I've got four hours in the Llandudno area, where should I Bird????

[PaulAshton]

Cast yourself forward in time to next tuesday afternoon...

Time is short, the childs grizzly, breaking my back in the papoos and the missus is shooting LA street gangsters in the pier arcades...

I've been given time off for good behaviour, so I've got four hours in the Llandudno area, where should I Bird????

[CJW]

Hi Paul,
The Great Orme can be good (can also be VERY bad).
Llanfairfechan Sewerage Farm for Firecrest etc and the quayside for sea duck, grebes and divers, would be my choices on a limited time frame.
Chris

[Harry Hussey]

Hi Paul,
Marc Hughes lives up that way,he's a member here but rarely posts.His user name here is Marcbuzzard,so I'm sure you could send him a private message,or perhaps an e-mail.
Harry H

[Michael Frankis]

RSPB Conwy reserve seems the obvious spot

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=279720&y=377320&z=4&sv=279500,377500&st=4&ar=Y&dn=530

Michael

[steverowe]

I'm from Llandudno. As Michael says, the Conwy reserve is probably best, given the short time you have; I'm always amazed at the transformation there considering that it used to be an old brickworks and a car scrapyard. Llanfairfechan is about 8 miles away from the Conwy reserve but you'll need a good scope there for the divers. Apart from the Great Orme, there is also the little Orme at the opposite end of Llandudno bay. I don't know what it's like in the winter having only been birding there in the summer.

[Jasonbirder]

If you go to Llanfairfechan, the stream that runs alongside the road - down to the car park usually has Grey Wagtails and/or Dipper

[Jane Turner]

I'd be tempted by the wintering Choughs at Aber...thats because I like Choughs of course

[CJW]

I'd be tempted by the wintering Choughs at Aber...thats because I like Choughs of course

You'd love it here then, at the moment Jane - one site in the south had a count of 43 on a ½mile stretch of beach last week!
Can't imagine there's anywhere else in the British Isles you could see so many.

[Bluetail]

Hmm, don't know about that Chris. The August before last I was staying at Brandon in Co. Kerry. I walked up one "mountain" and had a flock of 45 (plus 5 Hoodies and a Raven). Two days earlier I had walked up a nearby one and had a flock of 33 consorting with 36 Hoodies, 5 Rooks and 5 Ravens.

Jason

[Jane Turner]

The Aber flock used to be the same size...40-50 about 10 years back. I must admit I've not been to look for it for a few years.

There are some fab Goshawks in the valley too.

As I have mentioned elsewhere,... I went to South Stack for that boring black lump of a Lark and spent most of my time there watching Choughs and that subtle little ortolan!