A trip to Norway and Wales

I went to Norway to visit my family and it was so lovely to go back and see my dad’s side of the family, after so many years. It felt strange not going with my dad and I thought of him all the time during my stay. When I arrived at the Oslo airport I saw Hooded Crows and Eurasian Jackdaws in the parking lot. I really loved the look of the Jackdaws.

I went and did a little birding with some Norwegian birders Simon and Julian. We had a great time and Simon took me to see the rare Ortolan Bunting. It’s a bird much south after by birders as it’s declined precipitously due to illegal hunting and trapping. In southern France, as many as 30,000 birds are illegally taken annually. It is a culinary item of very rich people in France and although it’s illegal, enforcement is sadly seriously lacking. 

The loneliest Ortolan Bunting in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

When we pulled up to the spot in the town of Elverum, the bunting was singing for us on the wire. It was beautiful and if these birds ever disappear I’ll be very sad. It was so nice to hear its beautiful song and singing wild and free. It is the only known Ortolan Bunting in Norway. Hopefully it finds a female to breed with. This lonely Norwegian Ortolan Bunting was singing for a mate. It reminded me of Stella (the Steller's Sea-Eagle) in NFLD roaming around searching for a mate and being constantly rejected by her Bald Eagle cousins.

This site in Elverum was full of birds and lifers for me. Here I saw Eurasian Nuthatch, Common Wood-Pigeons Common Swifts, Eurasian Kestrel, Great Spotted Woodpecker, the adorable Crested Tit, Willow Tit (which sound like our Mountain Chickadees), Eurasian Blue Tits,  Great Tit, Icterine Warbler, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff (who look similar but sound totally different from Willow Warbler), the very plain Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Eurasian Wren, Eurasian Siskin, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Tree Pipit (which we’re singing from the tops of trees), Dunnock, beautiful Eurasian Linnets and Yellowhammers. There was also Roe Deer there. In Norway you are allowed to roam anywhere you want, even on private property, it was odd to me walking on farmer’s fields, as this is not done in US and Canada, without explicit permission.

Spotted Flycatcher in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Lesser Whitethroat in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Male Eurasian Linnet in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Yellowhammer in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

At a nearby Bank Swallow (Sand Martin) colony, we watched dozens go into their nest burrows and we saw Hooded Crows,  Eurasian Magpies and Common Gulls. Also, I saw a Common Buzzard and Fieldfare on a post. There was a Greater Whitethroat singing and White Wagtails there.

On the drive back towards Oslo in a town called Ådalsbruk in the sky above, there were two European Honey-Buzzards flying overhead, searching I guess for tasty insects.

In the afternoon, we stopped at Nordbytjernet, which is a lovely lake and park. Here we saw Great Crested Grebes with chicks riding on their backs, European Herring Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Eurasian Coots, Black-headed and Common Gulls, Common Tern, Common Reed Warbler, Eurasian Blackcap, Goldcrest, European Robin, Eurasian Skylark, Barn Swallow, Western House-Martin,  European Greenfinch, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, White Wagtails and Reed Bunting among others.

Great Crested Grebe in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Fieldfare (Fieldfares are everywhere in Norway) in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Goldcrest in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

European Robin in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Lesser Black-backed Gull in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

European Herring Gull in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Gull in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

The next day I took the train from Nittedal to the center of Oslo to meet Julian, a friend from Bergen to do some birding. We went to Aker Brygge and had some coffee in the European coffee house. I taught a Nor1wegian Barista how to make a London Fog and she literally put it on the menu there right after.  In Norway almost everyone speaks perfect English so communication is easy. My dad spoke Norwegian fluently, as he left Norway as an adult but it’s a shame he never taught me.

Anyways, as we waited for the passenger ferry over to islands in the Oslofjord we saw Eurasian Common Eiders, my lifer Barnacle Geese and Eurasian Oystercatchers right in the harbour.

