Perfect weather for the global waterbird count

BENIGN conditions enabled volunteers to count waterbirds across the region on Sunday, contributing to the International Waterbird Census, a truly global monitoring scheme.

- With Julian Hughes

I counted 67 Eider ducks on calm seas off Llandudno’s West Shore, while to the east the presence of three Surf Scoters was confirmed off Old Colwyn/Llanddulas, with four Velvet Scoters here and another 10 off Kinmel Bay, where a Black Redstart winters on the beach.

A male Smew and a couple of Slavonian Grebes on Llyn Alaw, a Black-throated Diver off Penrhyn Bay and Lesser Yellowlegs on the Clwyd estuary were among the other sightings.