Marine life and time to move!!!

Well its been a month or two since last posting but there has been a good reason for it as I have been searching for my perfect home closer to the coast. I've started my search near wild coastal locations for doer uppers or something that needs a little bit of work. From the edge of Anglesey to the edge of Wales/Cheshire. Ive been working extra hours and prepping things for the day when I do finally make the move so when I find my dream place I can keep my orignal job and get things going for my future move.

While on Anglesey Wild camping last week we had some amazing locations to sleep at plus our wild camping kit/clothing is so refined now its quite a pleasant expirience sometimes I wish I could do it for a few months at a time.

Newborough at 6.30am on a late summers morning

I did some research on when the Rissos Dolphins show up in the area and previous years its been late August to end of September and we just missed them after sleeping one night off the coastal path with the previous afternoon and next morning we got some lovely encounters which you can see below including Porpoises with calfs, Seals and the odd Gannet.

 

Mother and calf

Seals coming close to the rocks where we waited for the marine life to breach

We did 5 nights camping 2 at one place, 2 at another and one at a new site but I won't reveal any of there locations as it took me a long time to find these spots where we can camp without being disturbed or disturbing anyone else so proper stealth camping.

Leave footprints take memories

When I got back from my trip I went up to Shining tor in the Peak District it has wonderful views and I felt so far from home even though it was about 2 hours walk from the bus station where I caught the bus to Macclesfield. I hope to do more Tors(Large hills) in the area over the Winter months. 

I saw my first CHESHIRE Wheatear in the area and heard from somewhere there are Choughs ringed on Anglesey have been in the Peak district area of Derbyshire so that would have been a alovely thing to hear.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the start of Autumn

Regards

Mike

The summer is over well my holidays are for now-July Holiday 5 nights/days wild

Well, I thought this time would not come so fast but as I have just had my last and fourth week of this year's Spring/Summer Wild camping holiday season. Our wild camping trip began with our heavy looking bags on our bus trip which began with rain and a bus diversion. We started on Saturday at Cowny with a walk to see if there were any Oystercatchers nesting on the cliffs but no luck so had some sunbathing while waiting for night to come so we could go to our secret wild camping location.

As soon as I walk over the bridge I forget everything and start to become to the person I have to bury away in normal working life as I feel so free and stress-free knowing I'm in the elements getting stronger and healthier as I adapt to being outdoors. My DD tarp kept the rain and wind off and plus made us more stealthy and hidden plus my mesh tent and golf umbrella kept the bugs away although when packing up each morning and leaving no trace I'd find a few earwigs trying to hitch a ride in my bag.

We set off early the next morning after the best nights sleep I have had wild anyway. We set off to our next location to visit which was Newborough as the sun was blazing and our journey was long.We ended up getting to our next rest location on the straits and at about 7am I made a cup of tea on my spirit stove. While waiting the tide went out to reveal some wonderful things nearby there was a large rocky area and under every rock, there was so much to see elvers (Young eel) and fish were left in small pools alongside there Crabby friends.

Large sandbanks prompted me to go explore them but while paddling through we found lots of Sand eels shoals which brought in the Terns to feed probably with young at a place I have wanted to visit for a while. 

We spotted lots of small Lobsters and shrimps combing the sandy floor for food. The special thing we found was Hermit crabs probably heading into battle for a new home and some really had the odds against them so what we thought we would do is collect any Hermit crab shells pushed away by the higher tides out of the crabs reach and return them back to the strait where the crabs will use them. I think we found about 14 shells in good condition with no holes or damage to them. We left to get breakfast and head to the forest for some shade then relaxation on the dunes at Newborough so we had plenty of sunbathing where we saw three hooded crows but as the beach was packed with sun lovers I thought best to leave and hopefully may see later in the week which we did near Amlwch.

 The sunset was gorgeous and I fell asleep just after and we woke up too late to catch a bus so we slept on the edge of the forest ready to get up early the next day but we slept in and had breakfast at Anglesey model village - http://www.angleseymodelvillage.co.uk/ which was very tasty and close to the forest plus the service was wonderful. Earlier in the week on our first day, I spotted a Kingfisher along the straits and a blonde tailed Red Squirrel and after 5 minutes of being up, it was quite wonderful and reminded me why I love Wild camping in a respectful way. I also spotted a pair of Common Sandpipers and as I have a new Tamron lens which I prefer compared to the more expensive lenses. One flew away but one remained to leave me with a quick chance while hidden behind a wooden post down on the side of the straits. I loved the green vegetation in the background as was a nice photograph to start the week.

