Conwy

With the breeding season drawing to a close, autumn migration is already well underway with large numbers of birds on the move. The low water levels in the lagoons due to the warm and dry weather in recent months are providing extensive additional areas for birds to roost, particularly around the deep lagoon. This seems to have resulted in some relatively high counts of birds, particularly black-headed gulls (pictured…

As spring has gradually turned into summer, a nice variety of plants, insects, birds and other wildlife have been abundant around the reserve with some interesting species recorded.

The past few weeks have seen the peak time of year for orchids here, and it seems to have been a particularly good one for bee orchids with 162 spikes counted on 7/6 (library photo by Julian Hughes). There have also been several white variant…

As we move further into the spring things certainly get busier on the reserve with more insects emerging, plants coming into flower and birds feeding their young, while spring migration continues to produce the unexpected.  

A significant highlight over the past month has been a Spanish wagtail (Motacilla flava iberiae), a race of yellow wagtail normally found on the Iberian peninsula which was present from 6/5 to 8/5 and…

The summer migrants have really started to roll in over the last few weeks with all the regular species now recorded along with one or two unexpected highlights.

A black redstart on 13/4 was perhaps the most interesting sighting being only the third record for the reserve and the first in almost 12 years, seen by several visitors around the far end of the river Ganol. Some other passerines of particular interest have…

It’s been a while since the last update from the reserve and there’s been quite a few developments and notable wildlife sightings during this time as spring migration gets underway.

A particular highlight was the presence of five garganey including four males and a female which put in an appearance on the shallow lagoon on 19/3 (library image by Ben Andrew, RSPB Images). This is an unusually high number to…

The new year has begun with a variety of work going on around the reserve. Some significant changes are currently taking place in front of the coffee shop where we have been deepening part of the shallow lagoon so that the area immediately in front of the building will hold water throughout the year, while the edges are being re-landscaped to provide a shallow margin for feeding water birds.

Another contractor has been…

The highlight of the past few weeks has undoubtedly been a redhead smew which was present on the deep lagoon from 29/11 to 6/12 (photo by Peter Sutton). Smews, along with mergansers and goosanders are in a group of water birds known as sawbills due to the serrations on their bill which allow them to easily catch and eat fish. Their breeding range extends from northern Scandinavia across Siberia and small numbers reach…

The arrival of goldeneye on the reserve is always a sign that winter is just around the corner. We have a small number of these birds over-wintering here each year, and a female seen on 15/10 was the first of this winter (library photo by Ben Hall, RSPB Images). They breed in forested areas by lakes and rivers in Scotland, Scandinavia and across Siberia where they usually nest in holes in trees.

The variety of wildfowl…

(Credit Aardman/Netflix)

We’re delighted to be partnering with Netflix and Aardman on Robin Robin, a half-hour, stop-motion, festive story for the whole family, about a young robin trying to fit in. It’s debuting on Netflix on 24 November – get the date in your diary! 

To celebrate, we’re inviting you to join exclusive Robin Robin-themed adventure trails right here at RSPB Conwy this Christmas season…

(Credit: Aardman/Netflix)

Rydyn ni'n falch iawn o fod yn bartner gyda Netflix ac Aardman ar Robin Robin, sy’n stori gerddorol stop-ymud newydd ar gyfer y Nadolig ac sy’n adrodd sut mae robin goch ifanc yn ceisio darganfod ei le yn y byd. 
Mae’n ymddangos am y tro cyntaf ar Netflix ar Tachwedd 24 – felly rhowch y dyddiad yn eich dyddiadur! 

I ddathlu, rydyn ni’n eich gwahodd i ymuno â theithiau antur unigryw ar thema Robin Robin yma yn RSPB Conwy y Nadoli…

A mixture of autumn migrants passing through the reserve, along with winter birds arriving has resulted in a nice variety of bird species present over the last few weeks.

Water rails have been particularly prominent with regular sightings of up to four birds being seen together, often along the edge of the shallow lagoon in front of the coffee shop (library photo by Dave Williams).

A good variety of waders have included…

Autumn migration has brought a good variety of birds to the reserve over the past few weeks, with some of the main highlights including an adult black tern which appeared briefly over the deep lagoon on 29/8 and up to two garganey, at least one of which has been present since 26/8.

