MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR - 24TH JUNE 2010

MIDDLEWICH FOLK AND BOAT FESTIVAL 20TH JUNE 2010

We met up with Wendy, Tony, Val and Jeremy at Wendy and Tony's house in Alsager, we all then went off to the Festival in Middlewich. The weather was absolutely wonderful very warm at 22 degrees. Great local crowd was seen all along the canal, with plenty of jigging live music,mainly folk and accoustic. We decided to have a drink at the Kings Lock before we set our camp for our sandwich lunch further along the canal. The life a long the canal was for all ages with swings, stalls, and selling gifts from the canal barges. we ended up at the church in Middlewich, then after we departed for a long time journey home, due to the M6 Closure at Sandbach, we finally got home at 7.10pm, then we watched the Brazil v Ivory Coarst World Cup Match 3-0 final score.

FIFA WORLD CUP - ENGLAND AND GERMANY BRAGGING RIGHTS

Great 4-0 victory over Australia seems the bragging rights are going to Germany oh no man, great up front moving passes. England must get it together on friday night. Come on England.

Hold on they have a Turkish and Brazilian in the squad, great German names.
The FIFA World Cup as started in South Africa on Friday 12th June 2010, we are tracking England and Germany with close family connections, needing the bragging rights.

Great start by England with a 1-1 draw with the USA,too many expectations by England fans, many missed chances,Rooney just not peaking, Goalkeeper error by Green, but still topping our group so far.

Germany play tonight 7.30pm kick off with Australia, watched so far, Argentina v Nigeria, England v USA,watched the opening game, most matches on BBC1 and ITV.

FRANCE HOLIDAYS STAFFORD TO SEGURET PROVENCE

Dijon to Vaison La Romaine 250miles

Dunkerque to Dijon 359miles
Plans are underway for our french holidays to Seguret Provence, our intentions are to travel and stay with our close family relations in Milford Surrey then travel on to the Port of Dover for embarkation to Dunkirk with Norfolk Lines. We will stay overnight in Dijon and a next early day start to our final destination Vaison La Romaine/Seguret. Stafford to Milford 165miles, Milford to Dover 110miles, Dunkerque to Dijon 360miles and finally to Vaison La Romaine 250miles.

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.