South Stack Cliffs - Stonechat - 28th May 2013

Arriving quite early at South Stack Cliffs, an obliging pair of Stonechats were feeding and protecting at least one young bird. Unfortunately, the female would not come in close. Super birds! As the crowds increased, of course, they moved away.

South Stack Cliffs - Chough - 28th May 2013.

It has been fourteen years since I visited Anglesey and fourteen years since I saw a Chough! Today was to right that wrong and several Choughs obliged me!!

South Stack Cliffs - Razorbill & Fulmar - 28th May 2013

Razorbill

Images taken from the cliff above Ellins Tower and quite distant!

Razorbill

Fulmar

North Wales - South Stack Cliffs - 28th May 2013

Razorbills on the cliffs

It is 14 years since I last visited the RSPB South Stack Cliffs! Today, the sun shone, the temperature was pleasant and the crowds were phenomenal! Unfortunately, you cannot get really close to the birds as you can at Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire, but it is still very atmospheric.

North Wales - May 26th 2013

Fantastic views from the cottage!

Staying at a very pleasant and remote cottage near the hamlet of Nebo in the hills above the Conwy valley!

A nice garden tick - one of three Wheatear!

Plenty of Ravens around

Meeting the neighbours!

A very pleasant day spent in the "honeypot" town of Betws-y-Coed amongst the sunny bank holiday weekend crowds. Just the way I like it - not! However, it was still possible to do some birding!

Dipper

Goosander

North Wales May 26th 2013 - Symphony takes a plunge!

Symphony has had a number of firsts over the last couple of days - long distance travelling up to North Wales and a plunge in the river at Betws-y-Coed! The latter was thoroughly enjoyed but the former not so!

Dandelion!

Exciting! Still unable to get about, but improving (slowly) I had a go with the macro in the garden on this captive Dandelion! My life can only get better (can't it?)!

Potential Threat at Napton on the Hill

I have just learned that a potential threat to land through building could occur near the church at Napton on the Hill. This could have a disastrous effect on wildlife that frequents this idyllic and peaceful site. I append below a copy of an e-mail received and a link to the planning application.

Also, when I checked the applications, there is also an application to develop the old brick works.

We are contacting you because you are a keen bird watcher who frequently comes to Napton.

You may not be aware that an application to develop land adjacent to Church Lane has been made that many of us feel will adversely affect the amenity value of the land on the hill.

The application is for one two-bedroom bungalow, but the adjacent plots (owned exclusively by builders) are much bigger and if a precedent is set we could end up with several hundred new houses next to the church.

The application was made rather stealthily (no mention in the parish magazine) and we were lucky to spot the site planning notice before it was removed. We had just enough time to raise a petition and make representation to the district council planner dealing with the matter.

We have met a representative of the Council for the Protection of Rural England and believe that CPRE will object to the application, he suggested that the RSPB would also want to stop the application proceding.

We ask you to look at application 13/00517/FUL on the stratford website (www.stratford-dc.gov.uk) and, if you agree, to put the objections relevant to bird watchers.

Could you also suggest someone at the RSPB whom we should contact?

Thank you.


http://apps.stratford.gov.uk/eplanning/AppDetail.aspx?appkey=MJ6QYOPM03Y00

If you go down to the woods today.........!

A remark made by a dog walker a few weeks ago suggested that Symphony's colour would be complemented by a field of Bluebells! Today, Heather drove me out to Burnthurst Woods - to see if the above prophecy was true and to stop me climbing the walls during my enforced sick leave! Unable to walk a great distance, a patch of bluebells were found and the results can be seen on here. All images have been taken with the Tamron 90mm 2.8 macro lens.

A few plants!