Eurasian Oystercatcher with Black-headed Gull in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

We boarded the passenger ferry and went to the island of Gressholmen-Rambergøya. Here we saw a family of Northern Wheatears and my lifer Common Shelduck and European Goldfinch. Northern Wheatears migrate from Africa and go as far north as northern Alaska. They fly as far as 30,000km round trip from Africa to northern Alaska in one of the longest songbird migrations. There were also Graylag Geese, Great Cormorants, Gray Heron, Red-breasted Mergansers, a Eurasian Goshawk being harassed by Hooded Crows, Lesser Black-backed Gulls and cute families of Barnacle Geese, among other passerines. Barnacle Geese often make nests on high cliffs in the arctic, forcing the goslings to jump from very high platforms, some make it and some don't after the jump. You can watch a video on the incredible jump some of these goslings make on BBC Earth HERE 

Barnacle Goose with gosling in Norway - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Grayland Goose in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Eiders in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Juv Northern Wheatear fledgling in Oslofjord - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Male Northern Wheatear in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

After returning on the ferry, we went to Østensjøvannet by bus. At this lovely lake that lays in the outskirts of the city, we saw Tufted Ducks, Canada Geese, Barnacle and more Graylag Geese than one could count. We also had Common Teal, Common Goldeneye, Stock Doves, Eurasian Moorhen, Marsh Warbler, Reed Buntings and great looks at a family of Greater Whitethroats. Here I also saw Song Thrushes, Redwings, Eurasian Blackbirds and Fieldfares all carrying food.  I also saw a Lesser Redpoll, Eurasian Tree Sparrow and many others!

Graylag Geese in Oslo, Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Moorhen in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Blue Tit post bath in Oslo, NO - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Blue Tit looking down on me in NO - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Tufted Duck drake in Oslo, NO - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Magpie in Oslo, NO - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Reed Bunting in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Coot in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

After I went to the botanical garden in Tøyen but didn’t add much except for Coal Tit. In the fall and winter it is a great spot for Hawfinch and Northern Nutcracker. I was hoping for both but the latter is very tough this time of year. I birded the famous sculpture park called Vigelandsparken where the famous "angry boy" statue is and saw many White Wagtails, Eurasian Nuthatches, European Greenfinches and more. There was also a family of Mute Swans with Cygnets.

By the way, the park was very busy as it was Pride month and in Norway everyone celebrates Gay Pride to show solidarity. It is awesome and so welcoming and inclusive. There was LGBTQ+ flags everywhere and both Gay and Straight people celebrate it with fervor. Children all have the gay pride flag tattoos on their faces that they get from school and the flags are flying high all over Norway and all schools and government buildings and public businesses.

The next day in a farmer’s field in Nittedal I saw a displaying Eurasian Woodcock. There is hardly any darkness this far north at night. These woodcocks look similar to our American Woodcocks but do not sound alike in the slightest! I also had a pair of Whinchats there and a singing Yellowhammer. In the nearby stream I saw a beautiful Gray Wagtail bobbing on the rocks.

Female Whinchat carrying food in Nittedal, NO - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Male Whinchat singing in Nittedal, NO - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Whinchats are now rare in Britain and Ireland but still are holding on in Norway - Photo: M. Hafting

A few days later I went for a drive to Maridalen with my cousins. This area is absolutely stunning. Here I found a beautiful Arctic Loon in stunning breeding plumage. It was the first time I had seen one in this plumage. I also saw some Common and Wood Sandpipers along the shoreline. I also saw a couple of distant  Northern Lapwings and terns too far away to identify past Common/Arctic. There were lots of the various gulls I mentioned before plus Gray Herons. I also saw a Eurasian Green Woodpecker, which was super cool. There was a White-throated dipper in the stream and a Eurasian Hobby flying over the fields hunting for dragonflies. I finally photographed a Common Wood-Pigeon after seeing them everywhere.

Common Wood Pigeon in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Gray Herons in Norway - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Arctic Loon in Norway - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Wood Sandpiper in Oslo - Photo: Melissa Hafting

I did not do much birding in Norway since I was visiting family and friends and handling some family affairs, like cleaning my aunt and grandfather's gravestones and the like. I did travelling around Norway from Oslo to Kristiansand, Lillehammer, Raholt and Asker and back again to visit family and friends of my dad and I didn’t get to my fave city of Bergen this time but hope to get back there soon. I really want to see Black Woodpecker, Western Capercaillie, Siberian Jay and the Northern Nutcracker, Hawfinch and get some photos of the White-tailed Sea Eagle. The lovely week just flew by too fast! Norway is such a beautiful country, it reminds me of Canada but much more expensive!

