Morfe Dinlle, Malltraeth Marshes, Valley Wetlands and South Stack Nature Reserves - 27 and 28th of March.
Friday
27th March.
Breakfast
early with a lady. Angela who was on her way back from Swansea to
Liverpool. She talked about a school in The Gambia that she supports
with her husband, wullingkamma nursery.
After
breakfast it was out into the sunshine and a long day spent cycling
to the next almost inaccessible RSPB reserve west of Caernarvon,
Morfe Dinlle.
The
road taken went past the entrance to Portmerion. No time to visit
this time, the focus on this year's Biking Birder is birds. “This
birder gloriously vindicates the rights of the birder to bird and the
assembly rises to you, Sir!" To quote The Prisoner . . almost.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tra3Zi5ZWa0
Through Porthmadoc and up yet another long, steep section, I eventually found a superb old railway line, now a cycle track. This took me down to where a turn off took me through a few small lanes down to the edge of the reserve. Not many birds to see over the saltmarsh area, I took a footpath along the eastern edge to get a better view. The best birds I suppose were a few little egrets but it looked good for breeding lapwing, if they can keep the aerial predators away.
Next I went around the bay to a hide overlooking it to have some lunch.
Why
do some idiots vandalise hides? Sad individuals with sad little
lives, this hide had had part of its information boards smashed.
Quickly
through Caernarvon, no time for a castle visit and along the cycle
path to the Britannia Bridge over the Menai Straits. Not sure if I
was really allowed to cycle on the road, an older gentleman on an old
sit up and beg bike suddenly went past me as I photographed the view.
To
Llanfairpwyl . . . . . . . well you know the rest and can say it
in perfect Welsh can't you? Have a look at the photo or click on the
youtube link and try it out.
Catchy
little tune. I'll be singing it later on the bike. Watch out for the
last few notes. Deep breath required.
Cream
tea with sarnies, scone with jam and cream, another cup cake and a
coffee for a fiver. Great.
Next
I cycled along the A5 until reaching the cycle path that went along
the large dyke bisecting the large RSPB reserve at Malltraeth
Marshes. More little egrets, a few ducks, water rail and a cettis was
my birding reward for a long day cycling.
Saturday
28th Marsh
A
night in the tent again with strong wind and heavy rain to keep me
inside for a while in the morning, the rain faded and I packed up in
a north westerly gale and started the cycle to the next RSPB reserve.
The going was a lot tougher than yesterday with the wind in my face
or from my side for most of the day. It took some time to get to
Valley Wetlands and any birds had the good sense to hunker down and
stay out of the gale.
Onwards,
I went past a hotel a few miles before and thinking it would be daft
to carry on the struggle against the wind with a fully laden bike I
called in.
To
South Stack with a lighter bike, I didn't quite fly there but it was
a lot easier. As I pushed the empty bike up the steep raod towards
South Stack I saw an injured chough in a field with a few jackdaws.
It had an injured right leg and was hobbling around the field probing
for leatherjackets I presume.
The
sun had come out too and after meeting people at the visitor's centre
and after having seen a couple more chough at the bird feeder outside
the cafe window, I went down to the Elgin Tower and met Dave, the
RSPB greeter. He was a smashing bloke and a keen birder. He said he'd
been told I would be arriving soon by a young girl named Mary a few
days before. Thanks Mary!
Seawatching
from the comfort of an armchair, and after seeing a close male
peregrine through an RSPB telescope, I soon found a couple more year
ticks to add to the chough. They were a few razorbills sitting on the
sea and 7 passing manx shearwaters, 6 heading south and one who
wanted to be different heading north. Good on him. Year list now on
168.
Back
at the visitor'scentre the RSPB staff allowed me a photograph of
them. It's always wonderful to meet people who such enthusiasts for
nature.
With
the wind behind me, it was a quick ride down to the breakwater and
there 3 black guillemots were reasonably close. Bird number 169.
Now
there are a few RSPB reserves that I can;t get to and therefore I
have to be happy if I can see them from any vantage point. These are
the remote islands such as Grassholm off Pembrokeshire seen a few
weeks back. Today I could only see The Skerries RSPB reserve from
over the waves from the breakwater and the day finished with a 4 RSPB
reserve day.
Also
a 4
year tick day, Spring will soon make that become after an almost
becalmed March. Bring it on.
Now
please have a look at my Facebook page -
https://www.facebook.com/bikingbirder2015
Also
if you could please make a small donation to any of the charities
that I am supporting then please click on the links to the right. I
know I put this onto the end of every blog posting but I really get a
boost from every donation. The RSPB, The WWT, Asthma UK and
Chaskawasi-Manu. I would be so grateful if you could make a donation
however small. Thanks.
All
the very best everyone. Love to you all xx
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