PEMBROKESHIRE HOLIDAY 22ND TO 29TH MAY 2010

Rainer and Natalie happy as Larry in Newport

Road map for Pembrokeshire, we stayed in Newport, North Pembrokeshire

Cwm yr Eglwys - St Brynachs Church ruins since 1831 storms

St Justinians headland walk

Thurday night and off on a Puffin and Shearwater birding trip from St Justinians, we rounded Ramsey Island to see Grey Seals,Fulmars,Guillimotts, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and two Peregrine Falcons in hot pursuit of their prey, what a high attacking speed.We carried on to the Bishop Rocks to see Puffins, what a great sight, we waited till 7.15pm 2miles out to sea and yes, they were there, on their return leg along the Irish Coast and back to Wales, they certainly don't need a tom tom sat nav system, a wonderfull night had by all.

Oliver wet clothes at sea - Newport sunday morning - cool waters though

Oliver the waterboy at cottage garden tap

View from The Boat Club in Newport

Dinas Head Walk - 3.3miles walk @ 500feet altitude
 
Fish and Chip supper at award winning Somethings Cooking @ Letteston

Nice shady glade walk along the Newport Estuary

Sali relaxing in the sun - Gareth taking it easy man with a beer

Granny Evans and Anna Filitz

Catamoran moored entrance to Solva Harbour/Estuary

Dagmar and Inge on walk - Natalie and Cynth at cottage

Estuary walk - Solfach (Solva)

Oliver with his Stoke City footy top on in Nevern

Many wonderfull sunset nights from the white bridge @ Newport

St Justinians Nr St Davids with Ramsey Island RSPB Reserve

Our cottage in Newport - Booked through coastal cottages of Pembrokeshire
All enjoying the ice creams at Giannies St Davids

Caefai Bay - Near St Davids - Oliver paddling - Red Kite
St David Cathedral - St Davids the smallest City in Wales.
Lower Fishgaurd -Sea Fishing, water sports.

All transatlantic planes fly over Pembrokeshire - Destination United States of America

Strumble Head Birding Visit

Newport Sands with waterboyoo Oliver Filitz

Newport Estuary - Afon Nevern, walking, birding and the beach

What a great weather weeks holiday, with starting temperatures till Tuesday 25 degrees centigrade,with blue blue skies, though Wednesday was dry cooler but overcast. Thursday and Friday we were back to blues skies, but cooler at 13 degrees centigrade.Saturday the day we left for home was wet, very cloudy, so overaul we had a brilliant weather week, with 685miles covered during the seven days away. I have uploaded a few images above to show you the views of North Pembrokeshire.

My new bird count increased by 10 new species,Puffins, Manx Shearwaters,Tawny Owl, Guillemots, Razorbills, Ravens,Linnets,Stonechats and Fulmars this year Total of 36species were recorded. MORE TO FOLLOW XXXXX THE DUDE

GETTING READY FOR A WEEK IN PEMBROKESHIRE

The logistics for this 10 family gathering - 4 x Stafford - 4 x Hannover - 2 x Frankfurt in Pembrokeshire as been a great team effort.With the uncertainty of no flights into Manchester Airport due to the Ash Cloud from Iceland, seems to have moved away, so all flights to Manchester are a go go.

It will be our intention to shop for the first weekend in the cottage thursday night, we will take certain items for our son to take with them on Friday morning start off time 9.00am, they both have booked a B and B for Friday night, near the church in Newport.

Friday night we will travel to Manchester Airport to meet and greet the family from Germany,Natalie, Rainer, Oliver,Anna, Inge and Daggi. Rainer is hiring a car at the airport, for their use.

Saturday, we will leave @ 10.00am for Pembrokeshire from Stafford, looks like a good weather weekend and week, keep our fingers crossed.

RADFORD MEADOWS SATURDAY15TH AND SUNDAY 16TH MAY 2010

2 x Redshank - 1 x Whitethroat - 1 x Sedge Warbler - 4 x House Martins - 1 x Swift - 8 x Herons - 2 x Mistle Thrushes - 1 x Song Thrush - 3 x Goldfinches- Others Mallards, Magpies, Hedge Sparrows,Dunnock,Lapwings

ABERDOVEY DAY TRIP SATURDAY 8TH MAY 2010

Having all three of us travelled 2.25 hours from Stafford to Aberdovey, we met up with Steven Seagull in the carpark who just looked mighty wonderful.

