Welsh "Stay at Home" Lockdown Walk 2: The Riverside, Saltney and the Wales Coastal Path Monday 26th October 2020

The Riverside, Saltney and the Wales Coastal Path.

A Little egret on the banks of the River Dee.

A Great black backed gull keeping an eye on a Great cormorant that was fishing nearby.

A Great cormorant with its catch.

A Great cormorant with its catch about to be swallowed.

A few of the large flock of Canada geese sheltering on the river below the river bank.

Canada geese, Mallard and a Greylag goose.

There was a rainbow in the picture when I took it!.

Two Long tailed tits.

The Beluga XL heading for Airbus and Hawarden Airport.

Apparently No.3 on its first visit to Airbus at Broughton.

A hairy ginger caterpillar - a  Buff ermine caterpillar?

Distance: 8.2 miles. Climb: 105' (wind assisted GPS reading 345').

Time: 3 hours 15 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.9 m.p.h.  Overall walk average: 2.5m.p.h.

Group: Martyn.

I set off at about 09-30, hoping that the showers forecast from 10-00 onwards wouldn't materialise. I hoped in vain as a ten minute shower arrived at 11-00 and another shorter but heavier shower at 12-15.

My main mistake was to take an umbrella, the wind was far too strong to even contemplate using it. This time, I decided to head towards Queensferry along the Welsh Coastal Path, intending to go as far ast the road bridge, but decided to turn back when it started to rain at 11-00.

The first surprise of the day was to see a Great cormorant fishing and a Great black backed gull attempt to steal its catch - it didn't succeed.  The second surprise was to see >500 Canada geese on the River Dee between the A380 barge dock and Sandycroft. One Greylag and one white goose accompanied this large flock sheltering from the wind on the water below the river bank. 

Birds seen or heard today included: Moorhen, Mallard, Grey wagtail, Pied wagtail, European robin, House sparrow, Raven, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion crow, Black headed gull, Herring gull, Lesser balck backed gull, Great black backed gull, Little egret, Great cormorant, Long tailed tit, Woodpigeon, Black billed magpie, Winter wren, Common starling, Feral woodpigeon, Goldfinch and Common blackbird.

Approaching the Higher Ferry / Saltney Ferry Footbridge on my return route, I thought a family on the bridge were plaing "Poo sticks" as they went from one side to the other. They weren't, they were just using the footbridge as a vantage point to see the Beluga XL coming in to land at Hawarden.

Overall a good walk, making the most of the "good" weather!