Happy Chrimbo

Golden plover St Davids

Just some of a large flock Golden Plover using a field nearly opposite to Ocean Haze, St David's.  1,2 thousand or more at times - not all there all the time

St David's Lifeboat

St David's Lifeboat Garside was on Exercises today - Lovely site as she 'sped' down the slip

Mid Wales

Some memories of warmer weather - Bank Vole - Pied Fly (M+F) and Redstart (M) 

Such is life

Photo shows a Herring gull still with an alive 'shouting' for its life Guillemot chic whilst in a dog fight for the prize with a Raven, great Skua, and, Great BBGull

Today was ...

a great day for Bottle nosed dolphins on board

Anna Lloyd sailing from Newquay. 

Bottle nosed dolphins ...........

Bottle nosed dolphins a plenty on a trip with Steve Hartley on Anna Lloyd sailing from Newquay - 48 different animals photographed for their catalogue - leaping, fighting, playing, fishing ...  flat calm see, blue sky, massive numbers of sea birds  and, a lovely people with us as well.

As well as Dolphins .............

As well as Dolphins on our boat trip from Newquay to Mwnt  yesterday we saw many hundreds of feeding sea birds - very large numbers of Manx shearwaters, Guillemots, Gannets also Sooty Shearwater, Med Gulls, kittiwake, Common Scoter, Sandwich terns etc - as well as some Grey Seals and Pups - great experience

Pembrokeshire Bird Group Conference

This  years  Pembrokeshire Bird Conference is on SUNDAY November 30th at The Picton Centre, Haverfordwest.  For full details please look at the Pembrokeshire  Bird group blog site.  

http://www.pembrokeshirebirdgroup.blogspot.co.uk/

Out of the blue and into the blue

Out of the Blue, a trip, into the blue with Martin and Liz, Thousand Islands from St David's

Grassholm and its Gannets were looking busy today - lots of diving and feeding groups, youngsters leaving the island - Four species of Gull (HerGull, LBBgull, GBBgull)  and  approx 200 Kittiwakes with some Juveniles.  Unusually a group of about ten Ringed Plover taking a rest. Right across St Brides bay - large numbers of sea birds feeding, Gannets, Manx Shearwaters, Gulls mainly Kittiwakes, some Shags and Guillemots also - A great Skua taking advantage of the food as well.  Good numbers of grey seals as well and on a circular route coming home Common Dolphin put in an appearance - Returning through Ramsey Sound - more Grey Seals, Raven and about 50 or so Black headed gulls with kittiwakes feeding in the tide.  Once again a lovely selection of our marine wildlife.

Bottle nosed dolphins -

doing what they do best - on board 'Anna Lloyd' in Ceredigion with Steve Hartley  

A visit to the Rheidol Valley

Just spent three wonderful days with some long standing friends of mine from the 'good old days' in Worcestershire , one who now lives in Devils Bridge the other from Worcester.  I used to fish the Rheidol with them some - err -err -  'gulp' 50 to 55 years ago for salmon and sea trout.  It seems even more beautiful than it did all those years ago - a few changes here and there, walks, bridges, Information Centre etc  - Brilliant - even I could find my way around !!  Did manage to leave the valley and visit the Dyfi Osprey Project - and have some wonderful views from the new 360 degree viewing hide of two fledged this year's birds and Daddy.  We stayed at Ffynon Cadno with John and Jill Wall - lovely accommodation, hosts and Breakfast as well near Ponterwyd.  Really is a great location to stay and visit so many wonderful places - to contact them phone 01970 890 224.

So much more to re explore - really must go back again - sorry no - will go back again

Whitesands Tonight

A loan fisherman in the setting sun at Whitesands tonight

Dancing dolphin and a mother's love

Away from Pembrokeshire today I was on a trip with Steve Hartley (Cardigan Bay Marine wildlife Centre)   Amongst the sightings today we had a Bottle nosed dolphin calf 'showing off' around the boat until it decided to go and get a 'hug' and 'a look'  from mummy.

A great trip enjoyed by everyone on board.

2 August 2014 Pembrey Race circuit

A brill day at Pembrey Race Circuit – Carmarthenshire with MCR race cars from St David’s Pembrokeshire.  Great racing and firsts and podium positions for MCR

14 0724 Dancing dolphins

A trip with Steve Hartley on Anna Lloyd was rewarded with good numbers of sightings of Bottle nosed dolphins – doing what boys to best – showing off and macho posturing – fighting for dominance !!

