I took at trip to Ynys Llanddwyn, Newborough, yesterday for a spot of early year birding.A gaggle of a nudge over thirty Brent Geese was a capital way to start the year – the birds feeding on the edge of the ebbing tide opposite where the forest car park spills onto the beach.
With the increasing numbers of people pouring onto the sand, it was beginning to resemble the Normandy Landings, so it was time to sling the scope over the shoulder and yomp over to the island.
Need not have bothered - only Shags and a lonesome female Goldeneye on the drink. This site is usually good for Divers and Grebes, but not today – a handful of Turnstones and a brace of Sanderling were good though, but despite close scrutiny of the rocks no Purple Sandpiper.
Rock Pipit, Kestrel, Buzzard also present on the headland, but with not much else doing it was over to Llyn Maelog for the last couple hours of daylight.
Good numbers of wildfowl on the lake included five Goosanders and plenty of Goldeneye.
A fairly modest start to the year really and with me now doing five days hard collar a week in Bolton up until the end of March it could be a slow start to the year – still it’s a marathon not a sprint…
It just leaves me to say good tidings to everyone for the New Year and a speedy recovery to one particular wounded soldier!
Until later.
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteYou can never beat a visit to Anglesey,even when it's cold,grey and miserable,there's always a special kind of atmosphere on the Island,and always a feeling that you might see something special with so many excellent Birding sites to be investigated.
It always surprises me just how few Birders I bump into on the Island,and with the exception of Cemlyn Bay,Penmon Point,Point Lynas,Holyhead Harbour and Newborough Warren,the rest of the Island seems to be very underwatched.
Of late the Inland Sea has become quite popular,but the lack of Birders at places like Valley Wetlands is puzzling,and had you spent a few hours there,you could have expected a Wildfowl bonanza,to clean up on all the regular birds of prey,with a very good chance of a Marsh Harrier around Llyn Dinam,and add to those a few certain Cetti's Warblers,and with luck and patience a Bittern.
Stumbled on this blog by fat birder. Great Blog and one ill follow. Great name you have too
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