Ten members took part in the first mid-week trip of the new MCOS season. Meeting at the car park at 10am the weather began with alternating short sharp showers and sunny intervals but improved through the day with an increasingly bright and sunny afternoon. With low tide having occurred at 8.45 we were hopeful of good numbers of birds on both the estuary and the lagoons. However water levels on the reserve were very low and the shallow lagoon opposite the visitor centre was completely dried up with only a lonely Magpie visible.

The Tal-y- fan hide brought us our first ducks of the day, Mallard and Gadwall and several Lapwing and a Chiffchaff was calling nearby however we had more success at the bridge viewpoint where we had brief views of a Cettis Warbler and a pair of Blackcaps. Moving onto the Carneddau hide there were numerous Little Grebe plus a Little Egret and good views of a Common Sandpiper however the highlight of the day was a brief view of three otters (a mother and two cubs) running along the bank. Unfortunately only Paul K was lucky enough to see these - the rest of us were looking the other way...

Dodging the showers we moved onto the Vardre viewpoint where we found a large flock of Redshank, amongst them two very handsome Greenshank. Then another highlight when Paul K located a Spotted Redshank confirmed through Paul B's scope. We also had a few late season Swallows and House Martins scouting for insects over the water.

Reaching the river bank the tide was coming in quickly but there was still quite a large expanse of mud uncovered. Here we found large numbers of Curlew and amongst them a Great White Egret, Little Egret, Great Black Backed Gull, Cormorant, Mute Swan and several Oystercatchers.

Returning along the river path to the car park we had lunch outside the cafe following which four of us moved onto the Great Orme near Llandudno and enjoyed a walk from the car park up to the limestone pavement. Bird highlights were several Stonechat, two Wheatears and a flock of Chough plus we came across a group of feral goats on top of the headland. Paul and Denise made a visit to Rhos on Sea hoping for Purple Sandpiper- they had no luck with that but did manage to add Shag, Ringed plover and Great Crested Grebe to the list.

Overall an excellent day and a total of 60 species overall - a good start to the new birding season.

- Ged Petch 

Many thanks to Simon Smith for the photos (except the goats Judith Petch)