Last Coast Post

 

Coastal Captures

 

A Disastrous Day Rescued Somewhat

Caernafon to Anglesey. The former was under a deluge so no complaints about birding not being a possibility. However the latter was a typical Tour Operator rip off - a 90 minute stay at a tourist trap shopping centre 😵‍💫👎🏼.

The rain stopped on arrival back in the Lland of the Dudnos so I shot out for a walk which resulted in a short meeting with Molly Fication 🤓.

Pr Stonechat, 1 Collared Dove ditto GBBG. I managed a Guillemot swimming close to the ledge I was stood above but it chose to dive every time the camera went click (or clang).

Round the corner, I stumbled across a Turnstone and Redshank roost on some rocks which presented a good photo opportunity.

If senility doesn’t claim me I will remember to publish my camera work in a couple of days.

Deganwy To Conway

Along the inner shoreline to the bridge and back with grey skies and a modicum of wetness. Nowt to fret over; Queensbury is like this in midsummer. 

c50 Wigeon, 5 Mute Swan & some Dullards, sadly.

Waders were plentiful if not widely varied but it was still great to view them.

Hordes of Redshank, 5 Dunlin, several Curlew & the Oyster gang.

3 Little Egret, 4 Grey Heron. 1 GC Grebe.

5/6 Rock Pipit, few Blackbird & party of Goldfinch. Oh yes there were Gull galore all over t’shop 🥸

North Wales Coast

 Walked around Great Orme today which reminds me of how much I don’t miss a certain Hill nearer to home. Stayed dry and bright all day. First half was enjoyable with a few decent birds knocking about. Second half was straight into the teeth of a gale, birds being at a premium.

4 GBBG (no Lesser at all). A battalion of Herring with a few BH in among. 

Several Cormorant & a couple Of Shag.

1 Gannet ditto Buzzard & Stonechat. Couple Rock Pipit ditto Peregrine.

Some disappointment in the howling wind when a flock of 12 darkish finch types flew past. Seen for 7/8 seconds I didn’t have chance to Bin ‘em.

An amazing spectacle on getting back down to seashore level at the bay side of “Chhlandidnoo”. Parked in a sheltered rocky area were probably a thousand Oystercatcher ! I didn’t count and I ain’t bovvered.

Queensbury to Horton Bank CP

The exercise and fresh air value far outweighed the birding experience.

Nothing in Queensbury apart from moving small gulls mainly BHG. Shelf Moor gave up a Mistle Thrush and more Dulls🤓. 

Horton Bank CP: a pleth horror of BHG. A Reed Bunting broke the monotony of the usual residents. Crap birding with a capital K. 😖💤👎.

Soil Hill to Mixenden

Soilage: 2 Wheatear, 3 Meadow Pipit and a distant black chat sized bird seen for a couple seconds flying away from me 😏😕. At bottom of Perspiration Rd a pr Greenfinch on feeders.

The Ned Hill track is ready for the first canal barge tours, shame there wasn’t a solitary bird 🦅 to compliment the mud.

Ogden Res: well what can I say? Cra* springs to mind. Woodlands deserted, multitude of usual gulls on the oggin.

Carrs Beck produced singles of Stonechat & Pheasant.

Mixenden Res actually had some birds on it! Problem is the 5  Goosander couldn’t bring themselves to stay and headed up in the direction of Cold Edge.

I wonder if it was because of Mr&Mrs Rectal-Swab and their 12 barking hell hounds? 🥴🤛🏼 Nooo surely not. 

Also 1 each Grey Wagtail & Moorhen, 1 LBB & 9/10 BH Gulls.

Missing Harris Hawk Queensbury Area

A Local Falconer has lost his Harris Hawk which has been seen flying around the Queensbury/Clayton area. Unfortunately the owner contact details are unavailable

 

Blackstone Edge to Whiteholme

Got saturated but it sure beats trying to bite theough kitchen floor tiles. 5 species only seen but two of 'em most appreciated. Blackstone Edge: c14 Twite including some showing leg rings.

The rings were on the right leg and comprised of  pale blue over yellow and pale blue over a darker blue. Also 2 Crow, 1 Meadow Pipit ditto Pied Wagtail.

Whiteholme coughed up one bird only, a cracking Greenland Wheatear. I couldn’t face extracting the camera from rucksack as the bird was very flighty.

Swillington and Blacktoft Sands

A very enjoyable day out thanks to DP. The Long-toed Stint didn’t keep us waiting long and although distant, at one stage I actually saw a few toes 😁.

A Stonechat supervised my photographic tragedies.

Plenty of Dunlin kept this visitor company with 3 Ruff for backup. Also 2 Little Egret, numerous Lapwing, few Teal. 2 Cettis heard before departure.

The White-tailed Plover at Blacktoft was even more distant but was very active and kept us happy for some time, even providing a few below par photographs.

7/8 Black-tailed Godwit were a bonus annual for me. A Chiffchaff sang from the bushes.