We decided to eat our packed lunch first, before we explored Aberdovey on foot.

Firstly we decided to view the shops for my wife Cynth, there are some nice little managed shops around, looking for presents for Oliver and Anna our grand kids, who were at a wedding in Hamburg with Mummy and Daddy today.

Gareth bought some nice pictures for framing from The Gallery on http://www.galleryaberdyfi.co.uk/

We continued our walk around the headland with full wonderful views of the estuary moving inland, the weather was staying kind to us though grey light clouds with no rain. On our return walk back to the car, there were many young persons enjoying canoe lessons on the water. Seems this nice corner of wales is the ideal spot for water sports,adventure experiences, birding and walking with very nice shops and soft golden sands. Gannets out to sea,Cormorant,and yes our Steven Seagulls noted.

There is a live streaming web cam to view as well, which is located at the boat club, you can go to http://81.136.175.162/user/webcam.html.

We continued our trip to the RSPB Woodland and Estuary Reserve at YNYS-HIR, http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/y/ynys-hir/index.aspx though we could only spend a short time here. Wood warblers, spotted flycatchers could be heard, and on the feeders goldfinch,chaffinch and siskin. Met some French birders here as well on holiday.

We also passed within a short distance by car a OSPREY PROJECT CENTRE managed by the Wildlife Trust on http://www.montwt.co.uk/dyfiospreys.html.Before arriving home in Stafford, in Welshpool,we had a fish and chip supper, this was a great day out from this small coastal pocket of Wales, well done Gareth in suggesting this visit to Aberdovey.

FROM RADFORD MEADOWS TO AQUALATE MERE EVENING WALK

A lovely sunny evening, so decided to go for my normal walk session, started at home and walked the canal towards Acton Trussell going southwards,took my bins with me,had 2 red legged partridges, 1 yellowhammer, 2 goldfinches, several blue tits, great tits,walked a good 4miles, feet fealt fine.

Finished our teas, then decided to go to Aqualate Mere near Newport Shropshire,where they have a excellant hide to view from. The sun was closing down westward over the mere, but had good views of 2 hobbys darting over the water,4 mute swans,5 canada geese, lots of other water fowl but very difficult to identify, walked back to the car park, climpsing lovely bluebells at there finest colours and walked a good 1.5miles.
Called in to see my best friend Steve Woodworth, we chatted till late, arrived home at 9.30pm.

ABERDOVEY and FRANCE HERE WE COME

We are planning a trip to Aberdovey and Provence, with Gareth and Salli for May and July 2010,I will keep u all posted on the day out the welsh coast, and our trip to Provence by car, hope to do some birding as well.

PLANNING FOR PEMBROKESHIRE HOLIDAYS

Lots to plan in with a full family flying in from Hannover, for our weeks holiday is Pembrokeshire.Then we all travel in convey by car to Newport Dyfed for our walking, beach, birdwatching, fun with the grandkids,nice meals out at Letterston near St Davids. The last few years the weather have been kind to us, so hopefully this year will be the same. We will meet up with the Latimers some time.

THE DUDE LIKES

Music Likes - Jackson Browne, http://www.jacksonbrowne.com/ - John Mellencamp - John Hiatt - Shawn Colvin - Mary Chapin Carpenter - Beatles - Stones -Manfred Man - Sheryl Crowe - 60's Sound - Bit of blues - Country - and Modern -JB Live Image taken from a recent tour to the Symphony Hall Birmingham. Best UK Venue.

Interests - Playing in a band - Walking - Birdwatching - Supermarket Shopping? -Visiting our close freinds - Visiting National Trusts - Watching Youtube - Watching SCFC -Listening to Music on http://www.spotify.com/

Fave Holidays In - France - Germany - Pembrokeshire

THE DUDES FOOTBALL TEAM - STOKE CITY FC

A fan from the early 60's as a teenager, Stoke End Fan, lived in Blurton Stoke On Trent,went most home games,married then we became season ticket holders, before the two kids arrived.

Watched the great sides like Manchester United when George Best was playing, Liverpool, Aresenal 5-0 win for Stoke.

