Land migrants start to trickle through

My first visit of the autumn up the Great Orme this morning produced a meagre tally of 2 Wheatears, Crossbill, 2 Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting and 3 Willow warblers. Local breeders included good numbers of Juv Stonechat, Choughs, Peregrine, Kestrels and an impressive 80+ Goldfinches.

Simon H-R. was on Carmel Head and fared a bit better with female a Marsh Harrier, 15 Willow Warblers, Crossbills and Lesser Redpolls.

Stuff's starting to move :-)

RSPB Conwy come on down!

Quick walk around the reserve this morning - lots of birds. Waders were the main interest with 2 Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, scarce here, Whimbrel, Black tailed Godwit plus all the regulars. On the lagoons a nice selection of wildfowl including Gadwall, Teal, Pochard and Tufted Duck. Lots of warblers about too with Reed Warbler and Blackcaps showing off really well. Looking forward to being here tomorrow talking about Pledge to Fledge - getting more people to give birdwatching a try. We will be in the hides, either Tal-y-fan or Carneddau hides, from 10am - 4pm. Do pop in and say hello and talk birds and birdwatching. Hope to see you there! Good birding Alan and Ruth

Mynydd Cilan

Nice afternoon out in the hot sun on Mynydd Cilan today. The only birds of note wree two adult med Gulls at the south end of porth Neigwl (Hell's Mouth)I was really looking for dragonflies though and was not dissapointed, Highlight was a cracking male red-veined darter

 Also a few emperors including this egg-laying female

Plenty of distant Manxies on the flat calm sea and  a couple of bottle-nosed dolphin reasonably close. There was a also a pod of very "splashy" dolphins miles out which I suspect were commons.

Birds on the River Clwyd - 9th Aug (waders starting)

An enjoyable walk down the River Clwyd yesterday produced the following:-
2 Little Ringed Plover
Whimbrel
6 Common Sandpipers
12 Dunlin
4 Ringed Plover
4 Black tailed Godwit
2 adult Mediterranean Gulls
250+ Sandwich Terns
200+ Greylag Geese and 300+ Canada Geese - quite spectacular in flight.

I'm a Lucky Little Bustard!

I've just enjoyed an enjoyable couple of weeks in the Algarve on a family holiday. We stayed at Villamoura, a good central spot and a nice place for the family to stay - beaches, golf, touristy things, good food and a super little nature reserve which I patched hard.
Over the week this small reserve produced Little Bustard, Red-necked Nightjar, Black-shouldered Kite, Black headed Weaver, Little Bitterns, Night Herons, Feruginous Duck, Red-crested Pochard, Orphean Warbler, Azure winged Magpie as well as all the usual southern European stuff.
Offshore produced Cory's and Great Shearwater, Strorm Petrels and a single Wilson's Petrel.

 White Storks everywhere!

 Azure winged Magpie a pest

 Beeaters in good numbers - one morning saw a flock of nearly 100!

 Black headed Weaver - an exotic breeder with loads of there amazing hanging nests.

 Black shouldered Kites frequent the nature reserve

 Two Little Bustards were a real suprise and I'm pretty sure was a good bird for this part of the Algarve. I've had to travel some 50km to the west or 100km to the north to see them in the past.

 Purple Gallinules show well from the hides here

 Great to see Quails so well aznd not just a distant call!

 My favourite bird - Red rumped Swallow. I could watch them for hours. Oh for one on the Orme!

Common Waxbills give a touch of the exotic in the reedbeds.

Greater Flamingos at Salagados Lagoons. A great site and in real danger of being destroyed. Please take time to sign this online petition - http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Save_Salgados_a_unique_internationally_recognized_birding_sanctuary_from_being_destroyed

I had Spoobills, Glossy Ibis, Curlew Sands, Wood Sands, Green Sands, Flamingos, Thousands of Gulls and small Waders, Gallinules, Avocets etc etc here - it would be a disaster for the area if the proposed plans went ahead.

Day on the Dee

Enjoyed a brilliant day around the Dee Estuary today with a cracking selection of birds. Burton Marsh was a great place to start and we soon had scope filling views of a Great white Egret! Two Marsh Harriers, often together, hunted the sea of grass along with Peregrine and Kestrels. Loads of Little Egrets out on the marsh along with two Green Sandpipers and two Greenshank. A reeling Grasshopper Warbler made a mistake and sat in view! Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB reserve was full of birds with over 600 Black tailed Godwits! Two Spotted Redshanks allowed comparision with Greenshanks and Redshanks, Common Snipe were out and showing well. Still plenty of Avocets both here and on Burton Marsh. A juvenile Mediterranean Gull dropped in alongside Common Gull and all plumaged Black headed Gulls, great for ID. We also enjoyed Whimbrel, Knot, huge numbers of Curlew, Green Woodpecker and amazing views of two very cute Little Owls. For once it didn't rain and we enjoyed sunshine all day! Next trip over to the Dee is on the 14th September come and join us for great birds! Check out http://www.thebiggesttwitch.com/services/guidedbirdwatchinginnorthwales For more great trips. Good Birding Alan and Ruth

RSPB Conwy

Quick visit to the reserve over the high tide this afternoon produced a nice selection. Highlight was a first winter Yellow legged Gull roosting with Herring and LBB Gulls. Waders included 2 juv Little Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 36 Black tailed Godwit along with some 300 Curlew. Due to cancellation got space on tomoz, Wednesday 8th Aug, trip to the Dee Estuary in search of waders and much more! Call Alan on 07778 677141 if you would like to join us. Good birding Alan and Ruth