North Wales

A brilliant week in North Wales celebrating all kinds of things from birthdays to engagements.  The holiday destination of my childhood, it's always great to return with memories of hill climbs with my late dad, and arguments with my sister at the back of the car which always felt like a journey that required an overnight stay.

Not that I've grown up much since, the four and half hour drive seems to flash by while I lament the changing perception of time.

A week in Wales is never exclusively about birding but it's hard to ignore what this part of the UK offers - a range of rare breeders against a mountainous backdrop resting against a foreground of lush mature woodland.

Conwy was our base for the week, a really impressive town with an eclectic mix of locals gave the place an interesting vibe and provided plenty of amusing moments.  The castle lies imperious on the edge of town, and the quay is great place to sit and watch the this small corner of the world pass by.

 A day at Aber Falls was the first trip of the week.  The waterfall itself is a a short walk from the car park and in fine weather coupled with it being the weekend, the place was heaving.  Thankfully, people don't generally walk far so it wasn't long before we had the place to ourselves.

A surprise hawfinch flew into an area of coniferous woodland on the walk back.

North Wales has some really fantastic beaches but my favourite is found at Dinas Dinlle, the place of my father's rest and the location of more childhood memories.  It never looked this nice then.

South Stack was one of the targetted day-trips, a scene of rugged cliff faces smeared with the cocophony of seabirds, guillemot, razorbill, kittiwake, fulmar, and sadly being sparsely represented by the enigmatic puffin.

The resident chough are fairly easy to pick up, usually on call as they tumble along the cliff face - such charming birds.

The spathulate fleawort grows on the grassy slopes towards the sea near to Ellins Tower. This plant is endemic to South Stack in the company of some lovely sea thrift.

This Hawk flew past from nearby RAF Valley.

You can't hit Snowdonia without a climbing day.  The trek up Gyldar Fawr and back down the Devil's Kitchen was challenging but the views along the escarpment were epic.  It was also thrilling to see military aircraft flying through the valley over Llyn Ogwen, a couple of Tuscans and a couple of Hawks from Valley, and a ear shattering F-15 from Lakenheath.

Not to be way-laid by a joint crushing walk, I fancied a walk through a woodland, but not really knowing where to head to, I took a punt in an area on the outskirts of Capel Curig.

It was fabulous, not teeming with birds but seven singing male wood warbler, three pied flycatcher, two redstart including a nest site and two dipper made this an area well worth visiting.