May 12, 2011 archive

Cemlyn Bay

We met a chap at South Stack who told us that we had to go to Cemlyn Bay to see the Terns that breed there. This was on our list of places to go but with a strong recommendation we decided we would head there from South Stack. Cemlyn Bay is a small bay with a shingle beach. The beach rises up to a ridge that runs the length of the bay and behind this is a freshwater lagoon with two islands. On these islands Arctic, Common and Sandwich Terns all nest. There are lots of other birds there as well (sometimes Roseate Terns) but these are the main attraction. There is parking at either end of the bay and you have to walk along the shingle below the horizon so as not to disturb the birds (it is marked out to help you keep clear)

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South Stack

Our first full day was spent on Anglesey. We started out driving up to the RSPB cafe and shop. When you drive up the road  leading to it you are given the impression that the parking is some way from the shop and cafe but if you keep driving past the car park there is further parking just outside the cafe and this is where we parked. In fact there is more parking a little further on if you want to see the cliffs from the north side looking south which is the best view.

The whole place has been refitted and is very comfortable with good toilets and a little shop. You can sit in the cafe and look out onto a field where we saw Pied Wagtails, Goldfinches and other birds bobbing around on the ground. Apparently a Grasshopper Warbler had been seen a little earlier (as were Choughs) but we did not see it. On the other side of the cafe the windows look out to sea and there are a number of tables and chairs outside which would be great in mild weather. The day we went there was a fairly high wind so it would have been a bit draughty but it was very nice sitting drinking tea in the warm and bird spotting in comfort.

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