North Wales - Day 2 - South Stack & plenty of Terns

 Conwy Valley

 South Stack Lighthouse

 South Stack - Land of the Choughs

Sandwich Terns

 Red Breasted Merganser

 Sandwich Tern 

Arctic Tern nest building

Cemlyn Bay Lagoon 

 Pied Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher

The village in which I was staying (Rowan) had converted the local phone box into a library which had a number of local walks so given I was up at 5.30 I thought I’d try an hours walk before breakfast. After walking for about 35 minutes a Spotted Flycatcher caught me eye flicking it’s tail catching flies. A great find, most pleasing. After passing through the field I came to a old farm where I found a male and female Common Redstart. The male was clearly trying to court the female, sadly the dull light didn’t enable me to get a photograph but it would have been hard to really capture the stunning image in front of me.

After breakfast we all headed off to Anglesey in awful weather however on arrival at RSPB South Stack the skies cleared allowing fantastic views of all the seabirds including Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar and Great Black-backed Gulls. My Puffin search was not going to plan until one finally popped out of a burrow on the light house side of the cliffs. I also located a Rock Pipit feeding on the cliffs. The best bird at South Stack in my opinion is the fantastic Chough. The views were superb of these glossy metallic looking birds and their aerobatic flying could be seen at its best in the wind. Inside the Ellis Tower there was a camera showing the Chough youngsters on the nest. After a lovely coffee and cake we headed back through the heather where there were Stonechats and Swallows.

Cemlyn Bay is a beautiful place that is practically ruined by the power station however the wildlife is fantastic. From the moment we got out of the car Arctic & Sandwich Terns passed over our heads while on the coast line 14 Ringed Plover were keeping company with six Turstones and eight Dunlin. The Tern colony was full of action with the birds establishing territory’s ahead of the breeding season. If you have never visited I’d urge you to. When heading back to car a pair of Red-breasted Merganser came into view whilst a Little Egret fed on the edge of the lagoon by an Oystercatcher. We then had a slow drive round the rest of the island before heading towards home. A quick stop looking for Dippers was rewarded with a calling Pied Flycatcher and Grey Wagtail. A quality day out.