Finch Farm - Glanwydden Lane

After stomping around Glanwydden Lane for hours this morning, I finally came across a sizable finch flock. The birds are in the overgrown field below the farm about half way along the lane. There are around 250 Chaffinch, at least one Brambling, 5+ reed Buntings, 20+ linnet, 25+ Greenfinches and 15+ Goldfinch. Other birds seen in the valley included 20+ Fieldfares, 50+ Redwing, 8 Bullfinch, 20+ Long tailed Tits and an impressive count of 22 Stock Doves.
What a difference 12 months makes - not a single Woodcock or Snipe.

Happy Christmas - Rhos Point

A lovely walk in near spring like Christmas conditions produced an excellent count of at least 23 Purple Sandpipers between Rhos Point and Penrhyn Bay Golf Club, on rocks at high tie. Hundreds of Turnstone, Dunlin and tens of Ringed Plover and Redshank also around. Offshore a female Eider flew west close inshore, while 5 Great Crested Grebes and a drake Common Scoter not too far out. Pictures above and some video footage of some of the Purple Sandpipers using my new Christmas toy; a Canon SX30 iS - ideal for capturing the odd record shot during spring and autumn migration.
Purps video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqycmvwmgGQ
Happy Christmas everybody ;-)

Great Christmas Eve Birding

Thanks to Rob for letting me tag along to see the ringing of the Snow Buntings (very apt for a Xmas eve,) a couple of snaps below:

Also caught up with the Great Northern Diver, showing really well, along with the Firecrests at Conwy RSPB, a brilliant day!

A few more pics here if anyone interested:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/petewood1981/

Snow Buntings - 6 ringed

6 of the 12 Snow Buntings were caught and ringed this morning, released and they returned to the same seeded area.  They were asigned to the Icelandic race insulae due to the more general brown colouring especially on the primary coverts.

                                              Above: 4 Male wing
                                   Below: 4 Male with 3 female for comparison

 Happy Christmas all

Parrot palate

The ring-necked parakeet was tucking in to a few tasty morsels when I called in this morning at Deganwy, taking it's time to select twigs before getting stuck in. Still only seen the one although two are meant to be in the area. Anyone seen 2 together?

Please hang around until Jan 1st, 2012!

Everythng showing this morning. Great views of the Great Norhern Diver at the Marine Lak, Rhyl, 12 Snow Buntings giving ace views at Horton's Nose (I'm sure Rob will be along to show in the hand pics and assigning them to race), Short-eared Owl hunting at Kinmel Industrial estate, 3 Scaup offshore at Kinmel, 2 Eider and 3 Purple sands at Rhos Point. 3 Firecrests still at Conwy along the loop trail and the Ring necked Parakeet still squawking in Deganwy. Whata great start to 2012 that would be!

Norfolk Trip 19th Dec

Bearded tits were showing really well at Cley with a flock of 15 milling around. Some birds were coming onto the boardwalks giving great views.

The Arctic Redpoll was quite obliging at Titchwell amongst 20 Redpolls.

The Western Sand was with upto 20 Dunlin from Daukes hide at Cley. It was quite mobile and a bit tricky to photograph.

The sight of 500+ Dark Bellied Brents over Cley was quite a spectacle.

There were many European White fronted geese amongst the Greylags and Pink footed Geese in several flocks we encountered along the North Norfolk coast.

Common Chiffchaff at Titchwell

The scrape at Titchwell

Merry Christmas everybody :-)