Conway R.S.P.B. Reserve, 12 December 2009
A Sparkling Day Beside the River.
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For their December coach trip the Rochdale Field Naturalists’ Society visited the R.S.P.B. nature reserve at Conway. This entirely artificial reserve, on the Conwy river estuary, has been carved from the spoil produced during the building of the Conway Tunnel. This spoil has been landscaped to produce a mixture of reedbeds, lagoons and grassland. With a backdrop of Conway Mountain and its adjacent hills, surrounding forest and bounded by the estuary, this reserve must rank as one of the more spectacular. A recently completed walkway/cycle track alongside the river provides a direct off road link to the town of Conway.
On a day of brilliant sunshine and no wind, people were free to spend the day as they wished. One small, but energetic group climbed Conwy Mountain, another visited Conway, while a third utilised the services of a warden for a guided tour of the reserve.
It was on this tour that a few keen eyed observers spotted a Mink carrying a small fish. This despised mammal quickly disappeared under a boardwalk and was never seen again. A little further along a Cetti’s Warbler was pointed out by the warden, but it too, quickly merged into the bramble, allowing only a fleeting glimpse by a lucky few. However, all people in the party had excellent views of the normally shy Water Rail, also Song Thrush, Bullfinch and Raven. The lagoons provided excellent views of wildfowl such as Pochard, Little Grebe, Shoveler, Gadwall and waders, Lapwing and Snipe, all resplendent in the sunshine.
On the estuary, where wet mud recently exposed by the receding tide shone as polished glass, were Curlew, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Shelduck. While in the few remaining pools a Heron and a Little Egret fished.
Plants too can produce highlights. The botanists were extremely delighted at finding under the new walkway, a large clump of Scarlet Pimpernel flowering in mid December. It obviously had not read the textbooks.
As the various groups collected prior to embarking for the return journey, they were treated to a stunning aerial display by several hundred Starlings as they swooped and swirled, tracing their intricate patterns across the now darkening sky. A dynamic end to a brilliant day.
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| Robin | Starlings | Water Rail |
Photographs by Peter Stevens
