An Overview of Clwyd
The Habitats of Clwyd and its surrounds
The county of Clwyd in North Wales has recently been split into 3 smaller County Councils, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham.
A fourth County, Aberconwy and Colwyn, was formed from parts of north west Clwyd and north east Gwynedd. However, since the area formerly known as Clwyd still remains strong in
the hearts and minds of the people of North East Wales and also because any but the
most recent maps or literature would still refer to the area as Clwyd, it was decided
not to change the name of these pages to reflect a new administrative status.
Clwyd offers the birdwatcher a wide and
diverse range of habitats. Sand and shingle beaches on the North
Wales Coast between Conwy and Talacre join the tidal estuaries of the
Rivers Conwy, Clywd and the Dee. Although Conwy,Llandudno and the Great
Ormes Head are actually in the county of Gwynedd, they are included here
, firstly because they offer some interesting birdwatching and secondly
because the the River Conwy forms a more natural boundry than the county
line. The rich pasture land in the lower reaches of the Dee and Clwyd
valleys graduate slowly into upland moorland and heath. The Denbigh and Llandegla Moors
are important water catchment areas for the county and contain many natural
lakes and man made reservoirs. Much of the uplands are forrested with
conifer and pine while the rest is heather clad moorland. The county rises
gradually to the west where it joins the Snowdonian Range in
neighbouring Gwynedd and the Berwyn Mountains in the south, where Cadair
Berwyn rises over 800 metres and forms the wildest and highest part of the
county before falling to form the Powys border along the Tanat Valley.
The county is bordered on it's eastern side by the gentler hills of Shropshire,and
the Cheshire plains.
Birdwatching in and around Clwyd
Within such a vast range of habitats the opportunity exists to see a wide
range of bird species throughout the year. From Autumn to Spring the most
rewarding Birding is around the coastal estuaries. The Dee estuary is
particularly rewnowned as an internationally important stop off point and
over-wintering ground for vast numbers of waders and wildfowl. The summer
months are most rewarding for river, woodland and moorland summer breeders
as well of course for the large range of resident birds. The uplands are
home during the summer months to a good range of raptors such as Peregrine
Falcon, Merlin, Hen Harrier, Short Eared Owls and Buzzards and many of
these can be seen again during the winter on the estuaries where they prey
on the large concentrations of waders and resident and migratory finch
flocks.
The Birdwatching Venues although by no means complete, contains a number of
the most interesting Birding Venues in Clwyd and it's close surrounds.
Although the Menu's are subdivided into various forms of habitat, the reality is that
these habitats may co-exist i.e. lakes and rivers may be on upland moor or on lowland
meadow. Where habitats overlap, information on both are given in the texts.
Clicking on a particular selection will reveal information which includes
the species likely to be encountered at key times of the year,
directions on how to get there, and O.S. Map References.