Oystercatchers

A common sight around the Welsh coast

Chough

Our "target" bird having never seen them before - most days we observed them flying over, we usually heard them before seeing them - they have a very distinctive call. We had this flock pass us over the sea and then on the last day found a few more in a field hanging out with jackdaws.

Woodpecker and Stonechat

Whilst walking along the coastal path above New Quay we were watching Stonechats along the fence above the cliff when we were surprised to see 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers join the chats along the barbed wire fence. They werent too confiding so these are distant shots.

Welsh Raptors

We saw Peregrine and Buzzard most days whilst in Wales.

Curlew

Lots of these around today, including 3 together on a grass verge!

Cormorant

I got a very good view of this bird, they are usually at a distance so I was happy when this one came close by!

Water Rail

A really elusive species, more often heard than seen but I was lucky this week to have one show briefly enabling me to photograph it.

Bugs and Butterflies

Here are some shots from the weekend. Common Blue Butterfly, Grasshopper and a thirsty Wasp (my favourite picture of the weekend!)

Migrant Hawker

Finally got out for a few hours together over the weekend. Here are photos of quite an obliging hawker.

Arctic Terns

Stonechat

We came across a pair of these lovely birds around Lindisfarne castle, only the male was confiding enough to get these photos.

New Life

Arctic tern chicks were everywhere on Inner Farne, from newly hatched to these balls of fluff. You had to watch your step as they were often on the path. The juvenile Dipper was seen on a river in Northumberland on a murky day where we also saw Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail. The Ringed Plover chick was observed on the beach near the jetty on Inner Farne

Dark Green Fritillary

A new species for us. They were in abundance on the sand dunes off the causeway leading to Holy Island (Lindisfarne). They were a difficult butterfly to photograph as they are constantly flitting about, it took an hour of patience just waiting for them to briefly land. Macro shots were impossible but we managed these shots from a distance

Sandwich Terns

Quite a nice colony of these Sandwich Terns, observed in flight and with their little families :)