Leaders

Simon Eaves and Darren Rees

Day 1	Arrive Betws-y-Coed. 7 nights at The Royal Oak Hotel
Days 2-7	An exploration of North Wales to include South Stack and Newbrough on Anglesey, the Dee Estuary and its marshes, Conwy valley and estuary, moors of north east Wales, plus the RSPB’s Ynys-hir Reserve.
Day 8	Depart after breakfast.

Weather	The weather will be mixed (10°-20°C). Expect sun and showers, with gusty wind on exposed headlands
Walking	Varied, from wide forest tracks, to clifftop paths. Walking boots are recommended.
Meals	All included from dinner on Day 1 to breakfast on Day 8.
Insects	Not anticipated this early in the season.
Accom	Double, twin and single rooms all ensuite
Group	12

Come and explore the moorlands, hanging oak-woods, wetlands and seabird colonies of North Wales - all from our base in beautiful Snowdonia

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	*   Anglesey for tern colonies, plus South Stack for Choughs, Puffins and seabirds
	*   Welsh ‘hanging oaks’ at Ynys-hir for Wood Warbler, Redstart and Pied Flycatcher
	*   Based in beautiful Snowdonia National Park
	*   Classic upland species: Dipper, Ring Ouzel, Peregrine, Wheatear
	*   Traditional stronghold of Red Kites - plus new kids on the block - Ospreys!
	*   Dee Estuary for wetland and shore birds
	*   Chance of sky-dancing Hen Harriers on the Ruabon Moors

Day 1	We meet at our hotel in Betws-y-Coed, in the heart of Snowdonia National Park, where Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Goosander and Common Sandpiper can be seen on the river just over the road. The scenic woodland walks close by may yield Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Nuthatch and assorted tits. Snowdonia is an ancient land of wild mountains and wooded valleys; of rocky cwms and tumbling streams, with a bird list that spans woodland and montane species.
Days 2-7	We may start our exploration of North Wales on Anglesey. The RSPB’s South Stack Reserve offers spectacular cliff scenery and we’ll get great views of the seabird colonies, with masses of Guillemots and Razorbills and a few delightful Puffins, as well as Fulmar, Peregrines, Ravens and sought-after Chough. Adders are also a possibility here, as we enjoy the coastal flowers such as Thrift, Sea Campion and the lovely Spring Squill. Elsewhere on Anglesey, at Cemlyn Bay we’ll enjoy the comings and goings of the tern colonies, busy with Sandwich, Common and Arctic Terns - Roseate is a rare bird here now, but you never know your luck – we’ve also seen Mediterranean Gulls on our visits. We’ll follow in the footsteps of famous artist Charles Tunnicliffe at the delightful Cefni estuary, looking for Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwits and at nearby Newborough Warren we hope to see cheeky Red Squirrels. One day will be spent on the Dee Estuary, one of the UK’s premier birding locations for wetland and shorebirds and we’ll spend time exploring its marshes, busy with Avocet, Lapwing and Redshank, plus wildfowl such as Shoveler, Teal and Gadwall. In May we’ve been lucky with Garganey, Spoonbill and Wood Sandpiper and Great Egrets seem to be making this their home these days. On our round-up of the north shore we’ll also visit Gronant beach, the site of Wales’ only Little Tern colony. We’ll need an early morning start when we drive to the Ruabon Moors to watch Black Grouse, with the males vying with each other in the hope of attracting the females. These and other moors such as Migneint, also support populations of Red Grouse, Curlew, Skylark, Wheatear, Stonechat and Merlin. Perhaps our greatest prize though, will be a glimpse of Hen Harriers, that still cling on as a rare breeder in Wales and we shall spend time scanning hunting areas and if very lucky, may even see them performing their spectacular sky-dancing. The rugged slopes of the Ogwen valley and Aber Falls are home to Ring Ouzels, as well as rare breeding Twite and at the Conwy estuary, there are more wetland birds to be found, so expect Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Shelduck and Red-breasted Merganser amongst many others. Nearby, the distinctive headland of the Great Orme is always worth a visit for its resident Choughs (and feral goats) and seabird ledges and there’s always the possibility of an unusual migrant – maybe a Whinchat or Yellow Wagtail? We’ll have a long day to the southern perimeter of Snowdonia and the Dyfi estuary. The RSPB’s Ynys-hir Reserve has a picturesque mix of woodland and saltmarsh, with birds such as Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and Redstart, as well as waders and wildfowl including Little Egret, Lapwing, Snipe, Redshank and Teal. Ospreys now breed nearby too, a wonderful addition to the list of birds of prey, that includes Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and for many people the most Welsh of birds, the Red Kite. The Kite’s tale is one of conservation success, with re-introduced birds now seen across the UK. However, we’ll take time to look for some of the original population that have always called Mid-Wales their home. What better sight than this elegant red-tailed raptor soaring over the ‘hanging oaks’ of Wales.
Day 8	After breakfast we bid our fond farewells to this delightful area.

Just some of what we hope to see..

Yellow Wagtail	Peregrine	Red-breasted Merganser
Whinchat	Arctic Tern	Ring Ouzel
Chough	Roseate Tern	Dipper
Dotterel	Hen Harrier	Redstart
Puffin	Black Grouse	Pied Flycatcher
Razorbill	Shoveler	Red Kite
Guillemot	Ringed Plover	Osprey
Fulmar	Shelduck	Wood Warbler