LLanfairfechan & Conwy - 2 March 2013

It's always a pleasurable journey driving into Wales. But with the added entertainment from my satnav as it attempts to roll its techno-tones around Welsh road names, it's often a hilarious journey also. You can well imagine what it made of our first destination this morning... the promenade at Llanfairfechan (via Dwygyfylchi and Penmaenmawr)!

On arrival we were greeted by the amazing site of a Jackdaw in a trance-like state, sea-watching. We guessed, based on recent weather, it was not so much enjoying the view but wondering what the big orange thing in the sky was!

It was approaching high tide and the increasingly calming sea mirrored the clear blue sky above, thus allowing clear views of Puffin Island, off the eastern tip of Anglesey. Just as well really, as the Red Breasted Merganser - our target bird today - where way out at sea, sharing the serenity with a number of Great Crested Grebe. That is until a lone male in full summer plumage, appeared within 50 meters and dutifully posed for photographs in the pale blue sea.

Mission accomplished, and after watching 100+ Oystercatchers desert the shrinking shoreline to head for their high water roost, we moved on to Conwy.

Lunch at the RSPB reserve was followed by a perimeter walk during which; Teal, Shelduck, Wigeon, Heron, Lapwing, Pochard, Canada Geese, Goosander, Blackbird, Curlew, Snipe, Tufted Duck, Little Egret, Coot, Redshank, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Crow, Dunnock, Chaffinch and Goldfinch were all added to the day-list.

Conwy RSPB reserve is very well run by its team of dedicated, friendly staff. In my opinion, it is streets ahead of the better known (Springwatch) sister site at Ynys-Hir.

Da iawn Cymru.

Hypnotised by the sea (a state I know so well)

Red Breasted Merganser enjoying its usual 'bad hair day'

Snipe bathing in the lagoon at Conwy RSPB

Curlew taking a breather near the lagoon

A perfect end to the day - Watching a Grey Heron searching for supper at sunset

Inner Marsh Farm - 8 October 2012

A bright morning and the prospect of some autumnal sun had me dashing off for an early start at IMF. The sky turned very grey during the journey and my thoughts turned to last weeks rain dodging and an abandoned visit to this venue. This time I arrived dry, if a little under-dressed for the chilling breeze that greeted me inside the east-facing hide.

Out on #2 pool were 250 Lapwing, 100 Teal and 3 Snipe. Within minutes of my arrival, all but the Snipe were sent skyward as a female Merlin raced in low from the north and along the near water line.

Everything soon settled but there was little movement over the next hour. A single Blackwit arrived but did not stay long. The Snipe flew off to the north although one well-camouflaged bird remained in front of the hide. A single male Shoveler arrived, followed by 7 Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshanks and 5 Greylags. A Grey Heron appeared in the longish scrub to the east and was oblivious to the sheep that roamed around it. I wonder if – like me – the heron had a giggle at the sight of one sheep carrying 9 Starling on its back!

With the easterly breeze still biting, I thought of moving on. Suddenly the short, sharp flight call of a Kingfisher pierced the air and the grey panorama was set alight by the flash of bright blue as it darted passed, looped around the border end of the pool, streamed back low over the islands where it spooked a few Lapwing and disappeared to the north-west. Amazing… yet another Kingfisher √ and my second in 3 days. Warmed… I headed home.

Snipe in front of IMF hide - easy to spot once you know it's there!

 Ballooning on gossamer thread, this Autumnal Spider paid me a visit at IMF

Pennington Flash - 18 April 2012

What a sight greeted me from the car-park with hirundines everywhere on the flash. Mostly Swallows and Sand Martins at first but I soon spotted the unmistakable white rumps of the House Martins. I took a waterside bench and enjoyed the spectacular display of acrobatics set against, and enhanced by, a back-drop of reasonably calm water.

Eventually I reached the hide over-looking the spit, where a pair of Moorhen were busy building a nest in the rocks, so low that it would surely not survive the inevitable increase in water level! A good scan of the area produced pairs of Redshank and Gadwall. A number of Cormorant out on the point were joined by a few Black-headed Gulls and in amongst them was a lone Ringed Plover. That may well have been the days highlight, but for four Snipe feeding in the shallows on the right of the spit.

I walked the path orbiting the smaller pools and on Teal Scrape found a pair of Lapwing, with the male in almost constant mating flight 'pee-wheeping' loudly to the female. Eventually, they both settled on a small island in front of me, where the male continued the ritual by displaying his chestnut underside to the mottled-throated female. I remember thinking that he had more work to do, as she appeared less than enthusiastic!

A very good day indeed.

Snipe (gallinago gallinago) on the Spit

'You decide'... 'No, you decide'...

Male Lapwing displaying his credentials!

Burton Mere - 5 March 2012

My first visit to this RSPB managed wetlands but not my first visit to the site, as I fished here for many years before the land was sold on and I had no idea that RSPB now managed the now flooded area. They have certainly put a great deal of work in and the place is unrecognisable from my last fishing visit.

Notable sightings included a Little Egret amongst a dozen Grey Heron, Wigeon, a good flock of Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and 3 Snipe. The feeders outside of the visitor centre had all of the usual suspects and I spent some time watching my favourite Long Tailed Tits.

The visitor centre at Burton Mere Wetlands

There are 3 snipe in the photo, honest!

Flighty Black-tailed Godwit