WINTER RARITIES ALONG THE NORTH WALES COAST

Storm Goretti left a dramatic imprint across the UK. As it swept in from the Atlantic, the system delivered a potent mix of hazards, exceptionally strong winds, heavy snowfall and prolonged rainfall. A rare red warning for wind was issued for the Isles of Scilly and much of Cornwall, where gusts peaked at 99mph at St Mary’s Airport, the strongest recorded there since 1991. On the mainland, Culdrose clocked winds of 90mph, while Camborne reached 80mph.

But as so often follows extreme weather, calm eventually returned, and with it came opportunity.

An early start under settled skies provided ideal conditions for a mid-winter circuit of the North Wales coast. From limestone headlands to estuarine edges, the day would deliver a rewarding mix of scarce visitors and classic coastal species.

The first stop was the Great Orme at Llandudno, where the long-staying Shorelark continued to perform reliably.

Early morning on the Great Orme looking down to Conwy

Present since Boxing Day 2025, the bird showed exceptionally well, offering prolonged views against the stark, dramatic limestone backdrop.

A species of Arctic tundra and high mountain systems-breeding across Scandinavia, northern Russia and ranges such as the Alps and Pyrenees, the Shorelark is a scarce and charismatic winter visitor to Britain’s coasts. Seeing one feeding calmly on the windswept Orme felt like a fitting symbol of winter resilience.

From the coast, attention turned inland to the Conwy Valley in search of Hawfinches. Two well-watched churchyards, St Mary’s at Caerhun and St Peter’s at Llanbedr-y-Cennin, were given several hours of patient coverage.

St Peter's-Llanbedr-y-Cennin

St Mary’s at Caerhun

Despite their reputation and regular appearance in annual reports, the finches remained elusive. Instead, the stillness of the churchyards was marked only by Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, plus a single Goldcrest flitting quietly through the canopy.

Greenfinches were in good numbers in both churchyards

Back along the coast, Colwyn Bay offered a change in both pace and reward. Joined by Cheshire birder Dave Bedford, an hour of seawatching produced a steady passage of wintering sea ducks and divers.

Dave seawatching

Among hundreds of Common Scoters, there were three Red-throated Divers, a Great Northern Diver, and most notably, a drake Surf Scoter. Unlike its Common and Velvet relatives, Surf Scoter is an irregular winter visitor to the British Isles, with most records thought to involve birds displaced from North America by strong westerlies or Atlantic gales. In the context of Storm Goretti’s recent passage, its presence felt especially apt.

Surf Scoter

(c)Sean O'Hara

The final destination was the River Clwyd at Rhyl, where a first-winter Lesser Yellowlegs discovered the previous week was still present. Feeding alongside Redshank, the bird offered excellent comparative views, its finer structure and brisk feeding action clearly evident. A rare Nearctic vagrant in Britain, Lesser Yellowlegs remains a notable find anywhere, and this encounter marked my first with the species for several years. 

A juvenile Magpie, curiously persistent, lingered nearby throughout the observation.

As daylight faded, the day drew to a close with a strong sense of satisfaction. In the calm aftermath of an Atlantic storm, North Wales had once again demonstrated its winter potential, delivering quality birding, memorable encounters and the reminder that even the quietest season can shine when conditions, timing and persistence align.

COLD WINDS,SCARCE GEESE AND A SUPERB START TO THE YEAR AT ABBERTON

With the New Year underway, I found myself back at work in Essex. Finishing at lunchtime gave me the perfect opportunity to make the short drive to Abberton Reservoir, and what followed turned into a fantastic few hours of birding.

Abberton Reservoir

The current influx of scarce geese across Britain and Ireland—driven by brisk, cold north-easterly winds—has been producing some excellent records, and Abberton did not disappoint. The two headline species of this movement, Russian White-fronted Goose and Tundra Bean Goose, were both present, with three Tundra Bean Geese and seventeen White-fronted Geese recorded during the afternoon.

Russian White-fronted Goose

Tundra Bean Goose

Waterfowl highlights continued with a Long-tailed Duck and five Smew, while three Bewick’s Swans were a particularly welcome sight. Given the severe population declines this species has suffered in recent years, it was encouraging to see them, even though they remained at a distance.

Smew

Further interest came from five Black-necked Grebes and four Red-crested Pochards, rounding off an excellent visit to the reservoir.

Red-crested Pochard

All in all, Abberton once again proved its value as a winter hotspot, delivering quality birds and a memorable start to the year.

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A NEW YEAR ON THE WING–CHESHIRE 1ST-2ND JANUARY 2026

The year began in classic Cheshire fashion, unpredictable weather, good birds, and plenty of miles covered in search of them.

Marbury Memories and Midwinter Colour

New Year’s Day saw Jenna and me enjoying a gentle run out in mid Cheshire, returning to my old patch at Marbury Country Park. A brief stop at Whitley Reed set the tone for the day, with excellent views of Tree Sparrows and Yellowhammers brightening the winter gloom. Finch numbers were impressive too, with good flocks of Greenfinch and Chaffinch, while a smart pair of Bullfinches showed particularly well.

Whitley Reed

Tree Sparrow

Budworth Mere

At Marbury itself, the headline bird was a fine drake Scaup, which performed admirably and offered prolonged views. Hopes of catching up with the elusive first-winter Little Gull were dashed after a sharp hailstorm, which seemed to clear both birders and birds alike. Nevertheless, there was plenty to enjoy, including good numbers of Goosander, five Little Egrets, and a lone but imposing Great White Egret.

Drake Scaup

Goose Chasing on the Weaver

On the afternoon of 2 January, attention turned to Frodsham and reports of four Russian White-fronted Geese along the River Weaver. True to form, the birds proved elusive, repeatedly moving just ahead of us and testing our patience.

River Weaver

The chase was far from fruitless, however. The river corridor held lively flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing, while adjacent pools and riverside habitats produced Pintail, Goldeneye, Wigeon, and Shoveler.

Fieldfare

Eventually, perseverance paid off. Thanks to Cheshire stalwart Frank Duff, who successfully relocated the birds further downstream, we finally connected with the White-fronts. They were found loosely associating with a skein of Greylag Geese,  distant, but unmistakable, and a satisfying end to the search.

Russian White-fronted geese

A Wider Movement

These sightings form part of a much broader picture. This winter has seen a significant influx of Russian White-fronted Geese into south-east England, with hundreds arriving from mainland Europe. Since late November, over 100 sites between Norfolk and the Isle of Wight have logged birds, many involving family groups, likely assisted by persistent easterly winds from the Near Continent.

The movement has also included notable arrivals of Tundra Bean Geese, while Bewick’s Swans have appeared in better numbers than in recent years, welcome signs for wildfowl enthusiasts.

Back to Reality

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable couple of days birding in Cheshire, a fine way to start the year. With work beckoning again on Monday, it’s hard not to wonder just where the time goes.

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