Thursday, 29 September 2011

Hen harrier

Before I met some guests at Ynys-hir this morning I had a short walk and was rewarded with a brief sighting of a female Hen harrier near the "cross-roads."
We went to the Breakwater Hide, arriving just after Russell left and saw many but not all of the birds he mentions below. On our way back to the car park we stopped at Ynys Eidiol hide where we were fascinated to see a Grass Snake swim towards us in the lake below. It's only the second time I've ever witnessed a Grass Snake swimming, but blow me down, a minute later we saw another one do the same. AND, after leaving the hide, a short way along the track we happened upon another handsome specimen.
In the afternoon we visited New Quay where amongst other delights we saw 1 Peregrine, 2 Chough, 4 or 5 Stonechats, 2 Seals and 3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins.