Lapland Bunting Cemlyn

News from Steve this am, Lapland Bunting again Cemlyn in stubble field by west car park but mobile. Ste has put down seed in the field, if you are heading over take some seed and chuck it down near the rocky bit in the field and we hope the bird will stay and show.

Alan and Ruth
www.thebiggesttwitch.com

Yl Gull, Penmaenmawr

A first winter-type Yellow-legged Gull was on the tideline at Penmaenmawr this evening. It showed well with the Herrings allowing all the salient features to be appreciated on the deck and in flight. There are thousands of large gulls at the moment on the beach between Pen and Morfa Conwy at low tide - well worth keeping an eye on!

Lesser pecker showing well just over the border

This male Lesser spotted woodpecker was giving great views today at Moore NR near Runcorn allowing a rare opportunity to see a good bird which is rather scarce in North Wales.

Lap Bunts at Cemlyn

Caught up with a single bunt today up near the kissing gate in the stubble field west of Cemlyn NWWT car park.  Saw Tony and he said there were 3 yesterday, 2 in the turnip field down the lane to the farm before you get to the car park, the other where i had it.  Purple Sands showing on the rocks and a couple RTD offshore.  Did a walk over in NE Anglesey prior and had a singing Dipper which is a good island record also 4 Black Guillemot.

Old Colwyn Surf Scoters are back 12 months on!

The perfect light tempted me up to Rainbow Bridge, Old Colwyn this afternoon. I sat on top of the rocky outcrop scanning the vast rafts of Common Scoter for two hours before connecting with two drake Surf Scoters. The birds were distant but sood out like a sore thumb in the near perfect light, bobbing up and down together amongst a huge flock of Common scoter. Other birds included 45 Red throated Diver, 112 Great Crested Grebe, 8000+ Common Scoter and several Guillemots and Razorbill (a Clwyd description bird believe it or not!). The dodgy picture above was taken from the same spot last year.

On the way home I stopped to scan the large gull flock west of Rhos Point which is feeding on wrecked starfish. The whole coast here is awash with large gulls at low tide with several thousand birds. At least ten Northern 'argentatus' birds were picked out, but nothing rarer as hoped for. It's only a matter of time before this flock must pull in something rarer. The photo here shows just a small part of the flock!

Gulls at Lligwy

If you are over at Traeth Lligwy looking for the Bonaparte's Gull pay attention to large GBB type gulls an odd bird seen there yday by visiting birder not sure what it was but sounds interesting....

Alan and Ruth
www.thebiggesttwitch.com

Lap bunts at Cemlyn

Tony White just sent me some cracking photos (one shown here) he got of 2 Lap bunts he had in the field next to the west car park at Cemlyn today. Nice one Tony.