Snowdon and Conway

In one week's time I will be taking part in the International Snowdon Mountain Race, a fell race that runs to the top Wales' highest mountain via the Llanberis path. Although I have competed in this race twice before I am not a pure fell runner and definitely need to train on the route, so last week I drove to beautiful Snowdonia and ran slowly to the summit.

View from the summit looking towards Llanberis (iPhone photo)

 

Despite it being a warm July morning there were not a lot of people on the mountain, which at times can be as busy as the proverbial Piccadilly Circus. The summit was shrouded in cloud so I had to pause for a few minutes to take a photograph, that's my excuse anyway! The run down was a breeze, and I was soon enjoying my picnic lunch overlooking the calm waters of Llyn Padarn.

I had a number of options planned for the afternoon, if I had been very warm I had planned a wild swim in the plunge pools on the Watkin Path, but the skies had become overcast and the temperature had plummeted from the mid-week record breaking highs. Likewise, looking for Silver-studded Blues on the Great Orme or Keeled Skimmers near Betws-y-coed were both dismissed due to the lack of sunshine. So I headed for Conway RSPB reserve which is often a good place for seeing Stoats.

By the time that I was pulling into the reserve carpark the wind had strengthened and rain was beginning to fall; not ideal conditions for watching wildlife. Undeterred, I strolled down the estuary path carefully watching for any signs of Stoat activity. The tide was in and there were plenty of waders roosting on the main reserve. From the hides I could see flocks of Oystercatchers and Redshanks waiting patiently for the tide to turn. A few Little Egrets were feeding on the pools; I remember when this bird was a real rarity. I travelled to Fford Bay near Caernarfon, not that far from Conway, in 1987 to see my first ever Little Egret, how times have changed.

I was not successful in my search for Stoats but an afternoon watching the birds was more than enough consolation.

 

Oystercatchers heading to the estuary

Shelduck (note the rain splashes on the lake)

Oystercatcher acquiring its white winter throat collar

 

 

And just to prove there are Stoats at this site, here are two photos that I took two years ago.

 

 

 

 

Spotted Redshank and Other Waders.

On a recent visit to Leighton Moss RSPB I had hoped to photograph some Avocets that had returned to the Eric Morecombe pools. Unfortunately, they were feeding on a very distant pool and were only just visible through my telescope. But, as always, there is always something of interest to photograph, and when that other something is one of my favourite waders, a Spotted Redshank, I am more than happy. This elegant winter-plumaged bird fed at times in the company of a Common Redshank, so it was also a good opportunity to study the differences between the two species.
It was a blustery day, and most of the other birds were sheltering from the wind, but Curlew, Oystercatcher and Little Egret all came into photographable range.
Another bonus was the presence of a small group of European White-fronted Geese in a field near the level-crossing. These were probably feeding up on the first leg of their migration back to their breeding grounds. I finished the day off on the main reserve where a unusual pair of Great-crested Grebes were showing interest in one another; unusual because one of the pair was still in winter-plumage. I had hoped they might indulge in their beautiful mating ritual, the famous "weed dance", but maybe they were not quite ready for that.
Also the resident pair of Great Black-backed Gulls that nest on the island opposite the Public Hide were displaying to one another. Although at one point one of the birds almost landed on a lapwing that was also asleep on the island!

Spotted Redshank (left) and Common Redshank

 

European White-fronted Geese

Black-headed Gull

 

Norfolk

It's been a while since my last post so I've got a lot of catching up to do. At the beginning of June I spent a few days on the North Norfolk coast based at Salthouse. Norfolk is the premier mainland county for birdwatching, but as with recent months the weather was not conducive to birdwatching or photography. Nevertheless I managed to see or hear 94 species of bird and 8 species of mammal; not bad considering the rain (it was the Silver Jubilee weekend for those of you that braved the weather in the early part of June).
Unusually for Norfolk at that time of year rare birds were thin on the ground, the only rarity of note during my stay was an elusive Black-winged Stilt at Cley. Even the Nightjars on Salthouse Heath failed to show on 3 different nights. But I did manage a view of a Cetti's Warbler, a bird definitely more often heard than seen. The one day that the sun shone I drove to Strumpshaw Fen but no Swallowtails or Norfolk Hawkers were on the wing.
I'm sure my next trip to Norfolk will be more productive; it's a fabulous county even in the rain!

This Red-legged Partridge was in the car-park at Cley.

The rain forced this Swift to feed low

over the lake at Holkham Hall.

The rain eventually did stop allowing birds such as this Barn

Owl to hunt.

A beautiful example of mimicry; this Wasp Beetle was

photographed at Strumpshaw Fen RSPB.

Summer-plumaged Sanderling at Titchwell RSPB.

Summer-plumaged Sanderling.

Avocet feeding at Titchwell RSPB.

Avocet, Titchwell.

Breeding-plumaged Little Egret at Cley,

it was being mobbed by a Lapwing.

Juvenile Robin at Titchwell waiting to be

fed by its parent.

A flock of Spoonbills at Cley. They were easier to see than the

Black-winged Stilt.

A female Broad-bodied Chaser basking in some rare sunshine.

I tempted the Jackdaws at Blickling Hall with some fruit cake.

Jackdaw at Blickling Hall.

A soggy Little Egret manages to catch some lunch at Cley.

Egrets, I've had a few.

Went down to Burton Mere Wetlands yesterday (Saturday), hoping to photograph the Great White Egret that has been around for some time now. Unfortunately, the bird was too distant even for record shots, but there were plenty of migrants around on a rainy afternoon including Swallows, House Martins, Sand Martins and a singing Willow Warbler. Managed to photograph a Little Egret in poor light, and the immature Spoonbill flew overhead a couple of times but didn't land near the hide.
One week until London Marathon. Did a run of 12.5 miles including a few miles at marathon pace.

Little Egret, wading through the reeds.

Little Egret with its dinner.