Gales y Gales

After heavy rain on Saturday put a dampener on proceedings, it was the turn of the wind today in making birding difficult.

A plan to explore the Wirral side of the estuary with my friend Rob was duly put on the backburner in favour of the more sheltered confines of Connah’s Quay NR.

The Bunded Pools - as has been the case in recent weeks were quiet - although a quartet of Greenshank was my highest total so far this year.

In almost total contrast, the area around the West Hide was buzzing, with approximately four thousand Blackwits and a thousand plus of Dunlin, Knot and Oystercatcher: a fantastic site.

As the tide topped-out, it was time to head over to the rather blustery marsh behind the rifle range. After twenty minutes of being treated to what seemed like an incremental run up through the Beaufort Scale, we finally surrendered at about force nine and hunkered down behind an embankment. And waited.

A couple of Bewick’s Swans was about as good and if there were any raptors in the vicinity them they sagely sat hidden and anchored to the ground.

With the rain starting to fall it was time to call it a day – or so I thought. As I was crossing Flint Bridge I received a text from Stan Skelton telling me he had a flock of Twite back at Connah’s Quay.

Within minutes I was back in the West Hide admiring a bouncy flock of just over one hundred finches split roughly as 1/3 Twite and 2/3 Linnet. Although hyperactive, a few Twite afforded great views next to the stream and with a couple of thousand Starling on the scene too it was time for the passerines to take centre stage for a change.

Connah’s Quay NR 06.02.11

4,000 Black-tailed Godwit
1,500 Oystercatcher
1,000 Knot
1,000 Dunlin
4 Greenshank
2 Spotted Redshank
35 Twite
75 Linnet

White Sands

2 Bewick’s Swan

Until later.