(Sunday 27th September, 2026)
Over to Denbighshire this morning to Loggerheads Country Park. There were a few drops of rain as we arrived but, luckily, the shower quickly passed. The temperature was a reasonably mild 17°C, but the sun was determined to stay away, so it was quite gloomy.
Before we entered the woods we thought we’d take a quick look from the wooden bridge opposite the visitor shop, just on the off-chance that we might spot something. We were in luck: a White-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus) was just a few metres downstream from us. Perched on a rock mid-river, the Dipper bobbed up and down in its characteristic fashion as it surveyed the fast-flowing water for food.
White-throated Dipper
As we watched, a Grey wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) flew upstream and very close over the Dipper’s head before landing on the stones nearby. I’m sure that this ‘buzzing’ was done playfully – certainly the Dipper was unperturbed and carried on searching for food as if nothing had happened. Both species of bird share the same habitats – fast-flowing water through rocky or stoney terrain – although their differing feeding habits mean that they don’t have to compete with each other for food. The Dipper feeds on caddisfly larvae and other invertebrates like freshwater shrimps, which it retrieves from underwater, whereas the Grey wagtail feeds on insects that it finds on rocks and stones or by plucking flying insects from the air. We often see both bird species along this stretch of the River Alyn.
Dipper searching underwater for food
The wagtail quickly departed downstream again so no photographs today. We did register that it was a male – the last time we saw them, there were three altogether, which we think were two adult birds and one juvenile. The juvenile has obviously fledged and will have established its own territory elsewhere along the river and it looks like the female parent has also gone. Outside of the breeding season, the Grey wagtail is quite solitary.
The Dipper, on the other hand, will stay with its mate. We can’t be sure if the bird we saw today was male or female, as both sexes are very similar, but there’s a very good chance that its partner is still around!
The clear water of the River Alyn at Loggerheads
The presence of Dippers and Grey wagtails is always a good indication of the water quality of the rivers or streams which they inhabit. If the water is of poor quality due to agricultural run-off or some other form of pollution, then the food chain on which both species’ depend will be affected, which will in turn affect the birds’ ability to feed and ultimately to breed. So, this stretch of the River Alyn is in reassuringly good condition. However, both White-throated dippers and Grey wagtails are currently on the Amber list of Birds of Conservation Concern, so we need to remain vigilant.
We carried on into the woods where we saw a pair of Robins (Erithacus rubecula) hopping on and around an old, rotting log. I suppose that we’re so used to seeing Robins in the United Kingdom that we almost take them for granted, but they’re bold, cheerful little birds that sing throughout the year and it’s always a pleasure to encounter them when we’re out and about.
Robin
Despite North Wales still being officially in drought status, there has been some recent rainfall here as confirmed by the little bursts of mushrooms at the base of trees and on decaying logs. The mushrooms in the photographs are Hypholoma fasciculare, commonly known as sulphur tuft. You can see that they are a pale creamy colour on the outer edge, then go from yellow to orange-red in the centre, creating a sort of sunburst effect. They are quite lovely, though highly poisonous, and they certainly stood out in the gloom of the woods. [Incidentally, while we’re reasonably good on birds and wildflowers, I must point out that neither of us has suddenly become an expert mycologist – we cheated by consulting an app!]
Sulphur tuft mushrooms
As we made our way back, the Dipper turned up again for a second photocall – we really were honoured today!
The important stuff
To The Mill House café (Tŷ’r Felin) for a cappuccino each, accompanied with a Caramel Biscoff (Stu) and a Vegan Cookie (Col). Scrumptious!
