Birthday Birding 20 Dec

The last couple of years I have headed off to North Wales often firstly heading for the Snow Bunting at Kinmel Bay but as I had not heard that they were around I decided to try for the Twite at Flint.

Getting there for around 10 it was rather cool to say the least but at least it was dry and sunny. No joy in finding the Twite just Reed Bunting in regards to LBJ's with a flock of Dulin flying down the river and Redshank and Oystercatcher feeding in and around the marsh.

From here it was on to Abergele for long staying Hoopoe but by now the weather had taken a turn for the worse with rather a strong cold wind and rain so not ideal conditions to go looking for a bird more suited to the med than North Wales in the winter, strangely enough we did not find the bird just a large flock of Greenfinch drinking from a puddle on the beach.

The last port of call was Rhos on Sea for Purple Sandpiper or at least that was the plan which the way was going I wasn't that hopeful.
On the rocks by the prom the only bird around was a lone Shag.

On the small patch of beach by the break water were a number of Turnstones, Rock Pipits and Redshank plus a single Oystercatcher, probably if I had bothered to look I am sure I would have found a few Purple Sandpipers but I lost urge to go looking for them.