I then flew to London and then went to Wales and visited my friend Josh Brown. Josh is a young birder program graduate from my first ever group in 2014.  I flew to Heathrow from Oslo and then got on the train to Carmarthen, Wales. The next morning we went to the Teifi Marshes in Cardigan. Here we had my lifer Water Rail. We also saw Little Egrets, Common Kingfisher and Eurasian Jay (all of which I had not seen since Thailand).  I also saw Carrion Crows, Sedge Warbler and Cetti’s Warbler. I also got to see the cutest Long-tailed Tits which are now one of my fave birds! I wish I had got a clear photo of them but they were too fast for me! The subspecies in Norway has a snow white head and is gorgeous. Here I also had good views of Eurasian Treecreeper and posing Wrens and Dunnocks, the Pied White Wagtail subspecies, Common Buzzard and many others!

Common Kingfisher in Cardigan, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Dunnock (an accentor) in Cardigan, Wales, UK - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Shelduck in Cardigan, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Little Egrets in Cardigan, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Wren in Cardigan, Wales, UK - Photo: Melissa Hafting

The next day we drove to twitch a Yellowhammer in Hasguard Cross, even though I had seen many in Norway; they are not common in this part of Wales. We saw him singing, almost immediately, as we pulled up. 

The Welsh language is very hard to understand (like Norwegian) and I met a few people who spoke only Welsh, which was cool. Most people can speak both  English and Welsh and some can only speak English. Welsh is still very much alive there and is taught in schools. The Welsh signs are full with long words and the alphabet is totally different than ours. I met a British man who studied it for years but still can't master it! Like the Norwegians,  the Welsh are also quite friendly.

We looked for a reported very rare European Turtle Dove, in Haverfordwest but couldn’t find it but we did find some Ring-necked Pheasants and more Stock Doves, Wood-Pigeons and hundreds of Eurasian Linnets. I saw 40 Rooks in a nearby field, near Mullock Salt Marsh.

Rook (a strange looking corvid) in Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

We next went to the Gann and there we had some Common Shelducks, Common Redshanks, my lifer Meadow and Rock Pipits, Eurasian Oystercatchers, Gray Heron and more! There had been a Purple Heron here a week prior, luckily I had seen that species already in Thailand.

The Gann in Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

After a nice meal at the pub (with many dogs inside), we went on an evening boat trip to Skomer Island! We saw 5000 Atlantic Puffins, almost a thousand Razorbills and Common Murres (including some Bridled Murres) and 200 Black-legged Kittiwakes all nesting on the island. There was also several Lesser Black-backed Gulls and my lifer European Shags! Also saw some Northern Fulmar and Northern Gannets. 

Common Murres and Razorbills on Skomer Island, Wales - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Atlantic Puffins at burrows on Skomer Island, UK - Photo: Melissa Hafting

However, the main attraction of an evening trip here is the Manx Shearwaters! It is the largest nesting population of this species in the world and in order not to get predated by Great Black-backed Gulls, they don’t come back to the island until dark and at dusk they begin to gather en masse! I saw over 30m000 Manx Shearwaters on the water. I have never seen anything ever like it! It was truly incredible. We got a video of this incredible sight and several up close photos.

Manx Shearwaters at Skomer, Wales - Photos: Melissa Hafting

At night we drove to a forested site in Clynderwen and had an Eurasian Nightjar flying and singing above us, it was truly incredible. These nightjars sound nothing like our nightjars in North America! Take a listen at the video below:

The next day we went to the River Aeron in the cute town of Aberaeron. Here I got great views and photos of White-throated Dippers.

