RSPB Conwy 19 Sept; a long overdue visit!

What a year 2020 has been, with an update in "Post Furlough Return To Work....", with no sign of any let up from Covid19!

This is the second visit of 2020 to the reserve at Conwy (the last was Feb 29th: RSPB Conwy 29 Feb 2020), and the way things are looking, possibly the last before 2021.

The day was as always, an early start for a three hour drive, and a planned September detour to see Tu Hwnt i'r Bont, a pretty former 15th century courthouse now a tearoom, I've yet to visit, but always looks spectacular at this time of year as the foliage around it turns to a brilliant red.

It was a little difficult to get a properly aligned photo, trying to maintain social distancing while other photographers were there, but it was nice to see, and Pont Fawr, the bridge (Pont is Welsh for bridge). always looks splendid.

From there, it was on to the reserve, only recently reopened after a long time closed. I say closed, they'd actually opened the reserve up, but without the facilities, which I require after a three hour drive.

After catching up with many of the volunteers and staff who I'd not seen for months, it was a late wander around the reserve, which as you'd expect, the hides were still closed for Covid19 reasons.

I want to say here, the staff and volunteers have done a brilliant job at enabling Covid19 restrictions making the reserve as safe as possible for all to visit, and I take my hat off to them all, it has been a real pleasure to see the old faces again, even with the sad news that one gent, a disabled chap who I know, had a stroke just before lockdown and from what I understand, there had been complications, so I hope all goes well and I manage to meet up with him sometime at the reserve, or Burton Mere, where I think he also visits, in the future.

Not to be perturbed, I always enjoy a wander away from the hides, keeping to the paths, and using the viewing screens around the Deep Lagoon, which can and do yield some good views, though this time, they didn't. What was strange, there were no robins or blackbirds along the paths leading to and around the hides!

To be fair, I didn't hang around, the paths were quiet from a public perspective, so I wanted to make the best of the quietness and get out into the open areas enabling social distancing. But even in the past on a quick walk along those paths, there is usually some bird life!

The wildlife was just out of range of the big lens, so many photos are heavily cropped, and a greater number were ditched because the sun was at the wrong angle.

However, one thing I wanted to see, was this years Carneddau Foals, which by now, had grown somewhat, but there was one fairly new addition, the sixth this year.

This little one arrived was part of the routine Carneddau pony exchanges, where they swap them around to avoid inbreeding, and mum was pregnant upon arrival to the reserve.

More Carneddau ponies

I just love this one, taken from Foel Fras screen, you can take a horse (Carneddau pony) to water....

The only area I managed to get any decent photos from was the Foel Fras screen, (named after a nearby hill). It was also wide enough for me to settle at and allowed others to view from while not affecting social distancing.

There were plenty of curlew, aided by the fact the tide hadn't long reached high tide on my arrival

Widgeon, this one was having a splash, and I never expected to get a decent photo....

There were plenty of red shanks, and the light was just right to get photos of them taking flight, however, there were too many obstructions, so record shots often included the viewing screen edges, branches and other items.

Touching water!

There was also great white egret, again too far away to get a decent photo. I also took the new camcorder, it worked well on the tripod, but again the wildlife was too far away. However, the tripod came in handy for this one photo of the great white....

And the final capture of the day, a red admiral taking a breather and basking in the sun on a rock alongside the Afon Conwy.

It was an eerily strange day for me, no fault of the reserve staff or volunteers, they were their usual friendly and welcoming selves, it was great to see them again and catch up on the gossip.

Many of the visitors were people who probably wouldn't have dreamt of visiting if it wasn't for Covid19, so there was a new learning experience for many, not something I could easily share because of social distancing.

What was frustrating, and no fault of the reserve, was folk walking off path to meet the ponies, which moved away, and probably had a knock on effect to the wildlife around the reserve.

Perhaps I'm being a bit too sensitive.

One thing I did miss, was my visit to enjoy the local haddock, chips and mushy peas....