Waders and wagtails

As the lagoons recede rapidly under the hot sun and easterly breeze, the mud has attracted a host of waders this week.  Top marks to volunteer Alex Jones who found the best bird of the week, a Temminck's stint, on Tuesday (3rd).  It attracted a good number of admirers as it's a scarce visitor to North Wales and classed as a Welsh rarity.  It was accompanied on the shallow lagoon by a wood sandpiper, which was here from Sunday to Thursday (though we can't find it this morning), another species that is irregular in North Wales but occurs at Conwy almost annually.  This morning, a greenshank is fresh in from the south, with half-a-dozen smart-looking dunlins, and a few whimbrels are still passing through.  At least one snipe remains, with counts of bar-tailed godwit and ringed plover during the week.  Our count of little ringed plovers has risen to three, with a report yesterday that they may be nesting - we're keeping our eyes open!

Conwy's fame as a wagtail hotspot has returned this week.  Although it's been a relatively poor spring for white wagtails,  we've had a grey-headed wagtail (thunbergi race from Scandinavia) on Tuesday (3rd) and today, a blue-headed wagtail (flava race from mainland Europe) on Tuesday and British-race yellow wagtails each day.

The male common scoter was still here last night for its 15th day - for most of us, seeing this marine duck standing out of the water is a novelty, but he's been busy fishing and preening, hopefully heading north very soon.  A grasshopper warbler was heard briefly yesterday morning (5th), a male whinchat was along the estuary on Monday and Tuesday (2nd and 3rd), five wheatears on Tuesday (3rd) and 6 Sandwich terns on Monday.  Oh yes, and the goldeneye is still with us.

By the way, the house sparrow family is doing well, with four chicks that hatched on Monday getting fed regularly.  You can watch their daily affairs on SparrowCam in the Visitor Centre.

Don't forget that you can get our bird sightings as we see or hear about them, on http://twitter.com/rspbconwy.

And finally, it's our Digiscoping Demo Weekend on 14/15 May.  We've got places on Saturday and Sunday, 10.30-12.30 and 2-4 pm.  Come along and get great advice from the experts about the best kit to put together to take photographs through a telescope.  Ring us on 01492 584091 to book.