Up High and at the Seaside.

I had to go up to Cheshire this last week to see my mum and take her to the hospital. I had planned a trip to Anglesey with my brother fishing.

On route up to Chester I stopped off at the Hills surrounding Church Stretton, Chris G and I had been up there a couple of years ago to look for Dotterel with no luck. This trip of mine was merely speculative. I only had my bag of smaller lenses with me. I whacked the 300 onto my 1D and drove up to the Glider club at the top of the hill.

Meadow Pipit were everywhere, I managed a couple of half decent shots.

I spent a little time trying to get near to a Skylark, but whenever I did the light wasn't quite right. These were the best two shots.

The birds were having to share the skies with other modes of transport, I doubt I'd have the testicular fortitude to do this.

The star of the show was a female Wheatear which was very obliging.

A lovely little diversion on route to my mothers. I indulged myself and made another at Christleton Pit, I've posted pics from there before. Its a village pond which usually has something to photograph on it.

This Black Headed Gull was looking quite nice.

I also got up close and personal with a Mallard.

The trip to Anglesey with my brother didn't bring us the fish we'd hoped for. I got two trout though. At about 3pm we decided to pack up and go to South Stack RSPB reserve. I'd had a fix of coast when I went to Cornwall to see Andy C and his lovely wife, but I was well up for another fix. I still only had my 300 with me but as we turned off the A55 I had it on my knee. I said to my brother to keep his eyes open as we were driving to South Stack, The fields leading up to the site often have Chough in them and although the weather wasnt brilliant I was hopeful. Our luck held out, about half a mile or so from the site we came across this bird in a field. He was a little way off the road so these are cropped shots but given the conditions I'm happy with them.

After a cup of Chocolate at the cafe and a chat to two of the lovely staff we set off to walk down to the cliffs, My brother suffers with vertigo so he wouldn't come too far, but he had his fuji camera with him and whilst I was snapping a Jackdaw and Herring gull at one part of the carpark I could see him snapping at what looked like a Wagtail on the fence at the top of the steps leading down to the cliffs.

I walked over to join him and we walked towards the steps, as we got to within 10 yards or so the "wagtail" still hadn't flown off, which was no surprise as it was a solid cut out in metal. He was so embarrassed bless him, but his eyesight is not brilliant. In all fairness it did look real from across the car park.

At the top of the cliffs I got a distant shot of this Stonechat.

and this shot of a Linnet.

I've never had the opportunity to photgraph the lighthouse so I got a quickie.

The last shot from this site is a Raven that was hiding along the cliff face. The sun was partially behind him but I'm happy enough.

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We then took a drive to Trearddur Bay, its a lovely little spot. I was hoping for a few beach comber birds whilst my bro wanted to get a panoramic of the bay. We were both happy, me because there were a pair of Oystercatchers running along the tide edge.

This is the last picture of the post. It was a very enjoyable trip up north all round.