Great Orme, Llandudno - 11.9.19
It's 5.30am and dark when I wake up but needs must as I need to clear the great monopolist traffic before the motorway turns into a carpark. The rain is emptying down but try not to panic as the forecast is for some sun later in the morning.
Arriving around 9.0am Llandudno is still reasonably quiet a little different to the city I've just left behind which makes a pleasant change. I always interest in the locations I visit on my travels and I'm mighty impressed with "millionaires row" of white fronted georgian property overlooking the sea, back to the task onwards and upwards the Orme beckons.
Kasmiri Goat
On the way up the Orme trotting down the middle of the road is a goat with huge horns....yes a goat ! now I've only seen these animal as mascots at the rugby in Cardiff so out come the iPhone for some story pic's.
I've only been to this location a few times and understand these goats roam freely on the Great Orme that were originally a gift to Lord Mostyn from Queen Victoria. Originally in the ownership of the Mostyn estate in Llandudno the goats are now regarded as wild animals sometimes even venturing into the town during harsh winter weather.
I've only been to this location a few times and understand these goats roam freely on the Great Orme that were originally a gift to Lord Mostyn from Queen Victoria. Originally in the ownership of the Mostyn estate in Llandudno the goats are now regarded as wild animals sometimes even venturing into the town during harsh winter weather.
I've arrived in the Orme carpark at end of the concrete road and, you've guess it....the rain is still lashing it down, then out of the mist a local birder appears, we have a quick chat and he gives me some directions where he has just viewed the Lapland Bunting, but I'm going no where until the weather improves...more coffee...why not.
Heading in the direction given earlier it's like looking for a needle in a haystack and I suspect I've travelled a little to far so I head back, on my return and a little nearer the cliff edge I spot a familiar photo tog and head over, he points to the Lapland Bunting scuttling around the rocks but by heck is it blowing a gale on the exposed headland.
Initially I try using a bean bag I've brought along but it's to low to get a clear shot so resort to using the tripod, but it's so windy the long lens is being buffered and unstable so plan "B" I remove the gimbal I try the bean bag directly on the tripod with little better results.
We spend the next hour or so enjoying some close encounters as the birds moves up and down feeding on the seed offerings laid down by previous observers, eventually the bird looks skyward and with call takes to the air flying off further along the Great Orme and a good time to take a break and have some lunch.
Suitably refreshed and some rest bight being out of the buffeting wind we head back to the cliff edge to see if the bunting has returned, but rather than walking directly to the last location we opted to start at the beginning of cliff edge chatting as we walk, then boom....we almost fall over not one, but this time two Lapland Buntings ! We circle around to avoid shooting downwards and get the now harsh sun behind us the wind albeit not as severe earlier still strong enough to make photography challenging. A birder who had arrived earlier just after the singe bird flew off and had been waiting maybe over an hour for the bird to return see's our interest and joins us, over the next hour we get some amazingly close views of both buntings.
Now with three memory cards full of images and the wind conditions still severe It's a good time to call it a day. Given the rain and mist this morning it's turned into not so bad a day, it's just a shame the wind was so strong, but these challenges make it all the better getting images.
NB, Update.....the following day the weather was cloudy and rain with the Lapland Buntings not being seen after Thursday....glad I made the trip when I did.
Heading in the direction given earlier it's like looking for a needle in a haystack and I suspect I've travelled a little to far so I head back, on my return and a little nearer the cliff edge I spot a familiar photo tog and head over, he points to the Lapland Bunting scuttling around the rocks but by heck is it blowing a gale on the exposed headland.
Initially I try using a bean bag I've brought along but it's to low to get a clear shot so resort to using the tripod, but it's so windy the long lens is being buffered and unstable so plan "B" I remove the gimbal I try the bean bag directly on the tripod with little better results.
We spend the next hour or so enjoying some close encounters as the birds moves up and down feeding on the seed offerings laid down by previous observers, eventually the bird looks skyward and with call takes to the air flying off further along the Great Orme and a good time to take a break and have some lunch.
Suitably refreshed and some rest bight being out of the buffeting wind we head back to the cliff edge to see if the bunting has returned, but rather than walking directly to the last location we opted to start at the beginning of cliff edge chatting as we walk, then boom....we almost fall over not one, but this time two Lapland Buntings ! We circle around to avoid shooting downwards and get the now harsh sun behind us the wind albeit not as severe earlier still strong enough to make photography challenging. A birder who had arrived earlier just after the singe bird flew off and had been waiting maybe over an hour for the bird to return see's our interest and joins us, over the next hour we get some amazingly close views of both buntings.
Now with three memory cards full of images and the wind conditions still severe It's a good time to call it a day. Given the rain and mist this morning it's turned into not so bad a day, it's just a shame the wind was so strong, but these challenges make it all the better getting images.
NB, Update.....the following day the weather was cloudy and rain with the Lapland Buntings not being seen after Thursday....glad I made the trip when I did.
Lapland Bunting
The image below shows the pale individual with the other bird obscured in the background
The wind is so severe the bunting walks and feeds mouse like presumably to avoid being blown away
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