Flintshire Birding (1 Viewer)

Hello,

I regularly birdwatch at a variety of local sites in Flintshire, so I thought I'd start a thread detailing my outings.

Today I walked from my village down to the Dee Estuary at Mostyn Dock and then along the coastline to Bagillt.

Highlights included up to 30 Sandwich Terns on the sandbank near Mostyn Dock - most were using the small channel next to the seawall to fish during low tide.

A Common Sandpiper was feeding in the small stream next to the Duke of Lancaster, whilst up to 5 Wheatears were on the revetment between the ship and Greenfield Dock.

I also crossed the railway line to check the flooded horse paddock (SJ185785) that runs next to the coast road. Plenty of commoner waterfowl, with a Greenshank being the best I could muster.

Greenfield dock hosted plenty of loafing gulls, and among them was my bird of the day - a stunning Grey Plover in summer plumage.

Things were a little quieter towards Bagillt with a handful of GC Grebes moving in on the tide the pick.

Until later,

PDS.

Connah's Quay NR

I am 'patching' CQNR this year - currently on a modest 108 - and having not nipped down for nearly a week I decided it was time for a visit.

The highlight was unquestionably a juvenile male Peregrine dismantling a pigeon sp. a stone's throw from the West Hide on the mudflats. It was accompanied by four Carrion Crows that seemed to playing a game of 'Grandma's footsteps' with the falcon as it tucked in. A first winter YL Gull was nearby too.

The Ash Pool and surrounding area held 5 Snipe and returning wildfowl (just for the start of the wildfowling season) were notable including 15+ Shoveler and the first Pintail of autumn.

The Bunded Pools were excellent - the water levels were ideal, the vegetation in front of the hides had finally been removed and the light was perfect. No hoped for scarce passage waders, but copious amounts of birds including 1,000+ Redshank, 200+ Blackwits, 12+ Greenshank, 4+ Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper.

Further down the river towards Flint Bridge a Little Ringed Plover was found on a bare patch of shoreline, whilst the only sign of passerine migration was two juvenile Wheatears near the helipad.

A flock of circa 200 Swallows feeding over the pastures was a pleasant end to the evening...

Until later,

PDS.

Halkyn Mountain

A walk around Halkyn Mountain this morning yielded a couple of surprises in the form of a male Common Redstart and a Tree Pipit that were with many Wheatears, Meadow Pipits, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Common Whitethroats near the Stone Quarry.

The main section of the mountain was fairly quiet with a few families of Stonechat and the resident Kestrels the only birds of note.

A Stoat was a nice surprise near the cairn. It was in hot pursuit of quarry, but the pursuer and the pursued rapidly disappeared into the gorse and bracken...

Until later,

PDS

Connah's Quay NR

A Sunday afternoon trip to Connah's Quay was initially a frustrating occasion.

Plenty of wading birds were feeding on the freshly exposed mud near the West Hide, but despite a local invasion of Curlew Sandpipers not one could be located among the throngs of Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. Three winter-plumaged Spotted Redshanks were good however.

I was just about to call it a day when panic spread through the waders and wildfowl. I checked for a marauding Peregrine, but to my amazement it wasn't a falcon, or a hawk even, that had caused the mayhem, but a juvenile Marsh Harrier!

A much welcome patch year-tick and quite a rare sighting on the welsh side of the River Dee.

It proceeded to quarter the Ash Pool area before a heavy downpour set the raptor down to roost on Oakenholt Marsh.

In the process of hunting all the wildfowl had been flushed into open water on the Ash Pool with well over 1,000 Teal alone.

I decided to start the tedious process of scanning through the birds and after I had looked at no more than a dozen Teal my scope rested on a dowdy eclipse drake Garganey - a new bird for me at Connah's Quay.

Not at all what I expected from my visit, but that's birding for you...

Until later,

PDS.

Connah's Quay NR

Following an earlier report of six Curlew Sandpipers on the Bunded Pools at Connah's Quay on Tuesday morning, I coudn't resist firing up the jalopy and heading down for a peek late afternoon.

As it was around high water, the pools were rammed with waders - a wonderful spectacle. The lion's share of the shorebirds were typically Redshank, but more interesting species included c13 Spotted Redshank, c20 Greenshank....and 4 soporific juvenile Curlew Sandpipers - well they have flown all the way from northern Russia.

The record book had logged a Ruff earlier in the day, but despite meticulously picking my way through all the birds, I couldn't find it.

Nevertheless, the Curlew Sandpipers take my CQNR patch list up to 'Nelson' now - 111. Here's to standing on one leg until I can move the score on...

Until later.

PDS.

Point of Ayr Seawatch

With the strong westerly winds running into a second day I thought I'd chance my arm with a seawatch from the Talacre dunes at the Point of Ayr.

I met up with a friend at dawn and after a fairly miserable half an hour being exposed to every degree of rainfall between light and torrential - plus some hail thrown in for good measure - the weather and visibility finally improved.

Point of Ayr: 7-10am Wind: W30 gusting 50

1 Leach's Petrel - went through fairly close.
10+ Manx Shearwater
1 Brent Goose
4 Guillemot
6+ Gannet
20+ Sandwich Tern
5+ Commic Tern

Disappointing really given the conditions, although a more northerly aspect to the wind would have helped.

Perhaps the most interesting bird was a distant possible Long-tailed Skua, but unfortunately visibility was poor. Intriguingly, two juveniles passed Hilbre slightly earlier, so perhaps this was one of those birds.

Until later,

PDS.

Point of Ayr Seawatch 2

With the strong westerly winds continuing overnight I decided to follow up yesterday's seawatch with another stint down at Talacre Dunes.

Rain spoiled proceedings yet again after an hour and a half, but like another activity that takes 90 minutes, this session was very much a game of two halves with a dull opening period followed by an increase in activity for the last 45 minutes.

Point of Ayr - 9:30-11:00

3 Leach's Petrel
1 Arctic Skua (pale-phase adult)
3 Manxies
5 Guillemot
1 Eider (female)
6 Common Tern
5 Sandwich Tern
3 Brent Goose
2 Diver (sp)
Gazillions of Common Scoter

Perhaps the most interesting sighting was the two divers that flew out the estuary together. Unfortunately they were distant, but both looked good candidates for Black-throated; certainly not RT and didn't seem bulky enough for Great Northern...

Slightly disappointed not to pick-up any other Skua species given the reports of Long-tailed Skuas over on the North Wirral Coast - still never had a 'nailed-on' Pomarine or Long-tailed Skua from the Point of Ayr.

Until later.

PDS.

Hi Paul

111 is a decent 'year list' for CQNR, living proof of the strength of this reserve, particularly if someone is prepared to put the time into what I think is a very underwatched reserve..... despite it's large membership.....and a Marsh Harrier on the reserve itself, is a cracking bird.


Denzil

Cqnr

After a week of slogging around Galicia on the 'Camino de Santiago' is was a relief to give my blisters a rest and return to my patch at CQNR.

Meeting up with a couple of stalwarts, we collectively gave the reserve a thorough 'going-over' but failed to turn up any new birds for the year - a disappointment given the recent sustained flow of south-easterlies.

A Kingfisher was about the best we could muster along with a few of the usual suspects including a handful of Greenshank.

Signs that autumn is strengthening its grip included a distinct lack of hirundines and good numbers of Teal and Wigeon.

There was a report of a Twite in with a flock of Linnet and the hide logbook contained news of a reserve rarity - a Rook!!

Until later,

PDS