Weather was sunny but the odd breeze blew very cold.  Good views of Stonechat and an early Bumblebee.               

          Total  Species Seen   39  

Leader: Eddie Seal 

Weather was sunny but the odd breeze blew very cold.  The sea was calm close in to shore, but choppy further out. Red Throated & Great Northern Divers present, Divers and grebes stayed quite a distance out; but the highlight of the seawatch was the Peregrine Falcon that flew over our heads and out to sea.  Greenshank's were seen at the Spinnies reserve, this is a good site for them to over-wintering.  The sewage site at Llanfairfechan is always a good site for the odd warbler and we saw Goldcrest, Chiffchaff and a surprising Firecrest.  Conwy was good for views of Water Rail .                   

A very rewarding day despite the overcast conditions.  As usual lots of waterbirds were showing around the Flash’s but really good views of willow tit and bullfinch.               

          Total  Species Seen   40  

Overcast, cool day.  Good views of a Jay and Woodpecker, fleeting sightings of kingfisher from the Rufford hide.               

   Total  Species Seen   36  

Leader: Howard Mills         

A mixed Habitat of Woodland, River, Ponds and Open areas. A very quiet day, but nevertheless we had some good highlights, such as seeing the White Wagtail for the first time. Other notable and excellent sightings were of Nuthatch Treecreeper, Goldcrest and Bullfinch.

   Total Species Seen  26 

 Leader: Howard Mills 

A mixed Habitat of country lanes and  towpaths, open areas. A very quiet day, mainly overcast  with a cold wind. Nevertheless we had some good highlights, such as seeing good flocks of Long Tailed Tits plus enough Blackbirds to make a pie! However the main highlight was a lone cormorant which landed on the top of a electricity pylon, ands just sat there for nearly 10 minutes.

   Total Species Seen  25 

Leader: Stephen Menzie

Conwy RSPB reserve couldn’t be easier to get to.  There’s none of the usual half an hour down tight country lanes to get to this place!  The reserve was formed from waste dumped on the banks of the Conwy Estuary when then Conwy road tunnel was built and is found directly of the junction of the A55.  With a lot of careful management from the RSPB, the new environment created is beginning to establish well and is becoming a haven for wildlife and visitors alike.  The reserve is usually incorporated into a winter visit for the group so it made a nice change to visit on a sunny spring day.  The walk started in the excellently equipped visitor centre from where 4 Black-tailed Godwits were seen.  Outside from the boardwalk, the first migrant Sedge Warblers of the year were singing although viewing them was somewhat more difficult.  Good numbers of Sand Martin were passing overhead with smaller numbers of Swallows and House Martins.  At least 3 Swift were also noted passing over high up – another year tick for the group.

Further round the reserve, more summer visiting warblers were enticed to sing by the warm sunshine:  Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and a Reed Warbler were all seen well.  On the lagoons were all the usual suspects – Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Gadwall, Shelduck and both of the commoner Grebes.  A Little Egret fed along the edge of a small clump of reeds giving the group a good view of this rapidly expanding species.  Only a few years back this would have been a good scarcity on the reserve.  Now they are breeding!  Two Common Sandpipers put on an excellent show from the second hide as they ‘bobbed’ their way around the island.

 A male Reed Bunting gave good views as it sang from its exposed song post.  At the far end of the reserve, a red tail rapidly flying into a thicket was a giveaway sign of a Redstart, but only a few managed to connect with the bird as it disappeared, never to be seen again.  On the estuary salt marsh, close examination of a flock of at least 40 wagtails proved them to be exclusively White Wagtails (The continental race of our own Pied Wagtail and a regular spring migrant through the U.K.).  A quartet of Wheatears was along the breakwater rocks by the coastal path, showing down to a matter of yards at times.

Back at the visitor centre it was time for a well-earned cup of coffee and more time to enjoy superb close views of the reserves commonest species through the panoramic window.

Despite the late arrival of the trip leader (!), the walk was a success with wide variety of species seen, from water birds to migrants, with a day list of at least 50 species.  Conwy reserve more than proved its worth as a summer location as well as a winter hot spot.

   Total Species Seen  50

Leader: Howard Mills 

Red Rocks consist of two main habitats, south towards West Kirby, are Red Rocks Marsh, Reed beds and Sand dunes and to the north Hilbre Point overlooking Bird Rock and East Hoyle sand bank. Red Rocks Marsh is a nature reserve part of which maintained by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

Howard led the way on a dry and sunny April day with a cool northerly breeze.

A slow start initially but after lunch events improved dramatically with good sightings of Wheatear and Whitethroats amongst others. A good selection of butterflies were seen especially Orange Tip. Grey Squirrels were out and about. The best event of the day was towards the end of the walk, when we witnessed bit of aerial 'bovver' between a Buzzard and a Raven.

   Total Species Seen  41