South Stack and Anglesey

Another lovely sunny day greeted us and after a leisurely breakfast and a bit of bird ringing for Phil, we were off to South Stack RSPB reserve.  

Siskin

Chris was volunteering there today so we took our time along the quiet country lanes stopping regularly to look for birds.    Near the RAF Base pools held shoveler, tufted duck, pochard, coot and moorhen.   Cetti's warbler called from deep inside a bramble bush. 

South stack sunshine

We arrived at the reserve about 11 am with the Welsh mainland and Snowdonia visible.   Bardsey Island was also hanging in the haze. Within minutes we had seen raven displaying - spinning over and then back again. A pair of chough flew past several times, but we only saw two each time, so perhaps the same pair.

As we followed the coastal path where walkers were enjoying the beautiful weather - shorts and T shirts seemed to be the order of the day!    We, meanwhile, watched the sea for guillemot, razorbill and a couple of puffin.    Guillemot lined ledges on the cliffs, with many hundreds chuntering away to each other.    Kittiwake, fulmar, and a distant gannet added to our joy. On the gorse nearby many meadow pipit flew ahead of us, a pair of stonechat perched up on a gorse bush enabling Paul to get great photos.

Stonechat

After lunch at the cafe we went off to look for adders, but were sadly disappointed on this occasion.    We decided to take a return route via Holyhead where five black guillemot were found in the harbour.    With another stop at a country park where ringed plover were seen in flight, black-headed gulls were our main sightings.    After a quick scan of the reed beds behind the car park for galls - which proved negative - we were off again.

Unfortunately an accident prevented our continuing the afternoon's plans and soon we were heading back to base with buzzards soaring overhead, and one obliging individual sitting beside the road on a gorse bush an excellent sight.

Old Foundations

Highlights in the afternoon sunlight - where the heat was particularly strong - were jay, a pair of great white egret flying over, knot and redshank.