Trip reports

SOUTH STACK, ANGLESEY

Saturday, 17 May 2008

The day was cloudy and we were unsure of the weather forecast. As we made our way there we passed through heavy rain but as we drove along the coast the weather relented and the rain disappeared and the sky turned bright as we crossed the bridge onto Anglesey.

We had arranged to meet at 'the Range' and as we wandered away from the car park our birding began with a pair of beautiful Stonechats, calling and hopping around the rocks and heath. We then saw both Rock Pipit and Meadow Pipit in quick succession. As we walked down to the coast line towards the Stack, we spotted the usual array of seabirds - Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin and Kittiwake.

Re-siting ourselves by the RSPB office we finally saw more of the same, Greater and Lesser Black-backed and Herring Gulls, plus, at last what we all wanted to see, a clear view of several Choughs. Out to sea we could see a number of Gannets circling around, and as we returned to the cars we saw Linnet, Swallow and House Martin.

Back at the Range we spotting Chough and Hooded Crow in the fields near where we heard that there had been sitings of Dotterel. Unfortunately it is a very large area of heather and heath, so the words needle and haystack came to mind. However, we did see more Stonechat, Shag, Cormorant, and Linnet, plus Oystercatcher, Skylarks, and the best view of the day of a Chough. Off shore we spotted a Grey Seal. Our mammal list grew as we spotted Llamas on the drive back to Holyhead, where we went in search of a Black Guillemot. After some searching we found sitting at the top of a flight of steps and we'd been looking at water level! Unfortunately it didn't hang around long enough.

We called at Cemlyn Bay before making our way home. It was very cold and breezy at Cemlyn, but the visit was worthwhile. We saw Red Breasted Merganser, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Sanderlings on the bay itself. On the ponds behind, protected by wire and an RSPB volunteer, we saw Dunlin, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Avocet, Black-Headed Gulls, Grey Heron and Terns - Sandwich, Arctic and Common.

The day ended as it began, driving through heavy rain. But we were able to look back on what we had seen and reflect that with 37 different species of birds, and 2 firsts (for us) in Chough and Sandwich Tern it had been a very enjoyable great day's birding.

By Malcolm and Fiona Alderton
Library photograph: Bar tailed godwit