13/09/2016 In North Wales Pectoral Sandpiper and Wryneck

Tuesday 13 September 2016
North Wales 

Whilst on holiday in North Wales I arranged to join up with local birders Alan  and Ruth and Maya

• First port of call was to RSPB Conwyn to see the pectoral sandpiper that had been reported there earlier.  It took a little time and several moves between the first two hides to find the bird but, once found, the views were top notch. 

• Next we were off to Cemlyn Bay on Anglesey to look for a wryneck that had  been first seen yesterday on the island.  This bird was much more obliging than last weeks bird at Shooters Bottom.  It showed well from just after we arrived and continued to move around in the open for some time; this despite the deteriorating weather.

• After a delightful lunch in the cafe at Holyhead Harbour we spotted one of the resident black guillemots at the entrance to the harbour.  

• At Malltraeth Marsh we saw an enormous number of common snipe - I counted at least 20 - and at least 2 ruff

• Our final port of call was the Great Orme where we were fortunate to see 3 migrating black redstarts at the site of the old copper mines and a few lingering razorbills and a common guillemot on the sea.
• Other birds seen included several wheatears, small numbers of black-tail godwits and a couple of bar-tailed godwits, a small flock of golden plovers and a lovely Mediterranean gull.

Addition to BUBO 2016 UK Bird List:
Black Guillemot   (246)




A really productive day with over 80 birds seen, despite the very wet and misty conditions   By way of contrast back home in Sussex they were experiencing an "Indian Summer" with soaring temperatures.