Surf Scoters in North Wales

There are usually small numbers of Surf Scoters in the Winter months amongst the 1000's of Common Scoters off the North Wales Coast between Colwyn Bay and Pensarn. There have been at least two males recently and it is always worth checking for Velvets, Long tailed Duck, Scaup or even rarer species.

To be fair they are usually pretty distant as shown in my 400mm shots below. However if it is flat calm and sunny you can get a fair but distant view through a telescope of this unusually but strikingly plumaged Sea-duck.

Working from East to West it is worth checking from the shore at the following sites 

1. Abergele/Pensarn...................................................

2. Llandulas ...............................................................

3. Station Road between Llandulas and Old Colwyn

4. Porth Eirias (Colwyn Bay).....................................

I have put some maps below in case any birders who aren't familiar to the area will have a better idea where to go.