14 0723 Pelagic from Neyland

The first of our planned trips from Neyland organised by the Mid Pembrokeshire and Wildlife sections of the Wildlife trust of South and west Wales did not disappoint.

For my part I have never seen a Bridled guillemot at sea in Pembrokeshire waters On Ramsey Skomer and the Stacks yes)

Firstly we visited the Trust Islands of Skomer and Skokholm noting many Puffins still taking fish to the Islands but few Guillemots and Razorbills.  Further out and Grassholm looked and, was, fantastic in blue seas and skies, the only Gannet colony in Wales in full breeding, ordered, chaos!!

Offshore by the Smalls lighthouse at least 100 Common Dolphin and then to put the icing on the cake 12+ Risso’s dolphin and two calves leaving ‘mummies’ to play by the boat – wow next one 21^st August - are you on it ?

If not phone Lyndon on 01437 721859

Yesterday

Yesterday was the 'launch' of the St David's RNLI Appeal for the new Lifeboat Station.  There was press and radio coverage - shown with Coxswain David John who came in support are retired Welsh Internationals Gerald Davies (Rugby Football) and Ian Walsh (Football).  Also many of the crew were able to attend  Lyndon

What would we do without these guys

Yet again giving up more of their time on a Sunday afternoon to go and help someone in dis

tress.

Offshore this morning with thousand islands from St David's

What a lovely morning and the chance to go offshore hmmm the smell of the sea, ozone, and, for me a sea bird colony.  First stop was a look at the Bitches with high tides and on flood wonderful rolling waves and reflections.  On the way to Grassholm (and on return) flock after flock of puffins commuting between Skomer/Skokholm and some where North west of Ramsey island.  Grassholm in full swing, the only Gannet colony in Wales used by over 100,000 birds.  Then a sweep out towards the smalls Lighthouse.   We added flocks of kittiwake, various gulls, Common scoter, Fulmar petrel, Guillemot, Razorbill, Grey seal and Porpoise + more to our sightings.  

15July14 - An evening in Cardigan

A beautiful evening boat trip from Cardigan with Bay 2 remember was also rewarded with some lovely encounters with Bottle nosed dolphins. Thanks to Tony and Chris for great trip

VSCC Pembrey 29June 2014

What a great day at Pembrey with the VSCC (Vintage Sports Car Club) not only were we treated to Vintage + Pre war +post war Sports Cars and racing cars but bringing us up to date were two rounds of the Welsh Sports Car and Saloon Car 2014 Championship

Ramsey Sound

Photo of a Mediterranean Gull taken in Ramsey Sound a few days ago.

At last ....

At last reunited with my Blog - three recent pictures below of a brilliant day on Ramsey and of two trips to Grassholm with Thousand Islands Wildlife Expeditions

A trip to Aberystwyth

The submerged fforest and peat layers at Borth should be visited, very impressive. Sanderling earning a living amongst them, a ‘long billed’ Great tit at Ynys-Hir. Also Sand martins there. The Starling roost at Aberystwyth was a must – all finished off by a helicopter rescue from Constitution Hill

Southerness and RSPB Merseside

Although we did not see any Barnacle geese at WWT Caerlavorock we did see massive numbers in the fields behind Southerness lighthouse and at RSPB Merseside. Also at the RSPB reserve lovely sights of Yellow hammer and Tree sparrow.

WWT Caerlaverock Dumphries

This has to be one of the nicest WWT reserves. No birds in pens – everything that visits does so because it wants to. Lots of Whoopers, flocks of waders, Blac tailed godwts, Redshank, Curlew + spotreds and, Yellow hammers. Unfortunately it rained ‘big time’ whilst we were there. An unusual visitor was a Green winged teal

Lancashire and Cumbria

Lancashire and Cumbria A trip to fields near Cockerham was well worth to see (long distance) a huge heard of swans – c 220 Whooper, 40 Bewicks, 100+ Mute and a Black swan. Not many places where a spectacle such as this can be seen. Next to Pilling marsh where we saw 1000’s of Pink footed geese. An old haunt of mine with my father from 50+ years ago – memories and the sound of ‘pink pink pink’ Finally Heysham Power station and a new reserve where we saw Wigeon, Teal Shelduck, Waders, gulls and in particular two little gull all against the setting sun on a particularly peaceful evening

Gulls at Newgale

There have been a number of unusual Gulls so far this year at Newgale. Still present is this Nelsons Gull (sometimes known as a Viking gull) eg Hybrid Herring gull x Glaucous gull. Cross breeding sometimes occurs in Iceland and Greenland