Week in Wales Pt the Final

 Day 7 Friday 12th of May 

With a decent weather forecast for a change we decided to stay local and look for Wood Warblers and Dippers, little did I know this would result in a major mountaineering escapade, the word precipice is involved!!!😱 It started easily enough at the parking space for the Glasdir Copper mines, we followed the suitable for Wheelchair path along, lots of singing Willow Warblers and Blackcaps, we may have innocently frolicked by a river, no Dippers, we were looking down at the copper mines from above, I thought I heard a Wood Warbler in the far distance, spurred on we climbed to the next level, where a Wood Warbler was singing strongly!! We spent the next half n hour trying to winkle the bugger out! The problem was there was a 20 yards screen of conifers, before the trees where the bird was singing, Margie thought she saw it moving about but I had no views at all, still at least we heard it,which to be honest in the case of most Warblers is the main thing! At this point we saw a sign directing us up towards the Precipice Walk😱😰 (imagine dramatic music at this point!) It was then that Margie said, "we should go up there" yes the same Margie that has two inhalers for asthma!!!!! My "are you mental" comment was ignored and Margie headed on up!!! (more dramatic music here please) 

River where we frolicked before the Precipice Walk (pic by Margie)

This was actually steeper than it looks!! And it looks kin steep right!😱 (pic by Margie)

Common Buzzard, likely thinking he was in for an easy meal when I collapsed from attempting the Precipice Walk

You may have noticed a lack of bird pics up to this point , this is due to A) the walk being surrounded by Birch Scrub and Woodland and although we could hear plenty of birds, Song Thrushes, Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks etc we struggled to see em, and B) it's hard to focus the camera when you're bent over double gasping for breath and trying not to fall of the path!! Annoyingly Margie was fine!!😊

However we made it to the top, Hurrah! Got to say it was well worth it fantastic views all round! Margie's pics below!

A Beetle Margie found!

Me being intrepid on the Precipice Walk (more dramatic music)

The views really were incredible! Few birds around as well, lot's of singing Willow Warblers, we saw loads throughout the day and plenty of singing Meadow Pipits as well! Margie also found some Lizards having a sunbathe, pretty sure despite the considerable size difference they are all Common Lizard, but happy to be corrected.

Meadow Pipit

Willow Warbler

Meadow Pipit

Common Lizard

Big un and Little un!

We wandered about the peaks for a while, venturing both ways along the path, soaking up the views and the sunshine, before heading back down through the trees to the car park.

Finally got a pic of one of the numerous Song Thrushes

Loads of Bluebells and other woodland flowers about, we timed it about right on that front

me trying to get arty with the water and failing miserably

We could have been Killed!!

Margie showing the density of the forest

Some lovely Lichens and Moss type stuff about

Love these rivers! Though we saw Grey Wagtail in this area, still no Dippers!

We drove slowly around the area, getting fairly lost to be honest. With the windows down we managed to hear another 4 Wood Warblers though unsurprisingly failing to see em! We eventually came out on to a main road about 4 miles from where I thought we were, we relocated and once again touring the smaller lanes, stopping when we could, usually at a likely looking river. On one such occasion we had great views of a pair of Grey Wagtails and a cracking male Redstart was singing in a tree.

Pied Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Common Redstart, what a stunner, was singing for a good 10 minutes, could have done with him being a bit lower down!

Margie does like a tree!

and a River

and a tree in a river!!

Still no Dipper, so although we were flagging a bit we headed to Tyn-y-groes, car park, I've had Dipper in the river here before, last throw of the dice! Bingo, cracking views!!!

Dipper showing lovely

Posing on one leg, this was the stillest I've ever seen a Dipper, think it might have been asleep at this point!

It's another beautiful river

There were a lot of these in the rivers, slack water.

Margie getting arty with the trees!

With that success we headed into Dolgellau for lunch at Y Sospan, very nice Ham Egg n chips. I bravely resisted the Hunny Bun temptation at the Popty'r Dref, sad times now I'm Gluten Free😢! We then headed for a nostalgia trip to Fairbourne. My Dad, Brother and I used to go there regularly back in the day on our regular holidays at  Nain & Taid's house in Dolgellau ! Was still pretty bleak to be honest and I remembered how cold the sea used to be!!!😂 Not much about,Wheatear at the end of the small Railway line, Meadow Pipits and a pair of Stonechats all of which avoided the camera.

The bridge to Barmouth

We head back along the Mountain Road from Arthog back to Dolgellau via the Cregennan Lakes, I forgot how small and windy this road is, I also forgot how many gates there were along it which a knackered Margie wasn't best pleased about having to get out and open😏😂! The view at the lakes was good again though!

One of the lakes!

Day 8 Saturday 13th of May

The journey home was fairly easy, didn't see much, couple of Red Kites down the M40, couldn't even get a Parakeet over the M25! 

End of better than expected visit, considering the weather forecast,  only thing we failed on were the Black Grouse and I would have liked better views of Red Grouse and any view of the Wood Warblers, but can't complain, though I often do!! Highlights, the Pied Flycatchers, the Red Kite frenzy and the lovely singing Redstart, the Dipper and the Great Orme Goats!! The scenery was also fantastic as always as was the company💗!!!!!!