A quick visit to North Wales and RSPB South Stack

Last weekend brought about the need to head to Rhyl for family reasons, so we tagged a couple of nights on the front, found ourselves a hotel deal in Llandudno and did a bit of birding in our one full day that we had.

It's a few years since we had been to South Stack and the great film of Chough on Springwatch whetted our appetite to see these marvelous birds again. So as the reports at South Stack were good we headed straight there last Friday morning. Now you may have seen in previous posts that I have been moaning about my camera following a mishap, so now it is in for repair. So the only photo I have is a dodgy couple from my phone;

These were possibly the best views we have ever had of Chough and no camera!!! But for the record we were actually over the moon. We had numerous sightings while we were there in a few different spots, but when one landed just 6 feet away we were gobsmacked.

We only saw one Puffin and that was on the water, there were plenty of Guillemots, Razorbills, Gulls and Kittiwakes around. We saw one Fulmar while walking along the cliff paths, plus Stonechat, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Oystecatcher, House Martin, Swallow and Skylark. Plus the usual common species.

After an ice cream purchased at the RSPB visitor centre, we drove along to RSPB Valley Wetlands, parking first at RAF Valley to watch the Hawks coming in and out, except they didn't. We had a bite to eat there before going to the reserve car park just for a short walk to the first view point. Nothing out of the ordinary was seen... Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Mute Swan, Gadwall, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Canada and Greylag Goose, plus Reed and Sedge Warbler.

We went to Bangor for a cuppa and sat near the pier, for a while, the only thing to add were a couple of Shelduck and Cormorant. After our cuppa we started back to Llandudno, calling in at RSPB Conwy, even though the reserve and car park was now closed. We still had a wander for an hour, but it was very quiet, although we did add Heron and Lapwing to the days total.

A lovely day out ion glorious weather