Gronant Dunes NE and Connah’s Quay NR 23rd May 2026

A Barn swallow perched on the wire near the entrance to Gronant Dunes NR.

Flag iris next to Prestatyn Gutter.

Coots on Prestatyn Gutter.

A Pyramidal orchid next to the path through the dunes.

Looking towards the Little tern Hide.

Looking past the Little tern hide towards Point of Ayr Light House.

The Little tern colony nesting site, protected by electrified fencing.

Looking towards Prestatyn and beyond to Yr Eryri.

Sea purslane next to the path through the dunes.

Sea holly in the dunes.

Skylarks singing in the dunes.

More Pyramidal orchids.

Even more Pyramidal orchids.

Another Common coot on Prestatyn Gutter.

A Little grebe at Connah's Quay Nature Reserve.

A Little egret at Connah's Quay Nature Reserve.

One of two Little egrets on Connah's Quay Nature Reserve Dee Hide Scrape.

Ash Pool from West Hide car park..

Black tailed godwits, Mallards and Shelduck take off from Ash Pool.

Time: 2 hours 3 minutes. Overall walking average: 1.3 m.p.h.
Temperature: 15.2 Celsius to 20.0 Celsius.
Beaufort Wind Force: Max – 2, just a Light breeze.
Group: Martyn.
The weather forecast looked too good to stay at home and sit in the garden, so I thought that it would be a good idea to visit Gronant Dunes Nature Reserve to see the Little terns.
I did see the Little terns, but the hide nearest to the nesting birds wasn’t yet open, so I will have to visit again in late June, when the hide is open.
The bonus today was seeing Swifts, the first that I have seen this year. Seeing and hearing lots of Skylarks was also a joy to behold.
Flower-wise, there were good numbers of Pyramidal orchids in flower next to the path through the dunes.
Birds seen or heard today in Lower Gronant and Gronant Dunes NR included: Common pheasant, Common blackbird, Chiffchaff, European robin, House sparrow, Black billed magpie, Blackcap, Cetti warbler, Winter wren, Mallard, Skylark, Barn swallow, Swift, Little tern, Herring gull, Lesser black back gull, Great cormorant, Black headed gull, Oystercatcher, Canada goose, Sedge warbler, Reed warbler, Woodpigeon and Mallard.
As it was on the way home, I decided to call in at the Connah’s Quay Nature Reserve. It was around low tide, so I wasn’t expecting to see much. The bunded pools were almost dry, so Little egrets were the best that they could offer.
Ash pool was a little better with more waders and wildfowl present.
Birds seen or heard in Connah’s Quay Nature Reserve included: Little egret, Shelduck, Goldfinch, Blackcap. Stonechat, Woodpigeon, Little grebe, Canada goose, Rook, Greylag, Mallard, Lesser black back gull, Black headed gull, Rook, Carrion crow, Tufted duck and Black tailed godwit. Overall, an enjoyable few hours birdwatching, before it became too warm and I need to seek the shade.