Sea view with added excitement

Quite rough out there, but these Wigeon? (am I right) are in the river sheltering

closer in

Rock Pipit maybe

Should have cropped the rope out probably

but just wanted to show you

First for me,  I had heard there was one around about a week ago so made my way down today and it didn't take too much finding - they sort of stand out don't they

Now I have seen the snow bunting on the Forum with a number of friends, but this is on it's own unless the Pipit was keeping an eye on it.

Wandering around feeding on the green seaweed quite happily, nice area for it to have found, plenty of shore to search along

I won't bore you with more, I took a few but sitting on a low wall started to get cold so headed for he car - very happy.

  • I really am (nicely) quite envious of where you live, the sightings and reserves would keep me occupied for ages, and no doubt Mrs PR a neglected wife!

    Those are fabulous photos Gaynor and thanks for posting.

  • Cheers Mike, it isn't bad around here is it!! and improving daily with sightings of a Woodcock up on the local reserve on a night camera apparently, I walked around there last Sat with Grandson, all we saw was fox poo on the pathways!!
  • gaynorsl said:
    Cheers Mike, it isn't bad around here is it!! and improving daily with sightings of a Woodcock up on the local reserve on a night camera apparently, I walked around there last Sat with Grandson, all we saw was fox poo on the pathways!!

    It certainly is good there. If it wasn't for work, and health care (something I'm heavily dependant on post-accident), I'd move there tomorrow.

    I'm going to miss my viewing of the Puffins this year, because our work holidays have been moved around. We've an Easter week factory shutdown rather than the Spring Week.

    Regarding the fox poo, not something that you can make interesting to anyone, but owl pellets, you can, which I did with my son, and some time later, with the scouts I was leading.

    I had the luxury once while out on a hike with my scouts (for my sins, I was coerced into leading a scout troop, or it would have closed), with many of them coming from poor or broken homes, they hadn't been outside of the urban environment, I'd spotted an owl pellet on the ground, and took the time to dissect it and show the scouts the bones within the fur.

    Once they'd got past the eeeee-yuk comments, they became quite fascinated.

    Incidentally, one of those scouts, the last I heard a couple of years ago, he was going to Plas-y-Brenin to start his Mountain Leader training. He was good with map and compass, even learning the finer skills like pacing (the art of knowing how many steps you take for a 100 mtrs and working out the distance covered, without the aid of electronic devices) by 14 and getting good results for his Explorer Unit in orienteering competitions, so I could imagine he'd have done well. Unfortunately, his family moved away, so the feedback from our local outdoor emporium, where as a student he worked part time, has dried up.

  • Owl pellets are amazing to dissect, all those tiny bones etc., there are owls up on the reserve but only soaked pellets on the walkway which was sinking in many areas!! Nearly found myself roped in for the work party, but the ukulele saved me being on the same day!!!! Not that I wouldn't mind helping you understand, it is just my knees and hips would protest:-)
  • gaynorsl said:
    Owl pellets are amazing to dissect, all those tiny bones etc., there are owls up on the reserve but only soaked pellets on the walkway which was sinking in many areas!! Nearly found myself roped in for the work party, but the ukulele saved me being on the same day!!!! Not that I wouldn't mind helping you understand, it is just my knees and hips would protest:-)

    I certainly do understand fully when it comes to helping out.

    My problem is, I can fall down, but not get up, which might sound strange.

    Because of the extensive soft tissue surgery, and the grafting of muscle to my lower leg, the grafted muscle with not being native to the leg, doesn't quite sit tidily on the shin bone, so any attempt to get up means putting pressure on the muscle, which if you squeeze your biceps, it will hurt, well, that's the same with my leg, and the added pain where the tibia, (shin bone) also gets compressed as a result also endures a lot of pain!

    Less of my aches and pains, owl pellets, yes they are fascinating, not only an insight in to what the owl(s) have been eating, but also what rodents are living around the area, some which may not be seen!

    Nature is so fascinating, and educational.

  • Ouch, ooh, sorry to hear of your troubles Mikes, just getting out will be hard for you i'm sure, but I know you do so good on you. You will have to get over to The Spinnies again where at least you can sit fairly comfortably in the hides and in the Springtime should get a few good photos.
  • gaynorsl said:
    Ouch, ooh, sorry to hear of your troubles Mikes, just getting out will be hard for you i'm sure, but I know you do so good on you. You will have to get over to The Spinnies again where at least you can sit fairly comfortably in the hides and in the Springtime should get a few good photos.

    Onwards and forwards, is the saying, and I'll definitely be back to the Spinnies on day, and Conwy. I also want to spend a little time at the reserve by Llanfairfechan, but that will probably have to be timed for low tide.

    Sadly, I'll not be up this spring, we're off to Scotland all being well, so the next vacation will probably be summer.