Weather: bright, cold.
Easter has come round again & I've been lucky enough to have some holiday time to do the same as last year: as much birding as I can get in! In order to get up & running & to see a couple of species that are a speciality of the region, & which would be life ticks for me, I organised a trip to South Stack in Anglesey, Wales with Rob. The weather was fantastic for the two & a half days that we camped, yes camped, although the sunny days meant cold nights in the tent unfortunately.
After a less than ideal start getting out of London when all trains were suspended out of Euston due to an unfortunate 'fatality' on the line, I arrived in Manchester 3 hours later than expected to meet Rob but we were soon speeding our way to Anglesey.
On arrival & thanks to the bird forum website we immediately hit one hotspot, Holyhead Fish Harbour. From 4pm-ish. On our arrival were abundant Herring Gull (>12), & as we watched a ferry from Ireland steam into the new dock it flushed out the target Black Guillemot (1)! Easy to identify in its unmistakeable plumage, it contentedly fished in the open water before moving into the fish harbour for a quick fish before again moving out onto the sea. Before we moved on we also picked up Cormorant (1), Oystercatcher (2) & a flock of Redshank (12) flew in then out of the dock.
After the immediate success in preparation for a full day the next day we visited the carpark at RSPB South Stack from 5pm. Here we picked up Jackdaw, a lone Hooded Crow, more Herring Gull, several Linnet & Meadow Pipit, & a lone Wheatear flashed its distinctive white rump as it dove over a hedge - my first in many a year.
After that, birding appetite suitably whetted, it was on to the campsite.
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