Mike's Natural Musings: Llanfendigaid, Day 2.

Monday 26 May 2014

Llanfendigaid, Day 2.

Although today turned into a fabulous day of weather, it began inauspiciously, so when I woke at 5.00 for an early morning visit to the estuary,and it was dull and drizzly, I rolled over and enjoyed another hour's sleep. Later, though, after an early breakfast, it was very definitely brightening up so Heather and I headed off down to the beach. A quick walk down the lane and a clamber over the railway line took us to the superb machair-like grassland next to the mouth of the Dysynni, with its attractive wet area lush with yellow flag irises in flower and a dense reed bed. The reeds held a good number of sedge warblers singing scratchily, but lustily, along with good numbers of reed buntings. The grassland, cropped to a fine lawn by sheep held wheateears, meadow pipit, pied wagtail and oystercatchers. On the beach were herring and black-backed gulls, curlew, godwit and a male eider. Making regular fly pasts were pairs of gooseanders. While I pottered about birding and photographing, Heather enjoyed the tiime drawing. It is so beautiful and peaceful down there I could stay for ever.
Eventually it was time to drag ourselves back to the house where late breakfasts and coffee were still the order of the day. Gradually people wandered off to fill their day: the young ones either heading to Aberdovey or Barmouth beaches with their children and the young roadies out for a long ride on the bikes. The female wrinklies went into Twyn and the remainder of the party cilled in the sun. I decided to head up to the headland to photograph the rabbits. At first the scampered back to the burrows, but when I settled down quietly with my back to a tree, they eventually ventured out to feed once more, allowing for some pleasing photography. I then went to try for the pied wagtails in the farm yard and was amazed to find a superb pair of redstarts carrying food, presumably to a nest somewhare close by. I made no attempt to locate it and contented myself photographing them on a picturesquely rusted gate as they approached. What stunning birds these are, especially the male. It is a species that I never have the opportunity to photograph at home, as they are birds of the west of the country.
It was soon time for a mass exodus to the beack for the traditional beach BBQ. In days gone by our children were irrepressibly excited by this activity and now they, in their turn, enjoy their children's excitement. Funny though, how the wrinklies are still in charge of the fire and catering. A wonderfuil time was had by all though, and the evening ended with a fabulous sunset, which silhouetted the Lleyn Peninsular on the horizon, making it appear to float of the calm sea.

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