Spring has sprung.......only in the valleys!

Conwy Mountains - April 2013

Over the last week I visited the Cumbrian Fells and the North Wales uplands, and although in the lowlands spring is now starting to get a move on; at a higher altitude the landscape is still in the grip of winter.

Red Skrees - April 2013

I climbed the fells North of Ambleside last Wednesday; North up the ridge from the Kirkstone Road onto the Summit of Red Skrees, over to Little Hart Crag and Dove Crag, and South along the ridge over High Pike back to Ambleside (eventually finishing with the head torches on!). As could be expected little birdlife could be found except for the hardy Ravens which entertained us as they performed their somersaulting display flights, and Common Buzzard spiralling on thermals above the valleys, very little paserines could be found except for Siskins, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and a Dipper near Low Sweeden Bridge. But still a fantastic day in some testing conditions.

Red Skrees - April 2013

On Thursday I headed for the Conwy Mountains; this is a favourite area of mine and I seem to visit around this time each year; this year however instead of summer migrants moving over the moorland and/or the odd Ring Ouzel dropping in, a couple of feet of snow and ice still had the area in its grip. It was a fantastic sight however, and it provided me with some great walking. Many of the areas Wild Ponies were well lower down the valleys than usual for the time of year, but seemed to be copping fine with the conditions; they are a hardy animal and I always enjoy seeing them up on the fells. On lower latitudes Common Buzzards displayed and a pair could be seen in courtship display resulting in mating, higher up in the hills the best sighting was a calling pair of Chough (fairly regular here as it so close to the North Wales coast) and the ever present Ravens.

Welsh Mountain Ponies - Conwy Mountains

.

Conwy Moutains - April 2013

Conwy Mountains - April 2013

Conwy Mountains - April 2013

Conwy Mountains - April 2013