Weather: bright, sunny & windy. From 11am.
Before going to South Stack from the campsite a Merlin flew over being hotly pursued by a few Sand Martin. Unfortunately though, by the time I'd grabbed my binoculars all of them had gone out of view. Rob agreed that its swept-back wings, size & profile excluded kestrel.
Up to the reserve after yesterday's preview for a full walk around in lovely sunshine, lots of people & very friendly RSPB staff to let us know what to look out for.
From the carpark to the visitors' centre: Linnet, Skylark, Raven (pair), Herring Gull, Buzzard (pair) being mobbed by the ravens; Stonechat, Meadow Pipit; Chough overhead quite often, also very vocal; lots of Swallow also overhead; Wren in nearby bushes.
After the visitors' centre we spent some time looking at the seabirds on the cliffs: Guillemot & a few nesting Fulmar; Razorbill in lesser numbers than guillemots; Rock Pipit (pair) battling it out on the cliff edges; Puffin (~6) picked out on the water after being briefed in the vistors centre - fortunately a fellow birder had picked out a few in with the guillemots so we were quickly able to scope & get good views.
Further along near the lighthouse I picked out Gannet (4) crusing south on the sea; Lesser Black-backed Gull were also on the lighthouse's rocks; I also had brief views of a couple of small black cormorants flying in low from the sea into deep gulleys in the cliffs: Shag, the first in many a year but a pity the views weren't for longer.
Continuing past the lighthouse up into the heathland of Holyhead Mountain a sheltered lake harboured a Mallard & more meadow pipits but little else.
Heading back down the mountain to the visitors' centre on the cliff edge a flock of Sand Martin (8) flew swiftly past.
At the visitors' centre we picked out a couple of Kittiwake on the water as well as more puffins, though they were often disturbed on the water by fishing & sight-seeing boats.
Continuing round the headland south of the visitors' centre: Jackdaw (pair), Crow, Oystercatcher (~4) on the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs; Rock Dove (pair) flew swiftly out over the cliffs back towards the centre.
Back in the carpark: Blackbird & Pied Wagtail (2).
27 species.
Showing posts with label south stack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label south stack. Show all posts
Monday, 13 April 2009
Holyhead & RSPB South Stack, Anglesey, 10/04/2009
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.
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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