Gigrin Again

Elan Valley sunset

After the stresses of July we finally got to Gigrin on 12th August

 well and truly frazzled. We had booked four nights after which

we were heading to Pembrokeshire but the weather and scenery

and relaxing atmosphere worked its magic

and we ended up staying 12 days.

This little Nuthatch was a regular visitor to our camp,

its acrobatic antics keeping us amused as we breakfasted.

Max has lost all sight now but came to play

whenever he wasn't busy elsewhere.

Sadly he has to wear his muzzle all the time now but

it doesn't stop him having fun or wanting fuss.

The Red Kites were in attendance as usual making amazing

shapes as they own the skies.

 

 

We did get out and about and discovered 

some abandoned lead mines

high up on the mountain road beyond Bridge of Elan

where the waters run dark and deep

before flowing into the Wye

 

further down towards distant Rhayader.

Never a dull sunset, either in woodland close by our camp

                                      

or across the valley beyond

where big skys make big pictures.

After Easter

We managed to find a couple of fine days to go to Gigrin and check out the Kites.
I got permission from Chris to make recordings from the Feeding Ground so I checked batteries and windshields prior to setting up my recording kit before the public came onto the farm at 1300hrs.

As usual the rooks and ravens were first down to scavange for food but overhead some interest was shown by the bolder Kites. 

The now regular resident White Red Kite soon made an appearance swooping and circling before diving into the fray.

Others followed, their graceful manouvering exciting those watching

 

 as they hung on the air with hardly a flap of wing to keep them aloft.

So, were they disturbed by my recording kit set out on their feeding ground, did it stop them claiming their daily feast, did they even notice its presence?

I think not, it went un-noticed and not a single bird was bothered.


Here's how.......................................

Its 'recorder rock', some shrunk natural hessian hiding all the gear.

Inside the parobolic dish an Edirol R09 SD recorder
is looking up towards the natural amphitheatre.

Strapped to the bedroll is a quasi-binaural spaced omni' pair of Audio Technia AT 4022 mic's giving a great depth of field to the overhead soundscape. Angie made all the custom fitted windshields.

These were feeding into a Fostex FR2LE with a 4GB CF memory card resting on the lid of my equipment box to keep out the ground water from the stream which ran just where I had chosen to place the kit.

A sturdy stump acted as an anchor for the dish and kept it off

the wet ground and the handy grasses served to disguiise the lot.

Once I work out how, you can share the sound of the day with me.

Try going to....
http://soundcloud.com/bigrogsound/b170837s-kites-ravens-with-sheep

Some 

kites 

from 

Gigrin,

so agile

 

 and acrobatic

 

How many?

The magic carpet of bluebells surrounding the farm, stretching over North Valley and across to the coast.

Listen to some Manxies by clicking here

Looking back to The Wick cliff from Skomer Head. The thrift is beginning to go over but the sea is blue and the nesting sea-birds in the long fault are rearing many chicks.