Town of Aberaeron in Wales 

White-throated Dipper looking at me in Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

White-throated Dipper in the River Aeron in Wales - Photos: Melissa Hafting

Next we went to Ynys-hir RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) reserve in mid-wales and saw Red Kites on the way. The reserve is in the Dyfi estuary in Ceredigion. I absolutely adored this birding spot and would love to go back one day. All of the RSPB Reserves are excellent with nice gift shops and cafes and wonderful birding. Here I took a video of a European Robin jumping around at my feet and several of them did this; they were so tame and cute. 

European Robin at Ynys-hir RSPB Reserve in Wales, UK - Photos: Melissa Hafting

I also had great looks at Coal Tit, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Siskin and Great Spotted Woodpecker and more at the feeder. 

Common Chaffinch at Ynys-hir RSPB Reserve in Wales, UK - Photo: Melissa Hafting

On the mudflats by the Marion Mawr Hide we had Northern Lapwings and Common Greenshank and Redshanks. We also had Little Grebes and Little Ringed Plovers all of which I haven’t seen since Thailand. I also got great views of my lifer Common Redstart! Here we saw the only Great Egret of the trip. There was Eurasian Curlews on the mudflats and it was so fun watching the Northern Lapwings run around and chase birds getting too close I didn’t realize how aggressive they are, yet so beautiful. 

Northern Lapwing and Eurasian Green-winged Teals in Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Immature Common Redstart at Ynys-hir RSPB Reserve in Wales, UK - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Little Ringed Plover and Common Teal and Common Greenshank in Wales - Photo: M. Hafting

There was also a Great Cormorant flying by and lots of amazing passerines, including an Eurasian Jay in the oak trees. We also had a Red Kite inside the park and had many Red Kites on the drive. The Welsh are rightfully proud of the conservation comeback success story of these birds, that were once on the brink of extinction. They have had a very successful reintroduction program of Red Kites in Wales.

Next we went to Riverside Park along the River Dee, in the beautiful town of Llangollen. Here we were seeking reported Mandarin Ducks and we found two females! After seeing so many escapees (both hens and drakes) in Vancouver, it was nice to see some wild ones. It was also cute to see some Common Mergansers with chicks and Common Sandpipers. Over the beautiful river, a Eurasian Sparrowhawk flew over us.

Mandarin Duck in Llangollen, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Common Sandpiper in Llangollen, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

The picturesque town of Llangollen in Wales

That night we drove on towards Snowdonia but we stopped in the Moorlands near Wrexham. There we had some Red Grouse and their chicks. Red Grouse will soon be split from Willow Ptarmigan but look very similar. We had some European Stonechats and Meadow Pipits there too. We also saw some Whinchats with young, which are declining rapidly in the UK. The landscape here was incredible.

Juvenile Whinchat in the Moorland in Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Red Grouse in the Moorland in Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

The next morning, we got up before Dawn and went to a Black Grouse lek nearby. When we drove up and I saw them for the first time, displaying, I almost couldn’t speak, they were so beautiful! They had their long black tails cocked up showing their white undertails and their red eye combs were enlarged. They had navy blue and black bodies, they are absolutely gorgeous. We got to listen to them call too. Our tiredness just immediately vanished. There were 5 grouse on the lek and one stayed for a very long time after sunrise and while we waited for the lek to clear, we watched northern wheatear, whinchat, red grouse and meadows pipits, skylarks and european stonechats, eurasina curlew,  greater whitethroat, common redshank, gray heron all fly over  and some european hares walk on the lek! It was incredible!

Male Black Grouse in the Moorlands of Wales, UK - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Black Grouse displaying on a lek in Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Male Black Gouse in Wales are such stunning birds - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Next we drove to Gronant Dunes in Prestatyn. We came here to see the large colony of Little Terns. Here we had some Common Ringed Plovers on the beach and at least 120 Little Terns.

Info signs at the Little Tern Colony at Gronant Dunes 

Info sign and Little Tern watching hide at Gronant Dunes in Wales

The beach was loaded with Eurasian Skylarks too. It is always windy in Wales and it was extra windy on the beach today! No wonder they have so many offshore Windmills in Wales and this beach had many in the distance. There were many Reed Buntings singing here too.

