Botanising on the Great Orme

Another great day on the Orme with plenty of nice flowers, butterflies and birds. Birds included the usual sea birds plus 18 choughs, while representing the butterflies were silver-studded blue and dark green fritillary.

The above plant is tall sea-lavander, a Great Orme speciality and this is the only specimen I've ever seen. Good of it to pose in front of the pier for the photo.

Another rarity, this is rock whitebeam.

The approach of winter

A ridiculously early female goldeneye was on Pennington flash this morning with about 40 tufted ducks, along with four Pochard, three males and a female. I don't normally expect goldeneye until about November!

Pochard.

The approach of autumn

Black-necked grebes have been appearing at Pennington flash this week, up to five common sandpipers have been present and 13 common terns, but no juveniles with them so far. Two Egyptian geese are on the flash, two curlew flew over today and a juvenile redshank is on the spit.

Common sandpiper.