It's been seven weeks since my last blog post. I was fairly ill for most of that time, but fingers crossed I am well on my way to feeling more like myself.
The last few days I've been staying with my cousins in north Wales. The sea air must have been therapeutic as today I was out and about for over five hours and my fitbit registered over 16,000 steps. It looks like I'm well and truly back to being the old me.
My timing wasn't too good though, the tide had gone right out and the birds were distant. I also neglected to wear my walking boots so wasn't able to walk along the beach, but there was plenty to see from the prom.
At least seven Little Egrets could be seen today with three standing together with a Grey Heron on the waters edge. The others were a bit nearer and I managed a few photos....
There were also very good numbers of Ringed Plovers, but again they were quite distant. In between one set of breakwaters I counted 14 individual birds. Below were the only two birds that I could capture within my lens range....
The one bird that I can guarantee I will see on every visit to Rhyl are the Turnstones......
....and as I haven't published one of my 'bird bum shots' for a very long time here is one of an obliging Turnstone.....
I heard the Pied Wagtails long before I saw them and counted 11 birds between Splash Point and Prestatyn Sand Dunes flitting between the golf course and the sea wall.....
and I had one satisfying short glimpse of a stunning Grey Wagtail......
I spent 30 minutes watching an enterprising Carrion Crow continually drop something on to the hard surface of the prom, swoop down to pick it up then repeat the pattern all over again. Eventually the 'something' broke and the bird took it to the steps where it prised open a shell and managed to eat what was inside.....
Looking at my photo, I think the 'something' was a mussel.
The corvid family are highly intelligent and it was wonderful to watch this bird use a 'tool', ie the hard surface of the prom floor, to help him break open the mussel.
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As always my visit to Rhyl is too short and I will be going back home tomorrow, though I might fit in another couple of hours before my train leaves and I'm already planning my next visit.
And as always I thoroughly love seeing my cousins and their families......
I was incredibly proud to stand next to my cousin David at the Cenotaph in Rhyl Memorial Gardens on Sunday morning for Remembrance Day, with him sporting his two medals.
Another high-light was seeing David's son Jack, my Godson, ride his bike for the first time with no stabilisers and a bunch of confidence......
Thank you David, Joe, Aimee, Jack, Dave, Karen, Paula and Sharlotte for as ever making me feel so welcome. Love you all xxx See you soon.
Hi Wendy, so glad to hear that you're feeling more like yourself. I've sure missed reading your blog! Welcome back! Best of luck with the birding and my very best wishes. Frank N x
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