Black Redstart brightens up dull day.

A female type Black Redstart was found by John 'Woodsman' near the Grand Hotel and toll house earlier in the week and had been seen a few times in the area over the last few days. I popped down at lunchtime and had a brief view of it on hotel roofs near the small roundabout here. With a flash of 'red', it promptly disappeared behind the hotels somewhere. Three Whooper Swans were seen flying past the Orme last Monday by Nigel Pearce. Picture above by John.

'littoralis' Rock Pipit gets 2012 off to a good start.

An afternoon on the Orme produced a nice 'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit feeding on the ciner path between the cemetery and the 5 barred gate. Although the picture is poor, the overall grey and white colouring can be seen. Other birds here included 2 Chough and a large female Peregrine that was chasing (but not catching) Lapwings. Offshore were 5 Red throated Divers and a few Kittiwake. Four showy Snow Buntings are on the West Shore too. Pete Alderson had a showy Jack Snipe in the field with the electricity sub station in it on Bodafonb Fields, Llandudno today.