Went through the great and dark days of the football club, Jimmy Jimmy Greenhoff, and now Tony Pullis has again got us to another season in the premiership. We now have family supporters near Hannover West Germany. LINK http://www.stokecityfc.com/

Second sides Swansea City and Welsh National Rugby Team.

THE DUDE WITH HIS BEST BAND MATES

At the age of 40, I went with a great friend Paul Cullen sax player to Birmingham to buy my first drum kit, from then Musical Exchange, which I still have today a 5Piece Ludwig Drum Kit 1965 (GOLD BADGE SERIES).

FIRST EVER BAND - Had music lessons locally, got to grade 4 of The Guildhall of Arts and Music, found some local musicians Steve Woodworth, Jack MaCable and Tony Raybould, from then we formed a covers band called The Distractions, who were and still are close freinds ever since. The band was together for 12years. LINK TO PAST REHERSALS

http://www.youtube.com/user/derekevans101#g/u

SECOND BAND - Band Called the Fortune Cookies

THE DUDES LOCAL BIRDING AREAS AROUND STAFFORD

DOXEY MARSHES - Northern End of Stafford and Managed by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust

BELVIDE RESERVOIR:- Approx 20mins away by car and Managed by The West Midland Bird Club Birdy Blog Click Here http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/Belvide84

BLITHFIELD RESERVOIR:- Approx 20mins away and Managed by The West Midland Bird Club

RADFORD MEADOWS:- Managed by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust

AQAULATE MEER:- Managed by Natural England

MEMBER - West Midland Bird Club - RSPB

RADFORD MEADOWS - BIRDING

Radford Meadows is only 10mins walk, open flood plain meadows, I bird early doors before work starts, so far seen 1 redshank, 1 x ringed plover, 3 x green sandpipers, 1 x Brent Goose, (Rarity for this area) 1 x Shoveler, lapwings, herons, teal,mallards canal edges Sedge Warblers, wrens, backbirds, song thrushes, reed buntings.

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 3RD MAY 2010

Weather sunny with blue skies, got up early as normal, did all my mail outs to Germany,planning a birding visit to Blithfield Reservoir, approx 20mins away. Meet a fellow WMBC member Neil from Cheadle, recorded 3 x snow geese, 2 x common terns , 1 x artic tern, comorants,mallards, mute swans, swifts,

Friday night here 1 x little ringed plover 1 x dunlin,5 x swifts, 12 x swallows

Up loaded all party pictures and small videos to YOUTUBE, for all to see.

MUMS 80TH BIRTHDAY SUNDAY 2ND MAY 2010

My sister came up with agreat idea to celebrate our Mums Special 80th Birthday in style so plans were put into motion, she arranged for her four Swansea based sisters to come up for the birthday meal at the Church Restaurant in Hanley Stoke On Trent.

They arrived from Swansea by train on the friday, we were trying to keep it a suprise, which was coming more and more difficult as the time was getting closer and closer.
On the Saturday Cynth, Gazzla and myself went to watch the Stoke v Everton last home match, the weather was dry sunny and a warmer day, i think we were all happy with the 0-0 result. a better performance put in by the players after the Chelsea result. Sunday was approaching quickly, Gaz and myself picked up Shirley, Marina, Thelma and Christina, it was so wonderful to see them all after such a long time no see. YOUTUBE CLIPS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RtTD7nqWaY&feature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJw94JX4fK4&feature=channel

We arrived at the Church Restaurant at 1.00pm, we had some pre meal drinks, and great chit chat, then all the families arrived, Mollie, Clare, Ian,Matt, Jenny, Izzy and Harry, football was on the agenda as always.Mal and Keith arrived with Mum and Harry, Adam Vicky Tudor and Family arrive at the same time, we all went to site down for the celebrations, food orders were taken, the listing was of very good standard, plenty of roast potatoes. The meal was 3 courses starters, main meal i had a nice turkey and beef meal with all the trimmings.
After the wonderful meal, Mum opened her presents and viewed all her cards, she seemed to be in great language form as ever, we all then moved on to Mums house for coffee cake and a few drinks, the kids were playing on Mums powered buggy, the kids were doing a few wheelies.

We left at approx 7.00pm, back to Stafford, the Swansea Girls are planned to travel back to Swansea on the bank holiday at 2.45pm train stopping at Bristol on route to Swansea to arrive after six pm.
Mal and myself didnot want to the event just pass without a special event in our lives, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM and many more to come xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx