About Me

Llantwit Major, Wales, United Kingdom
I am mother, librarian, avid reader, sf fan, writer (unpubished), singer(amateur), animal lover, needlewoman.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Bird reserve

 Yesterday we went to the RSPB wetlands reserve the other side of Newport.  It was created out of the lagoons where the power station used to put the waste ash, and is reed beds and coastal.  When they built the barrage in Cardiff they permanently flooded an area of wetlands - Site of Special Scientific Interest - so they have developed the Newport site instead.  It has a very good visitors centre and a very helpful chap helped me look at binoculars, and I bought a good monocular. 

This goldfinch was one of many on the feeders near the cafe - nice coffee too.
 We didn't see many birds I could get photos of.  We did see a whitethroat in the distance - or so someone told us when we were trying to work out what it was.  We also saw a reed warbler.  This is a juvenile moorhen.  There were lots of other helpful people who has set up big scopes for people to look through, and the local Ornithological society were doing a quiz.  We did on of identifying birds, and by a process of elimination we did pretty well.

This is the finished wind break.  The awning is attached with carabiners so I can take it down anytime, and it makes the deck under it surprisingly dry.   It  is also really warm and not windy under it, so I am really pleased with it.  Of course as soon as we finished it the rain started and has barely stopped.  We actually took the awning down on Saturday, but put it up again yesterday and did sit out a little bit.

I am on holiday at the moment,  but as the weather in not very conducive to walks and other outdoor activities, I decided to tackle some jobs around the house.  Today I painted the bathroom, and by the time I finished it the sun had come out!  So I had an hour or so with a cup of tea and a book in the garden which was both unexpected and very pleasant.  Tomorrow I am tackling some serious reorganising in the tips under the stairs and in the office. 

Looking at the weather forcast it is just as well! 

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