Local Wildlife

[SteveH]

Dog walkers and parents are being warned to be on the look-out for a creature known as the “Floating Terror” on North Wales' beaches.

The potentially deadly Portuguese Man O'War has been spotted washed up on shorelines in the wake of storms Eunice and Franklin.

They are causing particular concern because examples found are small – just two inches across – and can easily be mistaken for ocean plastic.
In some cases, one sting from the creature is enough to kill both animals and humans - even if it is already dead.

People are being urged not to touch them or walk barefoot, and to keep dogs and children well away. 

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/warning-dog-walkers-parents-floating-23193132

[Hugo]

We were in Trefnant yesterday, just above the dog leg bends and saw a herd of Deer in the field.     They are usually quite shy animals and were a considerable distance away from the road so we couldn't get very good photos of them.

[Hugo]

On Wednesday we had a drive around the Ruthin and district area and the first stop was at Llyn Cae Ddol in Ruthin as Tellytubby wanted to see the Wood Duck that was pictured there the day before.   Anyway we were out of luck as the Wood Duck was nowhere to be seen.
It wasn't a wasted journey though as there were a lot of other birds there on this lovely maintained lake and park.   Loads of Mallards, some Canada Geese. Goosanders and three resident Swans

[Hugo]

Later on we went to Llyn Brenig to see the birdfeeders by the cafe and there were dozens of small birds there, mainly Goldfinches a few Bramblings and other small birds.    The weather was awful by this time, very windy , cold and wet so we didn't stay long outdoors and had a take away hot drink and sat in the car to have our drink and sandwiches

[Hugo]

Yesterday I met Tellytubby at the Rhyl Brickworks Pond, it's Rhyl's Local Nature Reserve and I wanted to see it again as I had been impressed with Tellytubby's photos of the birds there
We parked in the car park and Tellytubby led me on to the pathway around the large pond.  He walked just ahead of me and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a female Mallard resting on the path but she then got up a bit, laid an egg and went into the water and the egg rolled down the bank until it came to rest by a tree.
She wasn't sitting on a nest just on the path and nearby was another egg albeit cracked in half, I just didn't know what to make of it
Anyway after that surprise we continued along the path around the lake which has been vastly improved since my last visit there over 10 years ago
At the end of the lake were some Anglers fishing for Carp or the many varieties of fish in the lake.   We didn't go near them as fishing wasn't their only interest as the stench of cannabis was overpowering.
Our walk finished with a drive to the Foryd where we crossed Pont Y Ddraig and enjoyed a nice hot drink and a scone in the cafe over on the Kinmel Bay side

[Hugo]

Rhyl Brickpond

[SteveH]

Doing my usual sitting in the garden on sunny days,I have started receiving visits from a small flock of pigeons (7), alongside the usual blackbirds etc, they look very fit and healthy, no ID rings, we shall see if it continues.........

[Hugo]

Nice looking Pigeons Steve, I bet ME would be proud to have them.    My neighbour feeds dozens of them every day but they wait on my roof so they know when they are going to be fed.    Only trouble with that is that they poop on my TV sensor so it's no wonder the picture on the TV was poor

On a different thread I take my dog for his daily walk on the Bryn Cadno reserve and always try and avoid the stagnant pool there.  Not today though, it was so hot that he ran into the pond before I could stop him and he looked  like one of the dogs in the first photo
He's still drying out after having had a bath a bit earlier on

[SteveH]

Butter would'nt melt.............

[Hugo]

I was in Rhyl yesterday so I took Mrs H to the Brickfield nature reserve as it's many years since she last went there.     Most of the birds congregate near the entrance to the reserve so we didn't have to go far before we saw the birds.
The weather was bad so we didn't go around the reserve bur we'll do it again some time.
One thing Mrs H remarked on was the size of the feet of the Coot in relation to their small body.   They do look massive.

[Hugo]

The other day there was a big hole in our lawn and I wasn't sure who the culprit was, whether it was our dog Teddy or the Badger but I'm starting to think that it was the Badger after what happened here this morning.
I've got two peanut feeders in the garden, one which is a Squirrel proof one and the other is just an ordinary wire one.  The Squirrel proof one is working well but I also keep the other one topped up so that larger birds and even the Squiirel can eat the peanuts.
This morning I was going to top up the feeder and found out that the Badger had climbed up the tree and damaged the feeder,  The photo shows just what the feeder looked like after a tussle with the Badger

[SteveH]

A quartet of seal pups have been released back into the wild at Penrhyn Bay Beach.

The grey seal pups, who were found on the North Wales coastline by the RSPCA during the winter, had become separated from their mothers during stormy weather.

The seals were all aged under one month old, and were found disorientated and in poor health, with each of them severely underweight.

All four seals were named after board and arcade games, with two males (Cluedo and Frogger) and two females (Monopoly and Risk).

cont / photos https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/20069317.quartet-seal-pups-released-back-wild-penrhyn-bay/

[SteveH]

A grey seal that was rescued during Storm Eleanor and rehabilitated has been spotted four years later.

Tolgus was among five baby seals found severely exhausted and separated from their mothers on a beach in Cornwall in 2018.

He has now been seen near Llandudno and appears to be thriving.

"Receiving news that our seal pups like Tolgus are doing well in the wild so many years later is fantastic," wildlife expert Lee Stewart said.

Mr Stewart is manager at Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Cheshire, where Tolgus was taken after his rescue in January 2018 by British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61110981

[Hugo]

Tellytubby was in Llangollen recently and was lucky enough to see a beautiful Mandarin Duck while he was there

[SteveH]

THE LLYN Brenig osprey pair have hatched chicks - a year after their nest was destroyed by a chainsaw-wielding vandal.

This time last year, the birds of prey had laid eggs at their nest next to reservoir in Denbighshire.

There was considerable effort to get the ospreys, North Wales' only breeding pair, back to a nest at the reservoir - including enhanced security measures.

And the work has paid off - with the pair successfully hatching a clutch of eggs last week.
Sadly, one of the chicks has died - with the other two thankfully "doing ok", according to the North Wales Wildlife Trust.

Video https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/20194815.brenig-ospreys-hatch-chicks-year-nest-vandalism/