North Anglesey - bits and bobs.

Ron Evans had 3 Whooper Swans near Hen Borth, Cemlyn on Thursday the 1st Nov. They were there until Saturday the 3rd but had gone when I tried on Sunday the 4th! SHR had a Firecrest at Hen Felin Hen Borth also on Saturday but no sign on Sunday. Whilst hanging around the Car Park at Wylfa head on Sunday morning with Big Toe we had 11 Crossbills blogging around the forest with a nice male Blackcap in the bushes. Tony also had 1 or 2 Chiffchaffs. Today on Monday the 5th Nov I had 2 Whooper going to work and c.7 on the way back at their traditional wintering grounds (field) between Llangefni and Llanerchymedd near Tre-ysgawen Hall.

Surfs and firecrests

Two surf scoters showed together briefly this morning off station road in Llysfaen then just one male was on view. Three velvets scoters in flight and half a dozen red throated divers there. Carried on to Conwy RSPB and after a lot of searching eventually got on the 2 firecrests there. Most of the morning they were seen between the bridge pond and the T junction to the Carneddau hide.

Brambling in the garden

Never had any in the garden before but had 2 in the last week; a female first and a cracking male today. We could be in for one of those years!  Keep a look out.  The Chaffinches also peaked at over 30 and we've only got a small town garden.  

Conwy 'winter' Birding - Snow Buntings, Purple Sandpipers and Surf Scoters

An enjoyable wintery walk around the Orme this morning was rewarded with five showy Snow Buntings (2 males and 3 females), 20+ Brambling, 6 Bullfinch, 8 Mistle Thrush and 5 Redwings. 30+ Bottle nosed Dolphins offshore were a superb sight too. No sight or sound of Pete Alderson's Tawny pipit today.

One of the five showy Snow Bunting on the Orme this morning. Can anyone assign it to race? I presume it's 'insulae' due to the ground colour of the rump, although the mantle seems frosty and the 9th primary seems to have a lot of white on it.
The Purple Sandpipers have returned to Rhos Point with at least three birds present over high tide. Great Northern Diver there yesterday too.

Four Surf Scoters, three drake and a femlae still present off Llanddulas and best viewed from Llysfaen at station Road. at least two Velvet scoters here too ( 6 reported yesterday).

Surf Scoters

4 Surf Scoter 3drk all from Llysfaen Station rd.Weather conditions good for Scoter watching and the rafts quite close inshore.

Morfa Madryn to Aber 01/11/12

On many trips down to Morfa Madryn over the past few years I have been struck by the amount of birds following the coast here during migration (Thanks to David Lee and Jen for confirming my theories!). So with light westerly winds and calm conditions I was down at Morfa Madryn at first light. From 07.25 to 09.10 there was some very good passage of birds moving west. I counted 1270 Chaffinch, 73 Siskin, 38 Brambling, 44 Greenfinch, 16 Goldfinch, 2 Crossbill, 18 Meadow Pipit, 7 Pied Wagtail, 4 Grey Wagtail, 1510 Starling and 1 Skylark. The finch passage petered out in the next half hour but the Starlings continued to move west until midday at least. Great to see some proper visible migration!
As the tide was rising the next three hours were spent general birding between Glan y Mor Elias and Aber Shore. Highlight was a very obliging Water Pipit strutting around on the saltmarsh at Aber (near the old outflow pipe) with 3 Rock Pipits for company. An unharvested area of barley stubble just east of here looks superb, and held 300 Chaffinch, at least 1 Brambling, Greenfinch, Linnet and House Sparrow in small numbers. Other birds included 27 pale bellied Brents, 2 Dipper, 1 Goosander, 8 Bar Tailed Godwit, 3 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Knot, 30 Siskin, 2 Crossbill, 1 Goosander and 11 Skylark. At least 300 Redshank were on the west pool at Morfa Madryn with 60 Dunlin. Also one Lapwing displaying briefly!
An enjoyable morning!

Autumn's not over yet - Lleyn Birding part 1

October half term this year is a bit late in the season and I wondered whether I would miss out on a bit of migration watching this year. I have traditionally spent Teacher's Week down the Lleyn and enjoy meeting up with Lleyn stalwart Andy Clarke for some early morning vis migging on the Uwchmynydd headland.

Past Octobers have produced Glossy Ibis, Long-tailed Skua, Yellow browed warblers, Woodlark and good numbers of commoner migrants but it is a bit hit and miss. I come home from some Octobers with nothing at all to show for many hours in the field.

This year has seen a good start o the week with plenty of birds to keep me occupied. Highlight has been a fine Woodlark, always a joy to hear calling with it's fluty liquid whistle. The bird flew around the headland area for a good five minutes before pitching down in a near impenetrable grassy field and seemed to melt into thin air.

Andy Clarke found a nice male Firecrest in the valley on Monday and by Tuesday numbers had risen to at least two, with quite possibly three zitting around. Buntings have been represented by a Lapland south over Porth Meudwy and two fine Snow Buntings at Gimlet Rock, Pwllheli during horrendous weather yesterday.

The sea has produced a fine Great northern Diver off Llanbedrog, 3 femlae Velvet Scoter fairly close in off Criccieth, diving and devouring crabs for two days on the trot. A darke Scaup off here yesterday too.

Good numbers of birds seen with large numbers of Thrushes - 400+ Fieldfare one morning, 200+ Blackbirds in the area, thousands of Starlings passing west each day. Good numbers of Brambling (including several in stubble fields near the head land), Yellowhammer and Reed Buntings on the move, while flooded fields near Llanbedrog look superb and are currently holding 600+ Golden plover, 2 Black tailed Godwits, a Pale bellied Brent Goose, 30+ Dunlin, 20+ ringed Plover, 100+ Teal, 50+ Wigeon and good numbers of Pied Wagtails, Pipits and Skylarks. Looks spot on for a rare!

Gorgeous!

Always a thrill to see.

 It was good to see so many seaduck off Black Rock / Criccieth and with calmer conditions I'm sure there will be a good count of there. These female Velvelt Scoter (2 of 3 present) were much closer inshore than the 500+ Common Scoter present.

 

These two Snow Buntings were a welcome sight at Gimlet rock, Pwllheli during horrendous weather yesterday (hence the rubbish photo) - they actually showed very well!

Lots of resident and migratory birds around the headland. Up to 15 Chough around and some showing very well.