It has been a very long 13 year since I last visited the North Wales coastline for birding.  I have been with family but not for the breeding coastal birds.  I picked up Mr T from Stockport and for once where he lived wouldn't have been too much of a diversion.  I picked him up at about 6.40am.  Once over the border I noticed something worrying, mist towards the sea.  There was a heatwave yet on the North Wales coast hung a never ending curtain of grey mist.  I was worried because a lot of time and effort is needed for a trip like this and weather needs to be good. 

We arrived at Gronant just after 8am and walked along the dunes where marshes were established.   Reed, Sedge, Cetti's, Willow Warblers sang along with Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Blackcap.  I thought we might struggle for most of these but we picked them up immediately.  A Marsh Harrier patrolled the reeds, another species I didn't think we would connect with.  Once off the board walk and onto the sand Mr T decided to walk barefoot as it was his first time ever seeing a coastline.  I think someone has been watching too many movies.  I could hear the Little Terns in the mist and eventually saw some  carrying fish.  We saw a Ringed Plover in the shingle.  I caught sight of a Little Tern chick and I must say it was one of the cutest babies I have ever seen.  How they make it to adulthood with all that pressure amazes me.  We did watch them fish and even mob Herring Gulls who seemed to be really feel the pressure for the Little Terns?  Were they stabbing them with their beaks?  The large gulls looked hapless and sorry that crossed over.  Suddenly most of the mist suddenly just vanished.  Common and Sandwich Terns also fished out at sea.  I heard Curlew and Redshank but never saw them as they would have been lifers for Mr T.  He spent a lot of time cleaning the sand of his feet.  They don't show that bit in the movies.  

On to Llandudno where we hoped for 2 butterfly lifers for me Grayling and Silver Studded Blue on the Great Orme.  However on arrival we decided against it and move onto Cemlyn.  On the way to Cemlyn we saw Buzzard and Red Kite but only 1 of the latter.  On arrival at Cemlyn we could hear the Terns from the car park and saw a Great Black Backed Gull catch a big crab and kill it, only to be robbed by another Black Backed Gull.  The Tern colony was home to Arctic, Sandwich and Common Terns along with Black Headed and Mediterranean Gulls.  Arctic, Sandwich and Med Gulls were lifers for Mr Tand we watched them fish and feed their young.  A lady said Roseatte Terns were reported on rocks near the colony and after much searching I came across a black billed, black capped individual with a white mark in it.   I assumed it was an immature and a RSPB volunteer arrived.  She found an adult.  We debated about the bird I found and she said immature Terns are hard to tell apart but my camera luckily proved me right later.  That was the 4th lifer for Mr T from this spot. 

Time was short and i begun to panic.  What if the RSPB  South Stack cafe closed early or ran out of cake?  A look of absolute horror crossed my face and we decided to move before I had a melt down!  The scenery was spectacular and the sea cliffs were the 3rd type of coastline Mr T saw today, the 2nd being the shingle beach at Cemlyn.   We saw Chough which he had seen in Northern Pakistan before and a Shag flew across, only to be seen by me.  I almost frog marched Mr T from the car park to the cafe whilst his mouth dropped at the breath taking scenery.  I explained "the cliffs will be here in 30 minutes but the cake won't be!"  I ordered a slice of coffee cake which wouldn't have been my first choice but not disappointed whilst Mr T Victoria sponge with butter cream.  After indulging in that treat I calmed down and enjoyed the spectacularly scenery and birds.  Kittiwake, Guillemot and Razorbills adding themselves to the life list of Mr T.   We enjoyed the fabulous scenery and felt the sea breeze on this warm day.   Another visitor caught sight of a Puffin and I struggled to see it.  Luckily Mr T saw it and his 9th lifer of the day.  There were Ravens, Choughs, large Gulls soaring around the cliffs but no Shag or Gannet showed after and the only Fulmar was seen briefly by me.   Rock Pipits did not show either.  We did notice that there were Painted Lady butterflies in good numbers along reserve.  We had run out of time and decided against looking for Silver Studded Blues and went to Holyhead Harbour where  we looked for Black Guillemot.  Sadly none showed.  Time was up and we set  off back for home where it seemed much warmer.

I think we could have time planned better.  Gronant, Cemlyn Bay and more time at South Stacks would have been enough for the day.  If sea mist did not descend on Gronant we could have saved time.  

Mute Swan

Greylag

Canada Geese

Shelduck

Mallard

 Pheasant

Stock Dove

Collared Dove

Woodpigeon

Feral Pigeon

Moorhen

Oystercatcher

Curlew

Lapwing

Redshank

Ringed Plover

Avocet

Black Headed Gull

Mediterranean Gull

Lesser Black Backed Gul 

Herring Gull

Great Black Backed Gull

Kittiwake

Sandwich tern

Common tern

Arctic Tern

Roseate Tern

Little Tern

Razorbill

Guillemot

Puffin

Fulmar

Cormorant

Shag

Little Egret

Grey Heron

Marsh Harrier

Buzzard

 Kestrel

Red Kite

Magpie

Jackdaw

Rook

Raven

Carrion Crow

Jay

Chough

Skylark

 Sedge Warbler

Reed Warbler

Cetti's Warbler

Blackcap

Whitethroat

Willow Warbler

Chiffchaff

House Martin

Sand Martin

Swallow

 Wren

 Starling

Song Thrush

Blackbird

Robin

Stonechat

Dunnock

House Sparrow

Pied Wagtail

Meadow Pipit

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Linnet

Reed Bunting

great Tit

Blue Tit

Long Tailed Tit

 Swift     

-- Edited by sarfraz on Wednesday 1st of July 2026 11:41:36 PM

-- Edited by sarfraz on Wednesday 1st of July 2026 11:44:51 PM

-- Edited by sarfraz on Wednesday 1st of July 2026 11:46:56 PM