A variety of scarce waders have made appearances including a little stint which has also been present and regularly seen since 26/8, ruf…

The number and variety of wading birds has been steadily increasing over the last few weeks as autumn migration picks up and we see many birds moving back southwards and dispersing away from their breeding grounds.

Four avocets on 2/7 were a particular highlight being the second record of the species here this year following a gap of over 10 years since they were previously recorded on the reserve (avocet photo by Ben…

Great white egrets have made a recent reappearance on the reserve, almost exactly a year after they started to arrive last year (photo of two of last years birds by Mel Hughes). This time, at least four arrived at once on 24/6 and most of these seem to be hanging around with at least two or three birds being seen daily since.

For the first time a ringed bird has given us some indication of where these birds might be…

It’s been a busy few weeks with numerous interesting sightings for the reserve, but undoubtedly the highlight has to be a nightjar which was present on 22/5, the first record of this species here. Being nocturnal, the bird spent most of the day roosting on the back of a life size model of a heron which had been positioned in front of a viewing screen as part of our children’s discovery trail. This provided many…

With the reserve having recently reopened to the public after several months, we’re long overdue an update of wildlife sightings stretching all the way back to almost mid-December. Once again much has happened with the changing seasons and lengthening daylight hours as the reserve gradually reawakens and comes to life as we move further into the spring. Winter visitors have mostly departed, spring migration is well…

Habitat management work has been progressing well over the past few weeks, with a particular focus on cutting back the vegetation on most of the lagoon islands to maintain good habitat for feeding, roosting and potentially nesting water birds, along with better opportunities for viewing them (picture above taken from one of the islands near Carneddau hide on the deep lagoon while work was being carried out). 

With the…

The winter season at Conwy generally means an increase in wildfowl on the lagoons, flocks of tits and finches feeding in the trees, and the presence of one of the reserve’s most sought after birds, the firecrest (library image by Bob Garrett). This year it seems this species arrived a little earlier than usual, with the first record on 12/9, and there have been regular sightings of at least one bird throughout the…

Great white egrets have remained one of the highlights on the reserve once again over the past month with a peak of six birds present together on the shallow lagoon on 13/9 and typically three or four birds seen on most days, generally moving between the estuary and the lagoons depending on the tide (photo by Mel Hughes). It’s almost three months now since the first bird turned up here so this is certainly the longest…

The main highlights over the past month were a juvenile black tern (photo by Martin Neale) which was present from 22/8 to 23/8, and a wood sandpiper from 31/7 to 1/8, both of which were mostly seen around the deep lagoon. Great white egrets have been seen consistently around the reserve for the last couple of months now, with at least two birds present on most days and up to four seen on several occasions.  

Other highlights…

With the reserve trails having reopened to the public on 8/7, we've been fortunate to have had the daily presence of great white egrets for several weeks running (library image by Simon Knight). The first appeared on 28/6 and was joined by a second bird on 13/7 with the two both being present since, and mostly feeding and roosting around the shallow lagoon. A third bird was also reported on the estuary on 18/7. Althou…

Cowslips beside the shallow lagoon in early spring (Jonni Price)

It’s been a while since the last sightings blog post for the reserve was published, and a lot has certainly happened over the last three months with seasons changing, migrant birds coming and going, and the reserve coming to life in its full glory as we approach mid-summer. With the lack of visitors and only a small number of staff working there may…

On 14 April 1995, after years of initial development, RSPB Conwy nature reserve opened it's gates to the public. Throughout April, we want to commemorate this milestone, and celebrate our 25th anniversary with you! As part of this celebration, we will be sharing what RSPB Conwy means to the people at the heart of the reserve - our fantastic staff (both past and present), and our amazing volunteers. Each blog has been…

On 14 April 1995, after years of initial development, RSPB Conwy nature reserve opened it's gates to the public. Throughout April, we want to commemorate this milestone, and celebrate our 25th anniversary with you! As part of this celebration, we will be sharing what RSPB Conwy means to the people at the heart of the reserve - our fantastic staff (both past and present), and our amazing volunteers. Each blog has been…

On 14 April 1995, after years of initial development, RSPB Conwy nature reserve opened it's gates to the public. Throughout April, we want to commemorate this milestone, and celebrate our 25th anniversary with you! As part of this celebration, we will be sharing what RSPB Conwy means to the people at the heart of the reserve - our fantastic staff (both past and present), and our amazing volunteers. Each blog has been…