We gathered at Parkgate on The Wirral for the high tide at midday on Friday. As the tide comes in, particularly the highest tides (and this was an equinoctial high tide with a super moon!) the voles and mice on the saltmarsh swim for their lives and the predators gather for the feast (as do the birdwatchers).
Everything eats voles! There were masses of gulls and Carrion Crows, and Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Great White Egrets catching the mammals as they became more and more concentrated in the remaining areas of dry-ish land or had to swim to the next one. Three Short-eared Owls were present and gave great views. A Kestrel and a couple of Marsh Harriers as well as at least one ringtail Hen Harrier and a distant quite-close-to-adult Hen Harrier were also seen.
And there were lots of birders to chat to as well; about that recent Hen Harrier satellite-tagging paper and about the General Licence challenge of Wild Justice.
On Saturday, I was in Snowdonia, mostly, staying at Plas-y-Brenin, the Mountain Sports Centre and giving a talk there that evening. But after breakfast on Saturday morning, looking up the valley towards Snowdon (with Goosanders flying past), there was time to revisit both the ‘Lake’ and ‘Valley’ sites which I had visited while writing Inglorious.
It was a pleasant day to spend in the Welsh hills and mountains. I didn’t encounter any Hen Harriers but I heard from others that they are back in some of their regular haunts. Still, it was a lovely day and there were a few Red Grouse calling and a Merlin dashed across the road in front of us too. I don’t see Merlins very often.
The Red Grouse made me think. They were present but not in the overwhelming densities that you find them on English grouse moors – these Welsh moors, not managed for Red Grouse shooting, certainly had their Red Grouse but at rather more natural and normal levels.
It was good to be in the hills, we don’t have many in Northamptonshire, and we don’t have any coast so it was good to see the sea too. We popped down to the reserve at RSPB Conwy where we were asked whether we had come to see the phalarope to which the reply was ‘No, but if you have one .. where do we go, please?’. A few minutes later I was looking at a winter plumage Grey Phalarope swimming about and picking off insects from the water while several Chiffchaffs were singing in the background – it was clearly a spring day where summer met winter.
After walking round the reserve and seeing a few more birds, butterflies and wonderful views of both Snowdonia and Conwy Castle it was time for a late lunch.
Back at the delightful Plas-y-Brenin in the evening (I think I’ll be going back as a visitor later this spring to experience the Wood Warblers in the oakwoods as well as having another look for Hen Harriers (good rooms, good food, good bar)) I gave my talk to a delightful group of people including one gentleman who was a grouse shooter, a shooter of grouse over dogs (and who bought a copy of Inglorious), with whom I had a good and very friendly chat afterwards. Several people donated to Wild Justice and I added their contributions to the crowdfunder this morning to take it over £32,000.
It was noticeable that here in Wales, in a National Park that has tourism as a very strong part of its economy, no-one asked ‘What will we do without grouse shooting?’ as they are already in a happy post-grouse-shooting age over most of the Welsh uplands. And no-one pointed to driven grouse shooting as the means to revitalise the Welsh upland economy either.
Glad you had a well deserved good weekend Mark. Your report on the post DGS Welsh uplands is especially welcome, in the past few days there have been several individuals on social media claiming that with the virtual absence of DGS in Wales now the grouse itself along with other wildlife has disappeared too. That claim always makes you wonder how they managed before it. Good to have a true report from someone on the ground. Another point about DGS and the upland ecology, as far as I am aware the relevant estates have no formal policy or accredited scheme to support local businesses. I’ve heard complaints of supplies being brought in from the fancy London stores, for their ‘high class’ clientele which obviously does nothing for local shops. Does the MA have a scheme/plan to encourage its members to buy local? Conversely the RSPB has always been good at trying to get local suppliers for all its reserve cafes, and I stumbled across a policy document saying they try to give preferential treatment to local suppliers. As usual the RSPB gets little thanks for its efforts meanwhile the DGS estates shoot their mouths of about their value to local businesses and some actually believe it.
I tried to buy quinoa in LLanwrthwl it was hell
I am sure the wildlife of the Welsh uplands was carrying on quite nicely, pre- driven grouse AND excessive sheep numbers.
The absence of driven grouse makes much of Wales ripe for (re) wilding, as an ambitious plan already
recognises ( Summit to Sea), however I would still like to see more Red Grouse, if only to provide a
greater prey base ( and a bit of walked up shooting).
Red grouse must have been present in greater numbers, in the pre driven era, than the populations of
unmanaged areas today would suggest.
When we go away in the van, for instance to Scotland, we take a supply of groceries etc, so we can hit the ground running, thereafter stocking up locally.
We also try to eat out a few times, trying to support the local economy ( the grill at Newtonmore is my
favourite), and stock up from local butchers, breweries, and interesting food producers before we return, not forgetting of course our camp site fees.
Everybody should think like this, to support fragile rural economies.