Angelsey day 3

Day 3 was a warm and sunny, but sadly rather windy day, and so I decided to go with my family to Plas Newydd, National Trust. I was dissapointed to learn that there was no pond on the site according to the map, though the site was next to the Menni Strait, so there way be a few costal birds. However, a quick look round the garden and I found the sites small pond, a small concrete affair.

  There was a small dead azure damselfly on the pond, but that was pretty much the only sign of life. However, after a quick look, I spotted a small black line moving along the surface of the water, similar to a pond skater. I tried to take some photos but it moved rather quick for a small insect and then made itself very difficult to photograph by hiding. I knew by then though it was a water measurer, which was the first time I have ever seen one.



-Water Measurer

I walked on to the bird hide, which was a walk along the seafront. Sadly I diddnt see anything really, which was dissapointing becuase the site had so much potential. When I got the bird hide I was dissapointed to find out that it was an open fronted affair with a view out to see, with no feeders or anything to help attract birds. However, out on the water there was a couple of cormorants

---It is now 2014, and reading through some posts one afternoon I have encountered this post. I have no idea what 17 year old me was thinking but this is quite clearly a pair of shags. This is the third time I have found cormorant labelled only for it to be a Shag. Its a pity I did not notice this at the time, as its a species I do not see very often. Had I noticed I would have no doubt taken more photos but sadly this is all I have---

-Cormorants Shags

However, some birds did appear, when a flack of long-tailed tits moved through the small clearing  in front of the bird hide. They were difficult to photograph, but I managed a few quick photos.

-Long Tailed TitWalking back round, away from the seafront and round the back of the garden I stumbled upon a less altered bit of the garden, where there were sections of grass covered with orchids, all common spotted. One of the orchids even had a six-spot burnet moth on it, it looked rather lovely

-Common Spotted Orchids

-Six-Spot Burnet moth on Common Spotted OrchidIt was in that section that all the wildlife seemed to be, as there were quite a few butterflies besides the burnet moths. The first butterfly I stopped to look at was a ringlet, though there were plenty of gatekeepers and meadow browns

-Ringletbut it was not only butterflies that were around, for despite the lack of water I managed to find a ouple of very territorial common darters defending a log, which they had both decided to perch on. I was quite surprised to say the least, as the local pool was completely dried up.

-Common DarterBut to add to the list of brown butterflies that could be found at the site, I spotted a speckled wood resting in a patch of sunlight, which allowed me to take some photos of it.

-Speckled Wood
After lunch we decided to go to the beach at newborough warren becuase the weather was still decent and as a big part of any holiday is spending time at the beach. Whilst swimming in the sea I diddnt see many birds, but there were some oystercatchers flying overhead, that were being horrendously blown off course in the wind.
  There were quite a few more interesting flowers though, as in one corner of the car park I spotted some pyramidal orchids, I only recognised them because I had seen them before on the isle of wight, but after a quick cross reference with my previous photos I decided that these probably were too. There were plenty of common spotted orchids too, as well as some sea holly.

-Pyramidal Orchid

-Common Spotted Orchid

-Sea Holly

So, not an overly thrilling day except for the botanical aspect, but overall a good day nevertheless.