Male Reed Bunting singing in Wales, UK - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Next we went to Rhos Point and Harbour and here I got my lifer Common Scoters. They look kind of similar to our Black Scoters. Here I also had the Eurasian Sandwich Terns and Great Crested Grebe. At nearby Colwyn Bay Beach I had 20 more Common Scoters, more Eurasian Sandwich Terns and Great Cormorants. 

The next morning we went to look for another reported European Turtle Dove near a beautiful beach at Traeth Bychan in Angelsey. We apparently missed it by ten mins and saw the photos.  We never saw the bird after coming back twice more and always missing it by half an hour or less. I met some friendly avid twitchers from Wales and England (the closest was from Manchester). I also got fabulous views of a male and female Eurasian Bullfinch! The colours on the male were beyond stunning. There is a beautiful beach one can walk here too.

After we went to Gaerwen to the Cors Ddyga RSPB Reserve. It is a beautiful reserve where we had Northern Lapwings flying closely over our heads and again they were acting completely aggressive to birds who were minding their own business. I couldn’t help but comment on their incredible beauty and iridescence to Josh. We got stunning views of the male and female for good comparison. Here we also had 4 breeding plumaged Bar-tailed Godwits and an Eurasian Wigeon and a family of Northern Shovelers. Suddenly a Western Marsh Harrier came over the marsh which was delightful. A Eurasian Kestrel perched right on a branch beside me and because it was raining I had left my camera in the car !! BIG MISTAKE! I could of got incredible photos of the lapwings :(

We then drove to the South Stack RSPB Reserve in Anglesey. Here the wind was howling so bad, that the stunning lighthouse was closed. 

South Stack Lighthouse in Anglesey, Wales 

I hiked up the small mountain and I almost got blown off the stairs. It was a bit scary and it looked like Flatiron mountain (a mountain in BC's Coquihalla summit area north of Hope) up there, but all I could find was a lone Herring Gull in a small pond. When I came back down to join Josh, who was scoping the ocean and seeing Manx Shearwaters;  all of a sudden a couple of Red-billed Choughs flew towards us, doing their characteristic calls. I could never get a good photo of this species during my trip and it pained me, as they looked so darn cool. There was so many interesting Corvids I had seen in Norway and Wales from Rooks to Carrion and Hooded Crows, Common Ravens to Eurasian Jackdaws, Eurasian Jays and Red-billed Choughs. By the way, the Scandinavian Jackdaws looked totally different from the UK ones, as they have a white nape.

Red-billed Choughs are a Welsh specialty as they have been reintroduced in small numbers in places like Cornwall in England. The species has the biggest population in Wales. By the way down near the lighthouse at South Stacks Lighthouse there were 5000 nesting Common Murres and 500 Razorbills. Nearby at a place called "The Range," we saw a Hooded Crow and two hybrid Hooded Crow x Carrion Crows begging from the Hooded Crow parent, who was paired with a pure Carrion.

I forgot to mention that the architecture in Norway and Wales is totally different. Norway has houses mostly built from wood, while Wales has it mostly built from brick or stone. Also the telephone wires go to the side of the houses in Wales, making for a very messy and chaotic appearance. Don’t get me wrong there are many cute and colourful and wonderful homes in Wales. However, overall I found the designs in Norway to be more pleasing to my eye. 

Also in Wales one MUST LOVE DOGS, as they are everywhere and I mean everywhere. Every restaurant, pub, cafe and coffee house has signs welcoming Dogs inside. I was in one cafe with six dogs inside. Several places had special menus for dogs too. It is such a contrast to North America, where dogs would never be allowed inside, due to “hygiene reasons.” Anyways, I love dogs, so I was in my element.

“Dogs are welcome” signs are abundant in Wales

The next day, we were off to Cemlyn Nature Reserve. Here we saw a large colony of Terns. Over 1200 Sandwich Terns, 2 Roseate, 70 Common and 100 Arctic Terns were recorded that day.. 

