Broad-billed Sandpiper at Kimnel Bay!

When news of a Broad-billed Sandpiper seen at Gronant emerged late on a Saturday evening, I was hopeful it would stick around in the area and that I’d finally be able to grip back on the Hoylake bird I missed out on 5 years ago! Unfortunately, the fact that it was still there early on Sunday morning didn’t surface until well in to the afternoon (much too late to travel over especially when a delicious lamb roast was cooking in the oven courtesy of my Mum) and with no sign on Monday, that appeared to be the end of any chances I had of catching up with a Broad-billed Sandpiper any time soon!

The Broad-billed Sandpiper! 

What I hadn’t bargained for however was eagle-eyed Alex staking out Kimnel Bay and Rhyl Harbour in an effort to relocate it the next day, and sure enough, around high tide just before 7, I received a photo from him depicting one Broad-billed Sandpiper, head tucked under its wing and happily roosting on the pebble shore near Horton’s Nose. Argh!

Alex's photo he sent to me!

Half way through cooking 5-spice chicken and noodles, I had to wait until we’d gobbled the last strand down before setting off in pursuit of this attractive vagrant shorebird. With Alex heroically staying on site until I got there (3 hours in total!) I had a running commentary on the way over – the bird seemed very flighty and on more than once occasion was flushed and flew away further up the beach. Then, when we were just 7 minutes away, Alex relayed news that it had flown away high to the west after being harassed by a Ringed Plover – nightmare!!

Pulling in to the Rhyl Harbour car park and heading up the path to Kimnel Bay, the Dunlins that the Broad-billed Sandpiper had been associating with had returned, but there was no sandpiper in sight. With the light now fading and the evening dog walkers heading out in force, it was a race against time to see if we could relocate it. With Alex rushing off down the beach where it had last headed, we soon encountered a mixed group of waders feeding in one of the pools further down the shore- it had to be amongst them, surely! With Alex getting a brief glimpse of the Broad-billed Sand in the scope and confirming that it was still there moments before two large dogs flushed the flock, it seemed inevitable that the birds would get spooked and we’d miss our chance – so near yet so far!

Luckily however, the birds stuck around, and with the dogs heading off in to the distance we could focus our efforts on relocating that Broad-billed. Several Turnstones pottered around the rocks looking for morsels while Dunlins scuttled amongst them – then, what was that - a small silver-grey bird dashing across the sand caught our attention. With a strong pattered back and bold stripes across the head it was immediately obvious we had our target! Bingo! One Broad-billed Sandpiper showing nicely!

The arrowhead streaks on the flanks were obvious too

With the light now fading it was difficult to get any good photos, but I managed a few record shots as it scurried about on the sand, at one point even flying right towards us and landing on the rocks in front, providing excellent scope views of what is definitely one of the more attractive sandpipers.

Alex's video of the Broad-billed Sandpiper

A great find by Alex and a well-deserved reward for patching the area so thoroughly – proving that if you put the effort in and search enough times you’ll eventually strike gold and come up with something special! 

Birding in North Wales - Snow Buntings, Hawfinches, Purple Sandpipers and Black Redstarts!

There have been some fantastic birds present in North Wales recently, with a whole host of great subjects for photography all along the coast.

After Alex first found a Snow Bunting at Horton’s nose near Kimnel Bay back at the start of December, a pair of these attractive buntings were found a little further down the shore at the start of January – presumably the same bird Alex found relocating up the beach. With up to 6 birds having been reported (along with records at Pensarn, Llandullas and Point of Ayr) the two seem to have now taken a liking to this small stretch of coast and what is now a regularly seeded area at SH 986 808, offering amazing views and a great opportunity to study these charismatic little birds up close.

Luckily I had my camera with me when I called in to Kimnel Bay, and the single Snow Bunting that was present when I visited allowed fantastic views as it fed unperturbed on the seed.

Being the first bird I travelled some distance to see at Kimnel Bay 5 years ago, it is great to see them returning to the North Wales coastline after a considerable absence for some years, and hopefully the numbers will be able to get back up to the 14 or so birds that were present back in 2011.

The Hawfinches at Llanbedr-y-Cennin are also providing excellent views this winter after proving to be very elusive back in January and February 2015. With over 20 birds reported to be present, we had a flock of 10 fly from the trees lining the field at SH 76007 69740, before flying back in to land, offering excellent scope views as seen from the cattle grid. 

With a huge bulky appearance in flight and prominent white patches on the wings, we soon became familiar with their silhouette, making it much easier to spot individuals as they flew from tree to tree. The trees around the churchyard and the field at the above grid reference seem to be the best places to spot these huge billed finches.

The Purple Sandpipers at Rhos Point continue to be found in low numbers at both high and low tide on the rocky shoreline while the Black Redstarts on the Little Orme are also producing great views this winter, with up to three individuals having been present. There is an excellent supporting cast of Red-throated Divers, Shags and nesting Fulmars on the cliffs and on the sea, while the seal colony at Angel Bay below holds double figures of Grey Seals, often hauled out on the shingle or with heads poking above the waves. This is a great opportunity to study these pinnipeds through the scope from the cliff top path, and we got great views of several large males and females resting on the sand.

Fulmars!