Surf's Up

Tantalising reports of a pair of drake Surf Scoters at Pensarn on Friday had 007 and I powering down the A55 yet again, whilst Batman and Robin were in absentia - spending the Sabbath confined to the Batcave.

Upon arrival we received news that at least one birder had found a Surf Scoter, which was remarkable considering the vast majority of the birds were bobbing up and down like a pneumatic prostitute, in poor light and a fair distant offshore.

Needless to say a two hour session failed to turn up any Surfs, but there were at least three Velvet Scoters about, with two picked up in flight - plus a drake on the drink that was just about discernable from the Commons.

Good numbers of divers slaloming around the wind turbines today too, with all but one cast iron Red-throats. The other bird displayed all the telltale signs of a Great Northern, but truth be told it was a good distance from the shore – albeit during a spell of good light.

When shower number three piled in we decided to up sticks and take a punt at Llanddulas. Not many scoters knocking about, but at least four Fulmars arched gracefully into the wind and a showy Red-throated Diver loafed reasonably close in.

With the weather finally beginning to improve and the sea starting to flatten out, we opted to return to Pensarn and this time our luck was in: two drake Surf Scoters had been found amongst a large raft of ducks just to the left of the wind turbines.

After ten frustrating minutes I eventually got on to both birds – so close together they could have been Siamese twins. Once on them it was advisable to stay on them, because they were surprisingly elusive, as they either sunk into the swell, dived down to feed, or swan quickly off with frustrating regularity.

Conversely - and somewhat surprisingly - the few Velvet Scoters in the flotilla were much easier to locate, with their large size and more upright stance(?) making them stand out markedly from the Commons.

After bagging my first Gannet of the year, we headed over to the Afon Clwyd to try and sniff out the Bar-headed Goose that has been hanging around with a small number of Canadas. Sure enough it was not too far from its usual haunt and regardless of being as plastic as they come (no tick 007 – it didn’t take a wrong turn at K2!!) it is hard to deny that it is one handsome looking bird…

Pensarn & Llanddulas 31.10.09

2 Surf Scoter (drake)
5+ Velvet Scoter
2500+ Common Scoter
1 Great Northern Diver
40+ Red-throated Diver
4 Fulmar
1 Gannet
5 GC Grebe

Afon Clwyd

1 Merlin (1st winter male)
4 Goosander

Until later.