Waderfest!

The low water levels are proving a bit of a wader magnet, with plenty of shoreline to attract the birds.  Today's tally has included 10 curlew sandpipers (a big total for here, as we usually only see one or two birds a year), 2 little stints, wood sandpiper and whinchat, all of which arrived on Sunday and remained today.  The whinchat was perched on the kingfisher post in front of the Tal-y-fan hide, while several swifts have seen - always a good bird in September.  Alongside these was a fall of blackcaps and chiffchaffs this morning, plus a couple of lesser whitethroats and a water rail, of which there have been increased sightings in recent days.

Yesterday, as well as many of the above, also brought 41 dunlins, whimbrel, greenshank and common sandpiper to our metaphorical door, and the bearded tits were seen at the bridge pond yesterday afternoon.  Looking further back, a pintail on Saturday was the first of the winter, ditto a flock of 10 wigeons on Friday 3rd, when the lesser-white fronted goose made a reappearance after several weeks.  Curlew sandpipers have been the theme of the last week, with two on Tuesday 31st and Wednesday 1st (with a knot, greenshank and flock of dunlins on the latter date), while a ruff and a redstart on Thursday 2nd added to the diversity on the reserve.  Along with sporadic sightings of stoats, speckled wood butterflies, kingfisher and peregrine, it's proving to be a good week to visit Conwy. 

And if you only get as far as the coffee shop, you can always watch John the Digger creating our new islands.