Birding in North Wales 19-21 June 2024
We decided to have a few days in North Wales taking in RSPB Conwy, Llanferfechan, Holyhead Fish Docks, Cemlyn Bay, RSPB South Stack, Bodnant Gardens and Gronant Dunes. As luck would have it, we managed to get three days of really sunny, wind-free weather – a rarity for north Wales. We managed to get forty-seven species and eight year ticks over the three days.
On the 19th we stopped off at Pensarn for a tea break but here wasn’t anything happening out at sea; probably because the sea was as still as a millpond. We continued on to RSPB Conwy where we had a quick look but didn’t see anything special. I did buy a new Swarovski waterproof jacket on a cheap deal though, so it was worth the stop.
At Llanferfechan we stopped and looked up the stream for Dippers and were rewarded – as one often is – by great views of two Dippers, one even flying at head height past us only a few feet away. This was our first year tick for the trip. At the mouth of the river there were large numbers of Oystercatchers collected and a good number of Gulls. In the bushes were House Sparrows, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird and Robin.
By about 2pm we had reached Cemlyn Bay and the Tern Colony
seemed to be in good condition. We only managed to see a few Arctic Terns but
there were the usual big numbers of Common and Sandwich Terns. Arctic and Sandwich Terms were another pair of year ticks for us.
By 4pm we had reached Holyhead and so we paid a quick visit to the fish docks to see the Black Guillemots. I could see some the very second, I got out of the car so we spent some time watching three of them come and go. We were now on four year ticks for the trip.
We need to remember never to stay at the Travelodge again – it gets worse and it is harder to find anywhere decent to eat. We ate at the Chianthi’s Thai To Go at the recommendation of the receptionist at the Travelodge – another big mistake.
On the 20th we drove straight to RSPB South Stack and, again, as soon as I got out of the car, I saw three Choughs down by the cliff edge where the main paths are. I do not think we have ever found it so easy to see Choughs and we saw at least eight at the same time – perhaps there were more since they were flying around the whole time we were there.
All the usual Guillemots and Razorbills were present in decent numbers and we also got a few Puffins and one Gannet. Other cliff birds were not so easy to find. Stonechats were everywhere but we didn’t see any Rock Pipits.
After South Stack we dropped in briefly at RSPB Cors Ddyga but it was very quiet so we headed on to the Groes Inn Hotel at Conwy. It was pretty hot so we had a drink straight away. The room we got was at the end near reception and was next to an extractor fan or similar, so we had to put up with that noise all night. The food and service were pretty poor as well. We have been here three times but it seems to get worse each time.
On the morning of the 21st we drove up to Llanbedr-y-cennin
to look for Hawfinches but with no joy. Instead we drove on to Bodnant Gardens
where we managed to incidentally get Raven, Kestrel and Red Kite as well as
some more common garden birds.
It is quite a long drive back home so we decided just to stop at Gronant Dunes to see the Little Terns. The walk seems to get longer and longer each time we go but at least it wasn’t muddy; quite the opposite, it was another very warm day. We did manage to get into the very small hide this time so we got views of the breeding Terns. Unfortunately, there had been a storm a few weeks previously and it had destroyed a lot of the nests. This meant that the numbers were well down but we did see a few and a couple of birds on nests. On our way back, I stopped for a bit to listen to some bird song that I half-heard. I knew that Grasshopper Warblers bred here and the sound I heard, whilst not being a full “reeling” sounded like a curtailed reel. Reference to the Merlin Bird ID app. Confirmed my suspicion – it was a Grasshopper Warbler.
The day was getting on but it had one last surprise. As we drove along the motorway near Frodsham I looked out of the car window and saw a flock of twelve Cattle Egrets in one of the fields! This is the most I have seen in the UK in one group and rounded off our three-day trip to Wales nicely.
Year Ticks
- Dipper at Llanferfechan on 19th June 2024
- Arctic Tern at Cemlyn Bay on 19th June 2024
- Sandwich Tern at Cemlyn Bay on 19th June 2024
- Black Guillemot at Holyhead Fish Docks on 19th June 2024
- Chough at RSPB South Stack on 20th June 2024
- Little Tern at Gronant Dunes on 21st June 2024
- Grasshopper Warbler at Gronant Dunes on 21st June 2024
- Cattle Egret at Frodsham on 21st June 2024
Species Seen North Wales 19-21 June 2024
| Species | No |
|---|---|
| 1 | Arctic Tern |
| 2 | Black Guillemot |
| 3 | Blackbird |
| 4 | Black-headed Gull |
| 5 | Buzzard |
| 6 | Canada Goose |
| 7 | Carrion Crow |
| 8 | Cattle Egret |
| 9 | Chaffinch |
| 10 | Chiffchaff |
| 11 | Chough |
| 12 | Collared Dove |
| 13 | Common Tern |
| 14 | Cormorant |
| 15 | Dipper |
| 16 | Gannet |
| 17 | Goldfinch |
| 18 | Grasshopper Warbler |
| 19 | Great Black-backed Gull |
| 20 | Greenfinch |
| 21 | Grey Heron |
| 22 | Guillemot |
| 23 | Herring Gull |
| 24 | House Martin |
| 25 | Jackdaw |
| 26 | Kestrel |
| 27 | Lesser Black-backed Gull |
| 28 | Little Egret |
| 29 | Little Tern |
| 30 | Mallard |
| 31 | Meadow Pipit |
| 32 | Mute Swan |
| 33 | Oystercatcher |
| 34 | Pied Wagtail |
| 35 | Puffin |
| 36 | Raven |
| 37 | Razorbill |
| 38 | Red Kite |
| 39 | Robin |
| 40 | Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon |
| 41 | Sandwich Tern |
| 42 | Shelduck |
| 43 | Skylark |
| 44 | Song Thrush |
| 45 | Stonechat |
| 46 | Swallow |
| 47 | Swift |