Last Wednesday I decided to visit 3 sites in one day starting at Conwy Reserve, South Stack and Cemlyn Bay for the Terns. The weather forecast was not great, but in true form I decided it could be wrong and I would be able to squeeze out the odd photo (some of mine are). Sometimes you only need a short window on opportunity to get your shots.

I arrived at Conwy Reserve at 9.30am; the plan is to start at the benarth hide and finishing up at the cafe for a cup of tea before departing for South Stack.

Checking the hides and open areas proved uneventful, I had a brief sighting of a Blackcap but didn’t manage a photograph however a Sedge Warbler was more obliging.

A Spotted Flycatcher was reported but I failed to see it, after a chat with the wardens and a cup of tea in the cafe I set off to South Stack a bit disappointed.

Info on the Reserve

Situated on the banks of the Conwy estuary, with magnificent views of Snowdonia and Conwy Castle, this reserve is delightful at any time of year.

Conwy's a great place to get close to wildlife, to spend time with family and friends, or just take time out in fantastic scenery that embraces 4,000 years of human history. There’s a network of pushchair-friendly trails with viewpoints and hides to make the most of your visit and plenty if information to explain what you're watching. Perhaps you’ll meet one of our friendly volunteer wildlife guides who can help you discover just a little bit more?

In our Visitor Centre, our warm welcome will ensure you have exactly what you need for your visit. We have events to suit everyone from keen birdwatchers to beginners or young families, whether your interest is wildlife, history, art or any number of other subjects.

We love our food at Conwy so why not visit our monthly Farmers' Market or call in at the Waterside Coffee Shop, overlooking the lagoon, and enjoy a drink, a snack or light lunch using delicious local produce. We have a well-stocked shop, too, with good advice on everything from feeding birds to new binoculars.

We welcome group visits, but please book these with us in advance so that we can give you the best possible service. Entry rates are listed below, but we can also organise guided walks for a flat-fee of £30 for a group of up to 15 people, £50 for a group of 15 to 30 people. Please ring the reserve at least six weeks before your proposed visit to arrange a group visit.

Opening times

The shop and visitor centre is open every day (except Christmas Day) from 9.30 am-5 pm. The coffee shop is open from 10 am-4.30 pm (to 4 pm from November to March).

Entrance charges

Members free. Non-members: adults £2.50, concessions £1.50, children £1. Family ticket £5.

If you are new to birdwatching...

Why not join a guided walk with our volunteers every Saturday at 11 am? They will help you spot and identify the birds. You can hire a pair of binoculars from us (£3 a visit). Just ask at reception.

Information for families

From our Visitor Centre, you can collect one of our Bingo cards, encouraging you all to take a closer look at the reserve. Bingo cards change according to season and are available in Welsh or English. Bring it back and children receive a goody bag. There's a self-guided Discovery Trail, and all the tracks are pushchair-friendly. The Waterside Coffee Shop has a popular toybox to occupy little hands while you're enjoying a cuppa.

Information for dog owners

Sorry, we don't allow dogs, except registered assistance dogs, because there are breeding birds and, in winter, roosting birds on the reserve. There’s a popular dog walk along the estuary, running north from the reserve.

When I arrived at South Stack I was greeted with banks of fog covering the site and light rain (Great).

I headed for the cafe for another cup of tea, and think about my options, stay, Cemlyn or home

I decided to stay and hope the weather would improve sufficiently enough to be able to get some shots of Stonechat, Raven and chough.

By the time I had finished my cup of tea the fog had lifted, it stopped raining and the sun came out. I set off to find the Stonechats thinking how lucky I was with the weather turning in my favour.

 Stonechat

Raven

Chough

 With all three species photographed it was off to Cemlyn Bay to try and get some better shots of the Terns.

When I arrived at the noisy Tern colony it was 5.00pm equipped with a 500f4 lens, not what you need to photograph birds in flight.

With it being late in the season most of the birds had already gone, the rest would be gone in days.

Armed with my unsuitable lens I set off down the shingle beech to see what I could photograph. Using the tripod was not practical so I had to handhold the lens.

With the light being poor my shots were no better than my last visit here, I took a few shot and left for home.