Monthly Archives: July 2014

Seeing Red at Conwy

I guess that one of the attractions of wildlife photography is the unpredictability. I set out this morning in the hope of encountering the Stoats which have been seen at Conwy RSPB recently. I never saw one but the first creature I encountered was this pristine young Fox.

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As I reached Benarth hide the stand-out bird was a summer-plumaged Godwit with a group of Redshanks. At this point I was starting to think that the theme for the day was “red”, for obvious reasons.

IMG_0467I was kind of glad at this point that some smaller birds turned up to break the theme. For a few minutes I was buzzed by Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats as they passed along the bushes, finding breakfast as they went.IMG_0530 IMG_0605 IMG_0659 IMG_0655

Returning to the estuary path I was disappointed again by the total lack of Stoats but I bumped into Bob, a friend. We chatted for a while but then something made me turn around.  We were being watched. The theme turned back to “red” at the end! Who needs Stoats anyway?

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Mid Wales – Bigger Birds

I always get excited at the prospect of any trip to Mid-Wales but a trip especially to see birds is my idea of heaven.

Today my experience started at the Dyfi Osprey Project. The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust now have a fantastic observatory on the Dyfi offering great views over the Osprey nest. Today’s heat-haze was a big problem and the birds are still a long way off for the camera but I was very happy with the results.

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For me, a visit to Mid-Wales means a trip to Nant-yr-Arian. It’s a Forestry Commission visitor centre where every afternoon at 3pm (2pm in winter) they feed the Red Kites. The views are just stunning with over 100 Kites visible overhead.

As feeding time approaches, they start to gather on nearby hillsides.
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Even the local Buzzards try to get in on the act.
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But the big show is the Kites. I took over 1000 photos this afternoon. These are a few of my favourites.
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