Eurasian Sandwich Terns in Anglesey, Wales - Photos: Melissa Hafting

I made a video of the tern colony:

The scenery near the Sandwich Tern colony at Cemlyn Nature Reserve, Wales

Info sign showing recorded birds that day at Cemlyn Nature Reserve in Angelsey, Wales

Highland Cattle in Anglesey near Cemlyn Nature Reserve

Highland Cattle in Anglesey, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

I also got to see my lifer pair of Little Owls here. Man do those owls blend into their rock surroundings! There was also a Tufted Duck in the water and a family of European Stonechats. There was also European Goldfinches and White Wagtails and surprisingly Eurasian Oystercatchers in the farmer’s fields!

Little Owls in Anglesey, Wales - Photos: Melissa Hafting

A drake Tufted Duck in Angelsey, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

European Stonechat in Anglesey, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Eurasian Oystercatcher in Anglesey, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Next we drove through beautiful Snowdonia National Park in North Wales, hoping for a Ring Ouzel in the high altitudes, but came up empty. The scenery through Snowdonia was totally spectacular though. I hope to see a Ring Ouzel another time when I do more birding in Norway.

Here is a video if you want to see how spectacular Snowdonia is:

I don’t think I mentioned that there are more sheep than people in Wales? Well there are! You often walk through sheep flocks, when birding in that very green and pretty country.  We went for a walk at Ceunant Llennyrch in Snowdonia and has sheep everywhere on the trail. Here we hoped for a Mistle Thrush but saw a Eurasian Goshawk carrying a thrush instead. It was a nice forest walk here and we had a Coal Tit and Goldcrest among others. On the drive back to Cardigan from Ceunant Llennyrch Nature Reserve, I had two more Red Kites.

Eurasian Goshawk at Ceunant Llennyrch National Nature Reserve in Snowdonia - Photo: M. Hafting

I need to back up and explain the size of the roads in Wales. They are truly only meant for one car at a time and the country roads are lined on both sides with very, very tall hedges. So high that you can’t see much on the sides, well frankly you can’t see at all as there is stone walls behind most hedges. If you run into a car coming at you, one person has to relent and back up the whole way, on the very narrow and curvy road! Kinda nerve-wracking if you aren't used to it!

The following day, after a delicious lunch at the Cliff Hotel on the stunning seaside, with amazing cliffs and a very green ocean, in Cardigan, we went to a place called Mwnt. Here I climbed to the top and watched for Bottlenose Dolphins but only saw Gray Seals.  At Mwnt I saw 20 Red-billed Choughs feeding on insects in a farmer’s field way below me. I loved watching them by scope with their slender heads and long down-curved red bills prodding in the grass. I wish I had one close enough for a photo! There were also some Carrion Crows for a nice comparison (which look similar to our American Crow).  On the water we watched a Northern Fulmar fly close to us by the cliffs going into its nest. There were also Northern Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and Rock and Meadow Pipits singing away. Sand Martins (Bank Swallows), Western House-Martins and Barn Swallows also flew overhead.

Northern Gannets flying by Mwnt in Cardigan, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Rock Pipit at Mwnt in Cardigan, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Western House-Martin in Cardigan, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

Meadow Pipit in Cardigan, Wales - Photo: Melissa Hafting

We went back to the Eurasian Nightjar spot and had absolute incredible views of 2 birds around ten pm. It was too dark and the nightjars fly too fast to even bother taking photos, so we just took in the amazing views and enjoyed listening to their unique singing sounds. Here at ten pm we also had a Common Grasshopper Warbler and Song Thrush singing, which was so cool. We made some recordings which I will add here when edited. We both high-fived at the absolute awesomeness, that we experienced that night.

After that we went owling at Teifi Marshes hoping for the resident Barn Owl to come out but we had obviously missed him sadly, as he had already exited the barn but we did get a Tawny Owl, which was a great way to end my trip to Wales. Thanks to Josh Brown for all his help and awesome birding company.

The next morning I took the train back to London, England via Cardiff and saw Eurasian Curlews, Bar-tailed Godwits and Mute Swans all from the train. I ended up with 117 species in Wales and 92 in Norway (where I barely birded) and a great time in both wonderful countries. I would have a one day rest before flying to Newfoundland to lead a birding tour, which will be detailed in my upcoming post.