After leaving Newborough we returned to our original camping area with plans to go to Amlwch and walk from there to go caemes bay then onto Cemlyn bay to photograph the Terns there. There were plenty of Artic and Sandwich Terns feeding their chicks speedingly flying back and forth with food ranging from small fish to insects. We only had a couple of hours there so we stayed on the ridge and never went past the stone building which we found out had Little Owls in residence but at least we know for later in the year or next summer.

 Beautiful colors as the adults landed on the hill to preen

Calling for food as the chick sees its parents coming in

Not sure what its brought in?

Wings like Angels

Preening on the beach and a well earned rest

Returning to fishing

Laying low as Black-backed headed gulls patrolled the edges of the colony

Returning with food

Adult and chick resting together

It was lovely arriving and seeing the adult's meters away landing on the posts of the colonies boundary fence.

There is a small Fulmar colony near Almwch and its one of the best places I have ever seen with some quality views of the noisy pairs nesting but I did not see any eggs or chicks but I'm sure they will be there sometime soon.

 After leaving the Terns and having a rest on our walk back to Cemelyn bay and going onto the coastal path towards Almwch we decided to sleep just off the coastal path as the weather given was a clear night. We refreshed in some sea pools refresh by the tide before heading onto some stunning beaches and cliffs. We stopped with a view of Middlemouse an unpopulated rock covered in nesting birds Razorbills, Guillemots and recently this year a small colony of Gannets were reported by some kayaker but I have no seen any photographs hopefully I wish to rent a boat to take us past there to get some cool views of a brand new colony on this stretch of coastline.

We slept well again and even heard calls of Manx shearwaters under the moonlit sky we which was a nice to hear when my sleep was disturbed sliding down the hills in the night. The next day we decided to do some sea watching and get some rest and nourishment while the high tide came in and brought in some Porpoises and Gannets 50m offshore.

Over the whole week from Saturday Lunchtime to Thursday evening, we walked about miles and I even had the energy to do 20 miles around the peak district the following day to the Three Shires head where I found a few pairs of Dippers and saw a female Redstart plus some beautiful views.

I have some local projects including exploring nonnavigational rivers in my kayak and camera trapping some locations. Hopefully, some weekend trips away to enjoy the last couple of months of summer before the cooler evenings commence.

Thanks for visiting and enjoy the rest of summer

Regards

Mike

Spring on the coast

As I was in Wales at this time last year it was interesting to compare my sightings and to see if Spring had begun on the coast. This time last year the Cormorants and Kittiwakes were collecting nesting material for there cliff edge nests. This year the cliffs are pretty bare especially for the numbers of Razorbills, Guillemots plus there were a few Winter birds still around such as Grebes which I only usually see on the coast over the winter.

The weather was very mixed with hot sunny days, and cold, wet and windy ones but I don't think it was the weather holding back the nesting season. Another noticeable change from last year was the lack of vegetation growing from nettles and ferns to the Bluebells that grow on the Little Orme. It seems Spring is very different this year and returning to months where Spring belongs.

A Fox sunbathes above a busy road and I could watch this from my bedroom at the cottage we rented

Lots of Lambs were bounding around the fields

There were plenty of Ants active under the pieces of corrugated Iron on the Great Orme

While on the Great Orme I tested a few new wildlife watching products including a Timelapse camera

 Lichen growing on the Hawthorn trees shows how fresh the air is there

The most interesting thing I photographed was a pair of Fulmars mating on there cliff nest above the Marine drive. They mated a couple of times before having a loving round of squawking and beak tapping. It was great seeing something I've never witnessed before as usually they have laid or there eggs have already hatched so we were very lucky to see them mating.

Thanks for reading my blog

Stay wild, be happy and be safe

Mike

Urban Fulmars well kind of...

While visiting the little orme on my April Trip I happened to notice the increase in Fulmars nesting compared to last year especially on the cliffs above the housing areas. It allowed for some great photo opportunities and as the nests were in good places as well it was perfect especially for following the nesting season as the pairs lay and hatch there eggs.

At 30 pairs compared to last years 15 nest is quite a positive find and probably 4X that on the Great Orme and as there has been more wind turbines added to the offshore wind farm(More info about the wind farm)on the Irish sea just off the North Wales coast.

Just to show how close Fulmars nest to the area of Penrhyn bay and the houses below there not quite Urban but considering these birds on come to our coast to nest and rest from the harshest storms. Its quite cool seeing them so close to an area of housing and what a great place to live with having them on your doorstep.

Regards

Mike
Two more panoramas - One was taken at Llandudno west shore breakwater and the other is at the Gun turrets closer to the sea 
bird cliffs on the Great Orme and it was taken at Sunset.