Finch Fiesta

Following a long walk this morning it was pleasant to end the day with an amble around Connah’s Quay.

A good skein of restless Pinkies over the White Sands area started the ball rolling and continuing the goose theme, a couple of Brent Geese were busy chewing up Oakenholt Marsh in the company of the feral Canadas.

This species seems to be putting in more and more regular appearances down at CQ – an indeed all along the North Wales coast – fifteen were recorded here last week.

Nine hyperactive Twite kept me company on the way to the bunded pools, where I disturbed the resident Kingfisher fishing in the channel before the first hide.

The bunded pools were buzzing this afternoon with hundreds of grazing Wigeon, whilst the pair of Ruddy Shelduck/Shelduck Hybrids that have been knocking around for ages even managed to put in their first appearance of the year.

Spot Red also present, but it was when I left the middle hide that things took off with a mixed flock of Lesser Redpoll carrying a few Siskin dropping down to feed in the alder trees.

They were extremely confiding as they hurriedly stuffed their faces with seed, hanging around for a good ten minutes until they were off again, giving that distinctive ‘miniature machine gun’ call.

A quick mooch around the nature trail produced a good flock of Brambling and continuing on the finch theme, a superb pair of Bullfinch.

An excellent couple of hours and 100 up for my Flintshire list too – now for the hard part: the next 100!

Connah’s Quay 25.01.10

Brent Goose 2 (hrota 1st winter)
Pink-footed Goose c275
Spotted Redshank 1
Ruddy Shelduck/Shelduck Hybrid 2
Wigeon c600
Little Grebe 3
Kingfisher 1
Lesser Redpoll 10+
Siskin 1
Twite 9
Brambling c30

Until later.