Research & Planning

Saturday 15th June 2013

I had to take my mother-in-law back to Abersoch on the 15th of June but managed to slip out in the afternoon to a North Wales Wildlife Trust site I had located whilst researching North Wales orchids. It's called Caeau Tan y Bwlch, near Clynnog Fawr just off the A499 at SH 431488. Actually owned by Plantlife but looked after jointly by the National Trust and NWWT.

As I left the tiny car park a willow warbler was calling excitedly telling the other birds the year's first visitor had arrived. It felt like I was. Rather distant: I had the macro lens on!

Willow Warbler Took some finding along very narrow lanes but it was worth it. Chimney Sweeper moths, common spotted orchids not yet in flower and then I found my first ever Greater Butterfly orchid: also not in flower quite...

Greater Butterfly Orchid Soon I found a group of plants. One spike was nearly open.

Greater Butterfly Orchid Then a spike that was almost fully open further down the slope.Greater Butterfly Orchid Greater Butterfly Orchid Close up of the 'butterfly'.

Greater Butterfly Orchid The view north overlooks Dinas Dinlle, the airport for Caernarfon and across the water to Anglesey in the background.

View from Caeau Tan-y-Bwlch NWWT Caeau Tan-y-Bwlch NWWT

Sunday 16th June 2013

So on Sunday I was to head back to York calling at a few more planned sites. My first call was at Conwy RSPB to see if anything was about. Apparently along the estuary path and circular walk there were bee and marsh orchids to be seen. So I decided to do the long circular walk. I saw a lot of bright black-tailed godwits. Eventually I was thrilled to spot a bee orchid.

Bee Orchid Bee Orchid This small plant was similar sized to the ones I've seen at Wharram and Bishop Middleham. Red valerian centranthus ruber showed its variability beautifully along the estuary embankment.

Centranthus ruber Later I found more bee orchids - really tall plants. The tallest by some way that I had ever seen. I lay down beside them, elbows as a tripod!

Bee Orchid Bee Orchid A rather ragged common blue gave me a lovely sharp image.Common Blue Walking inland from the estuary I came across a small marsh orchid.

In fact there were dozens of them. Richly coloured, lush specimens.

Marsh Orchid A baby rabbit lingered nearby apparently unafraid.

Rabbit

Back aboard Tiggy I headed for Maes Hirradug SJ 061794, another NWWT reserve known for orchids including butterfly orchids. I didn't find the latter but I soon found lots of common spotted orchids and a common blue butterfly.

Common Blue Then I was delighted to find common twayblade. Lots of them.

Twayblade Twayblade Twayblade On a few of these flowers on this ultra close-up you can just see why they are said to be like little men.

Twayblade Twayblade means 'two blade' as the flower spikes arise from between two strong leathery leaves. I tried to show them amongst the thick vegetation where they were growing.

Twayblade Onwards and, well, downwards actually, to the seaside at Gronant near Prestatyn. [One of my late father's jokes: 'Prestatyn. No, not that one. Press the other one.' We holidayed there 58 years ago!] The little tern colony is best accessed from  near Presthaven caravan park. To avoid a very long walk from east of the railway line I asked the man on the caravan complex gate if there was any chance of parking nearby. He directed me to a place inside the complex. This saved me about 2.5 miles walk. Three cheers for Presthaven!

I wasn't expecting orchids but I found hundreds of marsh orchids everywhere.

Marsh Orchid Marsh Orchid The camera struggles to capture the depth and richness of the colour.

Marsh Orchid House martins were all around me fetching mud from a flash among the dunes.

House Martin Sea holly eryngium maritimum formed impressive clumps. Not in flower the leaves make for an almost sculptural effect.

Sea Holly Yellow-rattle [rhinanthus minor] grew there too.

Yellow Rattle Skylarks were singing one minute, carrying food the next. [Or the other way round!]

Skylark Skylark

The trek across the dunes was intended to get me close to the little tern colony. Over the next rise and - I didn't believe it - another dune system. This must be one of those places where the coastline is growing. Eventually I heard them distantly.

Little Tern Certainly I had never seen little terns in this number before.

Little Tern I walked along the sand staying well out from the colony itself which is fenced and guarded 24/7. It looks like a concentration camp. Beacon Ponds is nothing like this place!!

Little Tern One went right over my head. Fast fliers: it's really difficult to swing a 400mm lens around, get a focus lock and take a picture!

Little Tern Little Tern Here's a sequence from that visit.

Little Tern Little Tern Little Tern Little Tern Little Tern Little Tern Little Tern The concentration camp!

Little Tern Little Tern

Keep out!!

Monday 17th June: York Birds of Prey, Huby

My wife was keen to go to see the new centre that had just opened as this was where the owls had come from to visit her on her birthday.

Here are some photos from that visit. It provides a wonderful opportunity to get up close to birds you would otherwise only see from afar.

Great grey owl

Peregrine

Barn owl

Golden eagle

Harris hawk

Tuesday 18th June 2013

Blacktoft for the afternoon. Lots of beardies bustling about. Spotted redshanks a bit too distant for the camera. Looking very black still.

Spotted Redshanks Photographing avocets isn't something I've always been satisfied with. I liked some of these images whilst the birds were walking amid the short reeds near the hide at Marshland.

Avocet Avocet Avocet Avocet

Black-headed gulls were squabbling, fighting even...

Black-headed Gulls Black-headed Gulls ...but when a heron needed to be chased off they acted as a group.

Black-headed Gulls/Heron Friday 21st June 2013

I wanted to get out but the weather was against me. Perhaps I misunderstood the forecast but I headed for Bridlington only to be forced to turn back by thick fog/mist along the coast. Tophill Low was better but still drizzly. The camera stayed in the car as I walked to Watton NR in the hope of catching turtle doves on the wires. I failed but did see two little gulls, an LRP and lots of orchids including common spotted and marsh orchid. I was especially pleased to find quite a few bee orchids too.

As for birds, it seems the summer quiet spell has arrived quite early even with a later spring and there is very little about. But the Micawber in me tells me something's bound to turn up soon!