North Wales Birding Forum

[marcbuzzard]

Dear all,
It's been a busy week in Conwy for birds.
Two Avocets were star birds, arriving at dawn yesterday at Conwy RSPB reserve. Unfortunately all hopes of breeding vanished when the birds departed overnight after spending the day busily feeding (and also the fact that both birds were probably males!)
The end of last week and the weekend saw unprecedented numbers of Ring Ouzels arriving on the coast. Saturday morning saw an incredible 15 birds arrive on the Great Orme including ten birds together. Three were there on Thursday, Five on Friday, while one was present yesterday. a single was on the Little Orme today.
Ospreys have been seen in good numbers in the county with four birds recorded at Conwy RSPB so far, one over Penrhyn Bay today (16th), and two over Llandudno (including one today 16th).
Other migrant arrivals have included a male Redstart on the Great Orme (13th), Grasshopper warbler at Old Colwyn and Little Orme (14th), Little Ringed Plover on the River Clwyd (8th), Common Sandpiper at Conwy RSPB (12th), House Martin at Penrhyn Bay (14th), Tree Pipit on Great Orme (13th), Sandwich Tern off Rhos Point (12th), Swallow on the Great Orme (2nd), Willow Warbler at Conwy RSPB (3rd).
A stir was made by a drake Eider that was found at Rhos Point on Saturday, the bird had a yellow bill which is a feature of the Northern race 'borealis'. However research has shown that i.d. is not as clear cut as was once thought (discussion and photos on the NW bird forum and on the www.birdingconwy.co.uk web-site).
Other migrants that have appeared on the Great Orme this past week have included Blackcap, Brambling, Reed Bunting, Merlin and a fantastic Green Woodpecker that spent the morning in the churchyard on Saturday (14th), while a Mealy redpoll was the star bird up there at the beginning of April (6th) being part of a good passage of over 150 Lesser Redpoll. Two Little Gulls spent the day at Conwy RSPB reserve on the 9th while over 30 sandwich Terns were of the West shore, Llandudno yesterday.
Gulls have been a bit thin on the ground but Mediterranean Gulls have been seen up the Aril 7th at llanddulas, while a 1st summer Iceland Gull at Llanddulas on April 6th.
The Black Scoter was still being reported up to the end of last week, with a single Great Northern diver is still off Llanfairfechan.
Good birding to you all and enjoy the spring
Marc
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http://www.birdingconwy.co.uk