I mentioned in my post RSPB Conwy 18th April [https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/279854/rspb-conwy-18th-april], I was hoping to get to The Spinnies, where I managed to get my first kingiew photo, and a heron taking out an eel for lunch, [see The Spinnies, Aber Ogwen, Bangor 01 Nov 2019 https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/205969/the-spinnies-aber-ogwen-bangor-01-nov-2019 and The Spinnies, Aber Ogwen, Bangor 02 Nov 2019 https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/205970/the-spinnies-aber-ogwen-bangor-02-nov-2019] where yet another first was to be attained.....
The day started with yet another brilliant sunrise.
Sunrise [no filter]
with Star6 filter
From the hide nearest the road, the pool was very quiet and feeders were empty, so no surprises the activity was quiet, apart from moorhan and mallard, so it was off to the main hide which overlooks the pool at the other end from one side, and the Aber Ogwen estuary on the other.
There were plenty of mute swans on the mudflats, especially with low tide,
A siskin I think on the feeders?
and a lollipop
There wasn't much activity on the water, not even a kingie, but there was a little egret
Mr Chaffie
A robin was trying to get to the fat block feeder
And another first, though not a brilliant photo, a tawny owl in a nest box...
After a couple of hours, it was planned to go back to the reserve at Conwy for high tide, and lunch, and first off after lunch, a speckled wood
A greedy robin, came looking, and hoping for food, even though it had a high protein lunch in its beak....
the small ponds were alive with all sorts of insects, the only ones I managed to get a photo of were these two pond skates, that seemed to want to get off the water.
A greenfinch
These guys are a must see for me, the Carneddau Ponies, though these two seemed to be very friendly, frolicking around....
A buff tailed bumblebee
.
Sweet violet
the underrated and often overlooked daisey
A peacock butterfly
and to end the days visit, a grey heron
And to end the day, a Conwy sunset with Star6 filter
no filter
The remainder are without any filters
That's the end of my fabulous Easter week in North Wales.....
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
Lot to learn
(Pardon the Scottish Accent)
Zo Clark said:Those photos are really good. You were lucky to be able to get a photo of a Tawny Owl they can be hard to get photos of cause there well camouflaged .
Thank you.
Yes I was very lucky to get the photo of the tawny owl. I'd seen the nestbox which had a dark hole and nothing obvious, it was when someone in the hide commented and shown me his photo, which clearly had the eyes in view as well, that I went back to try my luck, which was just the top of the head.
gaynorsl said:You made the most of the lovely weather with your photos Mike, well done for getting to the Spinnies that early, nice to see the birds by the pool. I really must get over there again one day.
Thank you Gaynor.
We were very lucky with the weather, and also the roads as well, including the stretch of major workings from Abergwyngregyn, which go past the Tal-y-bont junction.
It's a nice little reserve, and came from your recommendation, so it was good to see it again. However, the cushions have been removed from the hide nearest the road, but that's a minor thing.
Linda257 said:Glad you and Mrs PR had a fab time Mike and thanks for sharing your holiday pics with us....Like you I would happily sit and watch the ponies for hours...;-)
We certainly had a good week there. The tawny owl was a tip off from another visitor, who managed to get a better photo, where you could see the eyes through the hole. I decided to give it a try, and got just the top of the head....
But I'm not jealous, much......
PimperneBloke said:Looks like you rounded off a lovely week in splendid fashion Mike, and thanks for sharing your holiday :o)
Thank you PB, it was a brilliant week, considering it was Easter week, we never saw the crowds, and the first since March 2020.....
The Star 6 filter, basically requires light, preferably a bright light to have the desired impact. Apart from the sun, a classic is ripples on the water/waves which catch the sunlight, and it enhances the effect.
You can get them as a 4 point or 8 point as well, depending on your preferences. When I first started using a star filter, everyone was using 4 or 8 stars, so to be different, I opted for a 6.
They're around £30 for a screw on named brand filter, depending on the diameter of the camera lens, which can be as small as 40mm to as big as 82mm. Your lens should have the thread dia size on it, if not, then a quick search on the web would soon tell you.
As for smoking a leek, never tried it!
In an earlier posting about my visit to Penrhos Country Park, I have since been doing some digging as to the scale of the proposed development plan(s), which are very extensive, and would totally obliterate the country park.
The links below will give an insight in to the scale of the development.
Penrhos leisure Village Plan
https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/EN010007/EN010007-002183-Chapter%201%20-%20Introduction.pdf
Save Penrhos
https://www.penrhosholyisland.com/
I guess from my perspective, seeing how much land is being devoured by HS2, and the associated domestic and commercial developments around it, not necessarily attached, it saddens me that with all this talk about looking after the environment, in reality, the opposite is actually happening, and around my home, land is being devoured fast then at any time in my whole life!