Wildlife Walks

SATURDAY

This morning I set off on a 4 km walk up to the top of the Y Graig Nature Reserve, just outside the village. From the top, the views are stunning— the Clwydian Range hills, the mountains of Eryri, the Vale of Clwyd, the Irish Sea coastline, and the Great and Little Orme.

Along the way, I spotted a buzzard, a redstart, and pheasants, alongside the usual chiffchaffs, blackbirds, crows, and magpies. Butterflies were out in good numbers too, including meadow browns, ringlets, and small whites.

This afternoon, I drove over to Gronant Dunes for a 5 km walk to visit the North Wales Little Tern Colony. We spent an interesting 20 minutes in the hide, observing the noisy terns bringing food in from the sea to their nesting sites on the rocky upper shore. 

It's encouraging to see the colony thriving again after being devastated by storms last year. As of yesterday's official count, it now hosts over 283 adult birds, around 85 nests, and 28 chicks.