RSPB Conwy sightings board

Water levels and mud conditions look just right on the lagoons at the moment, and we're starting to see some passage waders: green sandpiper, little-ringed plovers, knot and black-tailed godwits in recent days.

Elsewhere on the reserve, the weekly blog is mostly about dragonflies, butterflies, bumblebees and moths. The orchids are almost over, but there are plenty of other wild flowers to get to grips with.

NIGHTJARS

The Nightjars at Llyn Bodgynydd were showing really well tonight in really good light,although it was cold up there. At least four birds seen. One seen feeding over the small lake wing flapping etc.Most amazing bit was when a Tawny Owl flew in followed by two Nightjars. The owl landed on a post and the Nightjars landed on posts next to it. I watched for a full ten minutes whilst one Nightjar repeatedly attacked the Tawny from the top of a bush. An amazing observation I am likely to not encounter agian.

Photographing my Yellowhammers this afternoon and this little beauty appeared on my bird table,for the third day running. I know its not a bird but they take some beating.

Gull billed Tern

A Gull-billed Tern was in Mid-Wales on Thursday. It's quite a rare bird in Britain but otherwise you can find it on all continents bar Antarctica. I still needed it for my British list but when it turned up at Burton Mere Wetlands near Queensferry on the border on friday afternoon I thought I would chance it after work,  and thankfully it hung around long enough for me to get it! It showed well but occasionally followed Black headed gulls hawking over an adjacent field prior to heading out into the estuary c.8.30 pm. It wasn't seen there today. I wonder where it will turn up next? Leighton Moss or Caerlaveroch perhaps? Great reserve, loads of Blackwits, Avocets, Green Sand and breeding plumage Ruffs and Spotted (Black) Redshanks. Wonderful!

The Squacco Heron Twitch

Here's a selection of shots of yesterday's Squacco Heron at Cemlyn when it was relocated in the evening. Initially it was perched in some willows by a ditch but then it flew to the top of the bushes where it stayed for at least 20 minutes prior to flying towards the shore and presumably away as it wasn't seen again.

It showed well for quite a while.

It was quite noticeable when we first spotted it!

David arrived to Police the Twitch.

It didn't like the local Buzzard.

Brian Iddon let a Birder in a Suit use his scope, but it wasn't Martin.

Then it flew off.

....and then Martin arrived.

But sadly Martin couldn't relocate it and even some kind words
from a passing cow failed to cheers him up.

Hobbies up North

On Monday David Wright had a Hobby at Cemlyn and possibly the same bird was nearby at Tregele the next day seen by Tony White chasing hirundines over his house! So it could still be in the area.

Squacco Heron at Cemlyn

It was found yesterday at 8am by the warden Dawn at 8am in the cow drinking pool viewable from the walled off house Bryn aber, then it flew to the adjacent wet field then flew off inland at 8.05. It returned c. 1.30ish when it was in the ditch by the old stone pigshed on the track down to Tyn llan farm for c.20 minutes then it flew towards Hen Borth. It was relocated at c.6.15 pm in willows beyond Tyn llan farm on the path to the chapel in the field then walk left down to the ditch where the footpath crosses it. It flew up into the tree tops, periodically calling, a frog like "bok". then at 6.52-ish it flew off towards the shoreline, not inland like on previous occasions, and wasn't relocated later on that evening.