Birdspotting in Wales

On Saturday we headed out to Chester, a journey which proved a challenge as part of the A41 was blocked north of the Harthill roundabout.  We had to detour out towards Wrexham to turn back into Chester.  We decided that we had time to drive out onto the North Welsh coast and ended up for a few hours at Llandudno.  A walk along the promenade and out to the pier allowed us to see gulls and waders a plenty.

 

 We saw a lot of oyster catchers feeding on the shoreline.  These birds were looking for small molluscs and small creatures on the strand line at high tide.

Not so far away were red-shank.  These small waders feed on muddy flats, probing for food in the soft mud.

The town as very busy as there was a Celtic Craft Fair in the streets.  We ventured into the Fair and discovered an RSPB stall where we were able to find out about the facilities at Conwy reserve.  So- off we went to see the birds.

Within the bounds of the reserve are two lakes.  A board walk and pathways allow access to the whole of the area and there are hides situated at intervals around the site.

Apart from the usual shop, they have a very good cafe with a glass wall that overlooks one of the lakes.

The reserve is on the A55 coast road, directly off junction 18, which is west of Llandudno Junction (junction 19).  If you have an interest in birds and you find yourself in North Wales, this is an excellent visit.  The site is on the River Conwy and you can see Conwy Castle in the distance and on the horizon  (on a clear day) Mount Snowdon is a distinct feature.