What have you seen

Nearly ended up there ourselves today Micky but we didn't have too long to ourselves so had a walk along the other side of the Dee from Flint Castle.

Saw a couple of resting Sandwich Terns and a colony of Sand Martins building/burrowing into the sandy banks, which kept us amused.

Enjoyed the reserve, WN. Have heard egret colonies in Costa Rica & the Caribbean but never here, an awesome sound. In fact they, like the avocets have arrived here in my lifetime. I was gobsmacked by the sheer numbers though of the egrets feed on the scrapes and Dee salt marshes. They must be breeding in the UK I’d think somewhere as we see them all year round these days. Didn’t see any terns or sand martins today. Had a leucistic blackbird with a white collar around our van whilst cooking tea, off to Anglesey tomorrow.

We were lucky to spot this, and be able to take a photo if it, on a walk through the woods close to our site at Carrbridge. 

Great to spot an owl.  Sightings like this lift the spirits 

Ring Ouzel on the site we are on

Clear, sunny day on Ynys Gymi RSPB reserve saw the usual seabirds but the highlight for us were the lizards and Chough. It was very hot and the reptiles were showing well, we had hoped to see sand lizards but ours were all common. Adders were around apparently but didn’t see them unfortunately. It had been suggested we carefully lift the panels placed for them to warm up but I reckon they would be well active and didn’t fancy tormenting them. 

Have heard lots of birds on our walks. Yesterday by Ardesier Bay, Willow Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Chiffchats and Greenfinches, and there were Terns flying over the water but too far out to for me to identify, and unfortunately no Dolphins off Channory Point. Today, by the gorse lined lanes at Findockty, it has been mainly Yellowhammers, Skylarks and Wrens, with Siskins prominent is the Scots Pine trees. We also saw another Red Squirrel this morning, just as we're driving off the site at Nairn.

On a walk from the Arboretum in the Forest of Dean today We were lucky to see 3 Fallow Deer walk across the footpath just a few yards in front of us , they weren't spooked at all and even stopped to take a look at us.

We watched them slowly amble back into the woods,  lovely to watch 🙂

Today it was mostly sea birds for us, as we walked the coastal path from Portknockie. Guillemots and Razorbills, Kittiwakes and other gulls including a Great Black-backed Gull on a nest on Bow Fiddle Rock, Stock Doves and, on the water Eider Ducks, but surprisingly no Fulmers. Inland there were Skylarks, Yellowhammers and Stonechats.

Just read that Bee Eaters are coming across, hopefully they will nest in the quarry by Mundesley.  Also in Norfolk 2 x Sea Eagles and 2 x Golden Oriels.  Unfortunately I will be away from home so fingers crossed on my return