Sitting on the harbour wall at New Quay I enjoyed watching some of the gulls stretching their wings and taking to the air.
Today's images show a couple of juvenile lesser black backed gulls, the first being a year old and the second I think is two years old as can be deduced from their mottled plumage.
They're awesome flyers using the least possible energy as they loop and soar in search of food. In this particular spot they find rich pickings in the scraps from visitors.
I live the second shot, particularly the curve of the wing.
I don't tend to post pictures of people in fact I rarely take photos of people. However today I decided to try something different.
I had stopped off at New Quay on my way back from a work trip to Carmarthenshire. I had hoped to catch sight of some of the dolphins that regularly visit the bay but it turns out I had missed them by about half an hour so I decided to look around for other subjects.
The spring sunshine had brought a lot of people out to the beach and so I tried a few candid shots. I observed this little boy with his parents initially chasing the family dog and then I saw him looking at the water almost as if he couldn't decide whether to go in or not, he was certainly very tempted. I won't say if he did or not, I will leave you to finish the story for yourself.
I didn't post anything yesterday as I was camping in North Yorkshire with the intention of getting some more pictures for my blog but the weather was dreadful and so no new pictures I'm afraid however, I did have a good time regardless of the weather, I just love being outdoors.
Anyway for today I have chosen a few more pictures of the cliffs at New Quay showing the layers and the intricate structure of the rocks. I wonder how long it has taken to achieve such a marvelous spectacle as a result of the erosive effects of the wind, rain and sea on this rocky coastline.
These are the last pictures from my day in New Quay and tomorrow and in the days to come I have a real treat in store from a trip to Skomer so be sure to come back and see...
I like so much about these pictures, I like the colours, I like the different textures and I like the way the limpets cling to the rocks for protection and they are almost as strong as the rocks themselves.
The Pembrokeshire coast around Ceridigion has some really interesting geology. Most of it is really only properly visible from offshore but here on the beach at New Quay it is possible to get up close.
I really like the different layers in the cliffs like the age rings of a tree laid down over millions of years.
I also love the rocks on the beach which are of a different material and look as if they have been melted and squeezed up out of the ground and in the final image the layer closest to the sand looks shiny and soft even though it is rock hard.
Whilst sat eating ice cream (White chocolate & raspberry, and salted caramel flavours) and looking out across the harbour at New Quay this pair of house sparrows were fluttering around and were most definitely full of the joys of spring.
Although they are quite a common species (I am reliably informed that they were the most spotted species in the RSPB bird watch in March) they are often overlooked as being drab and uninteresting. But if you ask me, it's worth taking a closer look.
Today's pictures have been chosen more for their historical interest than for any artistic quality.
These lists were posted high on the wall of the harbour master's office and they set out the various customs charges and tolls due in payment for the many and varied goods that would have passed through the harbour in days gone by.
It is these tolls and charges that led to a thriving smuggling "industry" along the coast where there are many little coves and caves ideal for hiding goods and bringing them ashore without the watchful eyes of the customs men.
A few of weeks ago I posted a couple of pictures of the lobster pots stacked on the quayside at Staithes on the North Yorkshire coast and then last weekend at New Quay on the Welsh Coast I found some more stacks of pots which are a reminder that although the town is a popular spot for visitors it is also a working harbour and part of the community depends upon these pots for their livelihood.
I do think that the stacks make interesting photographic subjects, I like the order, the patterns and the perspective and although some of the pots have coloured tags I think they look more interesting in black and white.
So there I was sat on the harbour wall at New Quay, watching the dolphins in the bay and eating a delicious pastie and soaking up the early afternoon sun when along came this beautiful Herring Gull. Quite clearly it was looking for scraps and its friend not quite so bold hung back a little waiting to see if it was worth getting a little closer.
Although these birds are quite common and known for scavenging food from tourists there is something quite regal about them and I think the first and last of today's pictures show this in the gull's pose.
They can make a pretty fearsome noise too and as I focused trying to get a nice close up shot this chap started to screech really loudly. The second and third shots were taken seconds apart as the bird was mid screech. I have slightly cropped the second picture so it is possible to clearly see the speckled eye and the detail around the eye and inside its' mouth. I am really pleased with this particular shot and it shows that even something that may seem common and uninteresting is actually quite beautiful.
In stark contrast to the bright colours of my posts of the past two days I have gone for these black and white images showing off the geology of Wales' Cardigan Bay coastal cliffs.
Seen from a boat in the bay it is possible to see the many different layers that form the cliffs and the undulating patterns which clearly show the upheaval over time. The different layers provide excellent nesting sites for the Guillemots and Kittiwakes that have made their temporary homes here facing out to sea. On a day like this when the sun was shining and there was hardly any breeze t doesn't seem like too bad a spot but when the wind and rain lashes in off the Irish Sea I am sure it is a lot more challenging spot to raise a family.
I didn't think I would get to post anything today but here I am with just one picture of a very proud looking Herring Gull who was waiting for scraps. I'll be honest he didn't get any from me.
The picture was taken using my smart phone and although it's not a bad shot I did get some better images with my camera, I just haven't connected my phone to the camera to upload it, so you will have to wait for them.
