Old Colwyn, Conwy and Aber

Jackdaw at Old Colwyn

Armed with information from local birders we decided to go to see some scoters today.   We started out at Old Colwyn, where there were over 3000 common scoter, several red-breasted merganser, and cormorants.   As we scanned the sea-duck flotilla Phil noticed two velvet scoter but as two of us were in the ladies and the 'velvets' landed slap bang in the middle of the common variety there was absolutely no chance of me seeing it.

Dunnock

We continued to the RSPB reserve at Conwy where there were a couple of hides, and added some water birds to our day list, but nothing new for the trip.   We got very close to a dunnock which was singing for all it was worth outside one of the hides, sitting up in the reeds giving us great views.   The chaffinch and robins were not quite so obliging.

Conwy Castle

Time for our lunch and we moved on along the North Wales coast to Aber where there are several areas where you can get near the coast to watch wildlife.  At Morfa Madryn we saw red-brested mergansers, shelduck, a few pintail and wigeon were found along this section, along with the find of the day, a Slavonian grebe.

The Morfa Aber Complex

At Aber Ogwen the cuckoo pint were almost in flower, with celandine brightly showing in the sunlight as we wandered through the woodland towards a hide overlooking the water and a scrape.   At the scrape seven little egret preened on one of the islands.   A grey heron stalked for food.

So proud of his spring-cleaned home

Feeders just outside the hide attracted chaffinch, great tit, blue tit and dunnock.  One of the blue tit had started to clean out a nearby next box, working hard to remove old moss and grasses.   After several minutes of exertion the bird sat looking out of his nest box hole proud of his achievements.   Paul saw a female blackcap as it flew past the hide and disappeared into a nearby bush, not to be seen again.

Soon it was time to return to Anglesey, taking the Britannia Bridge.