Snowdonia National Park, now officially known as Eryri, has a rich diversity of habitats including mountains and hills, rocky crags, upland bog, ancient forests, coastal dunes, and river valleys making it a paradise for bird watchers.
Managed by the RSPB, Coed Garth Gell in the Mawddach Valley is small nature reserve that is home to a good variety of woodland birds. In spring look out for lesser-spotted woodpeckers and hawfinches, while nightjars can be heard ‘churriing’ on still summer evenings.
Nearby Arthog Bog, also managed by the RSPB, is a wetland reserve that’s crammed full of wildlife. Bird species that can be found at the reserve include cuckoos, siskins, and reed buntings.
Another extensive woodland area is Coedydd Maentwrog National Nature Reserve, the remains of a vast Celtic rainforest that once extended down the west of Britain and Ireland. With plenty of walking trails, it’s a beautiful space to spend the day searching for redstarts, pied flycatchers, and wood warblers hiding amongst the oaks.
To the north of the park is Cors Bodgynydd reserve, home to numerous birds of prey including red kites, peregrine falcons, and buzzards. There are plenty of mammals to look out for too; badgers, otters, and foxes all call the reserve home.
Head to Morfa Harlech by the coast to visit one of the few sand dune systems in Wales, which supports a range of rare wildflowers, and where ringed plovers come to nest in the late spring. Skylarks and stonechats also breed on the reserve, while wading birds such as redshanks, oystercatchers, and dunlins come to feed at the shoreline.
If you want to hone your bird watching skills, Rhyd Y Creuau Field Centre set in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park offers a variety of one day and residential natural history courses.
