Llangollen

Back to Llangollen as there's less mud to wade through than most places. Nice early morning light that faded away before we got anywhere high up. Saw some Goosanders on the canal.

Llangollen elevation

Llangollen route

Velvet Hill

Velvet Hill

Sheep snacking (there's always at least one stuck inside)

Sunbeams over Llangollen

Hollingworth Lake

A frosty walk from Hollingworth Lake. Barely a cloud in the sky so very bright.

Hollingworth Lake elevation

Hollingworth Lake route

A lot more people around than usual. Probably New Years Resolutions to get more exercise!

Woods in early morning light

Frost on the bench overlooking the reservoirs

Sheep trying to keep warm

Plenty of traffic on the M62

Gill on Windy Hill

Moel Gyw

A new walk to the unpronounceable Moel Gyw, just up the road from Moel Famau (in fact a short stretch of it goes along the same path, not that we realised at the time). It had been raining and snowing heavily and the winds were howling.

Moel Gyw elevation

Moel Gyw route

Despite forecasts to the contrary it did rain quite a lot throughout the day, so not many pictures again. Also mud everywhere, again. Winds were so fierce we couldn't even make it up the little diversion to the summit of Moel Gyw (when you can barely stand up on the path it's not a good idea to stand on an exposed hill top). Maybe next time.

Took the wrong path part way round, but it did take us up to a nice viewpoint.

Remnants of snow on the hills

Remnants of snow on the hills

Donna Nook

Time to burn off some christmas pudding. A quick jaunt around Gibraltar point turned up practically nothing (other than a Barn Owl just as we were leaving) so we took a nice diversion through the Lincolnshire Wolds and went to see if there were any Grey Seals left at Donna Nook. Luckily a few were still sleeping off the Yuletide excesses. A handful of pups still around, last one had been born about a week before.

Turbines at Gibraltar Point (making lots of electricity in the strong winds)

Male Grey Seal stretching before some more snoozing

Grey Seal youngster

Grey Seal pup

 One pup was lounging on a hillock and having a good stretch and scratch.

Grey Seal pup

Grey Seal pup

Grey Seal pup

Ferry passing more offshore wind turbines

Grey Seal pup

Grey Seal pup

Grey Seal female rushing to defend a pup from a nearby male

One too many whiskies the night before

Moel Famau

Moel Famau from Loggerheads (people already getting their Christmas Trees).

Moel Famau elevation

Moel Famau route

Extreme winds up on the tops and a lot more rain than was expected. Camera went under cover in the rucksack early on and never came out again.

Martin Mere

Up to Martin Mere, where we haven't been for a long time. Lots of changes, new hides installed, old ones removed, new paths through the reed beds.

Lapwing

Lapwing

Female Tufted Duck

Usual array of small, flitting birds at the feeders, but the Brown Rats were far more entertaining.

Brown Rat

Brown Rats

Went for a wander through the reed beds. Not much around but a few Buzzards were on posts and roofs.

Buzzard

Saw at least half a dozen Snipe on a little mound. Never seen so many at once.

Snipes galore

Black-headed Gull trailing reed

Woodpigeon snoozing

Tree Sparrow

Moel Arthur

A walk over Moel Arthur but with a twist, coming back on the eastern side off the beaten-track via Bryn-ffynnon. Still a mud bath everywhere. We're beginning to wonder if the North West is just going to dissolve.

Moel Arthur elevation

Moel Arthur route

We were going to head down to the road heading past Moel Evan but found the route completely blocked by scores of fallen trees all over the paths and tracks.

Brown bracken on the eastern slopes of Penycloddiau

Sheep on the move

Long shadows on the way Aifft

Moore Reserve

A chilly visit to Moore Reserve.

Moore reserve route

Spent hours in the first hide by Lapwing Lake waiting for Kingfishers to land nearby. A few brief glimpses and a couple of OK shots but I'm still kicking myself for missing the one that landed on the perfect rush head right by the hide, just after I said "It would be perfect if one landed on that rush but that'll never happen" or words to that effect. Maybe next time!

Kingfisher

Kingfisher

Little Grebe

Great-crested Grebe