North Wales

A trip out to North Wales to add a few year ticks was very enjoyable. Once again there was very little in the way of sunshine, but the birds on offer more than made up for that. I started at Rhyl to add a Scaup. I had already picked up a Lesser Scaup in Scotland, so to get the pair so early in the year was great. It has been a few years since I last saw one, so was pleased to see it playing ball not too far out on the lake.

I moved on to the Little Orme where an Iceland Gull had been for some time. It took me a long time to locate it, looking down onto a shingle bay that was the perfect camouflage for the bird. After quite some time it appeared from behind a rock. A cracking gull which then took flight around the bay giving some very good views.

Also here at the Litte Orme, I managed to tick off Shag, Red-throated Diver, Fulmar, Eider, Guillemot and Razorbill. A good day out all round.

Iceland Gull

Red-breated Merganser in flight.

Scaup

With a Tufted Duck on the left.

Pennington Flash

The weather has not been particularly kind at the weekends, and it's looking the same again this. Dark skies, rain and wind. Not a great prospect when you work all week and just want a bit of sunshine, or light cloud. So last weekend I headed to an old haunt of mine, Pennington Flash, to sit in the hides out of the rain and see what turned up. If I'm honest, I was really looking for the Willow Tit that can be found here. Not an easy bird to find and on a sharp decline across the country, but usually quite reliable at this site.

I sat for nearly an hour and a half just observing the comings and goings. There were plenty of species and a nice fly through of a Sparrowhawk. An enjoyable time on what was then a very miserable day. Hurry up Spring.

Blue Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Nuthatch

Reed Bunting

Robin

It turned up eventually. The Willow Tit.