ Glaslyn

I know none of these are 'megas' but believe me they are all very good birds for this county, just ask Marc!!!

Rhuddlan white-fronts

The 19 Eurasian white-fronted geese are still frequenting Rhuddlan marsh, best viewed down Marsh Road. Park at the bottom of the lane by the gate adjacent to the caravan park and walk quarter of a mile to view.

Anglesey still on fire.

All the good birds still on Anglesey this morning (bar the Glossy that did not oblige in the short time availbale there). Red necked Grebe showed very well at Penrhyn and certainly is impressive (video below), while the Siberian Chiff-chaff is a super little bird. Steve's description is spot on, although the wingbar was quite prominent in the early morning light. The call was heard often- a plaintive 'peeeep' often likened to a mournful dunnock a good way of picking up with the roving tit flock. A single Tundra Bean Goose alonside a Pink footed Goose here gave excellent conparison between the two species. The Lesses Yellowlegs was also on form on the Alaw Estuary at Llanfachraeth. 11 Whooper swans showed well at Malltraeth Marsh as we were looking in vain for the Ibis.

Blokes, Birds and a Lady!

A great day out. Reg, Adrienne, Tony and Si looking on as I took Point. Tony nails the Yellowlegs. Dave Owens and Son get the Ibis. Quartering SEO at Coron, Malltraeth Sands Dabchick at Dusk and Sunset at Shorelands. Lovely day.

Fantastic Day

Today me and Tony went out birding and it was probably one of our best days birding we've had on Anglesey. Fantastic weather and a shed load of quality birds! To start the Lesser Yellowlegs was showing well at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary. Then we got stonking views of the ibis at Malltraeth. Tony almost had a fit at one point. He had just put his camera down for a few seconds to chat to Jim Bach when the Ibis lifted it's wings in a great pose and what made it worst was all he could hear was me firing off a volley of shots, nailing it! Coron was great with 12 European Whitefronts, Green Sand, Pink foot, Water Rail and a lovely Sibe Chiffchaff spotted by Zac and Chris. There was a well marked Buzzard near Llanfaelog that reminded me a little of a juvvy Snail Kite, and 2 more Pinks were close near Traffwll. The long billed Red necked Grebe showed well at Penrhyn then it was off to Coron again. Here we saw upto 3 Short eared Owls hunting over the Common, with a fly-by Peregrine - lovely! We finished the day at Malltraeth sands watching the Male Hen Harrier quartering over the saltmarsh, Ravens flying to roost and a fantastic sunset! We didn't want the day to end so we carried on, watching a bat feeding by the bridge at Malltraeth before focusing our attention on Jupiter and its moons. Great day!