Birds, Birds and more Birds!

The trail on our path today had many of these huge thistles along the way.  It was approximately the length of my thumb!

"Mwy na noddfa i adar - mae'n noddfa i mi hefyd."  (Welsh)

or 

"More than a bird sanctuary - it's my sanctuary."

Deb and I chose to visit the Conwy Nature Reserve about an half hour walk from where we are staying.  It is a wetland habitat with many birds to see through the camera lens or just visually as you wander through.

I am checking to see if these are wild geraniums but as Deb pointed out, "What if it was poison?"

Good safety tip.  No more smelling or touching stuff.....right Trudi?

While we walked along the boardwalk, the sounds made me incredibly happy and peaceful.  The songs of birds....serene and joyful.

An interesting bird called a Lapwing.  His picture is on the Nature Reserve sign when we arrived.

Beautiful and happy....a Robin.  The best photo subject I have ever seen, as it perches for a long time and doesn't move even when I come close to it.

Horses graze along our paths through the Reserve.  

The hide where we enjoyed our packed lunch while we watched the birds through the windows.  We could see the horses liked it too when we were across the wetlands.  I would have loved to see them right outside the hide.

A dazzling white bird called a Little Egret, but if you look closer in the reeds, a Grey Heron is standing right in front of it.

A 'hide' used to watch the birds without disturbing or stressing them.  There are at least 4 of them around the wetlands.

Another picture of the easily recognized Lapwing bird with his little 'wispy crest' blowing in the wind.

While Deb and I watched the birds from the 'hide' these two Muted Swans came up onto the reeds and it appeared like they were making a nest.  After it was done, one swam away leaving the other one  safely in the reeds.  It is odd to see Swans on land and not in the water.  

This a Blackbird.  Before you spy him, you can hear his beautiful songs.  No disrespect, but it is not the bird I think is singing when I hear its lovely melodies.

These ducks act more like a goose.  The Wigeon prefers to eat grass on the fields rather than turn upside down in the water to feed.  They can be seen all over the UK when they come from their Arctic nesting grounds in October and stay until March.  A very distinct stripe on his head is how I can tell which duck it is.  Incredible colours on this bird.

Cute as a button.  The Pied Wagtail is common throughout the UK.  He was staring at me?

Beautiful blue sky wandering through the long grass.....awwww.  I love this picture.

Hard to see this little guy, but I believe he may be a House Sparrow.  With his distinctive grey cap.  Apparently the populations of House Sparrows have been declined, they are still widespread.  He appears a little worse for wear.

A Tufted Duck with a great hair do.  

The Little Egret all white with dark bill and legs and yellow feet.  It is considered a white heron.

The colourful wee lad is called a Chaffinch.  They are very sociable and can be tamed.  

A pretty wee bird hiding from the lens....but I can't see enough of his colourings to really be sure about his name.  I am calling him a 'Pretty' bird.

A view of the mountains of Snowdonia from this wee bench in the Reserve.  Peacefulness.

The Grey Heron.  Flew from its water stance with the Little Egret over to this small island and remained there for many minutes not moving.

This fellow was not shy at all.  Hanging out with all his buddies at the local 'greasy spoon' or bird feeder.  I believe he is a Dunnock bird.  It is Sparrow like but has that distinct stripe near its' eyes.  He is quite similar to a Wren or House Sparrow.

My favourite muse....the Robin.

The tide is out and these little wading birds are happily eating all the goodies on the sand.  There were hundreds of them.

Sun is set on Conwy Castle as we make our way over the bridge, along the harbour, to our Wales home away from home.

Two Shelducks making tracks all over the sea bed while the tide is out.  They almost always travel in twos.

Photo shy?

The Great Huron perched on the small island in the wetland.  Almost a misty look to the landscape on this day.  A silhouette of mountain valleys and hills.

Sun is going down and these lovely, friendly birds are incognito with no light to identify them.  They sang so cheerfully when we were leaving the Reserve.  No more paparazzi!

Two Tree Sparrows watching the sunset on the river.  I love this little picture of them.

More tracks of the Shelducks on the beach.....hopefully they do not have any predators here that can follow their tracks?

Hundreds of these Redshanks can be found on the sea bed when the tide is out.  Their legs are reddish-orange thus the name.  It helps to know how to identify this type of wader as there are many different kinds on the sea bed at the same time.

As below...many waders feeding on low tide in the glorious Conwy Harbour.

We are definitely going back to the Nature Reserve one more time before we leave Conwy....but for now.....THAT was a great day.