The Kid On The Great Orme

Here he or she is just coming into view. Full of spring, full of life, hardly ever keeping still. Always on the move with poor nanny not far behind, ensuring he or she does not get into any serious bother, like falling off the edge of the cliff.

Stopping for a chobble, or doing one of those old western tough guy impressions. ” Howdy partner.”

Off again …

I wouldn’t go that way though if I were you … thank goodness for nanny!

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Edit: This is the kind of trouble they can get into …

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Kashmiri Goats, Great Orme, Llandudno. April 2017.

The Great Orme Goats

Even from a distance one can spot the goats which roam wild on the rugged headland of the Great Orme. I am always amazed how none of them slip off over the edge of the perilous high cliffs as they wander near the edges to fall to their deaths. We came across a small group of these Kashmiri Goats, some of them just relaxing and sitting down on the grass, others nonchalantly chewing on it. None appeared bothered by the two-legged beasties which made strange noises as we snapped photos of them.

The ancestors of these goats once roamed the mountains of Northern India, Kashmir, and there are around 200 strong here now on this Welsh headland, which has been their home since they were bought over sometime in the middle of the 19th century. The numbers are controlled and watched over, otherwise they would get out of hand.

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Kashmiri Goats, Great Orme, Llandudno. April 2017.

Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

I have admire this little bird for its resilience as it survives the wilds of this prominent headland’s rugged terrain. I think these are all males with their Zorro masks on and their orange buff breasts. It winters in central Africa, and then migrates here for the summer where they breed, mainly in the north and west of Britain.

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Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe), Great Orme, Llandudno, Wales. April 2017.

Sicilian Chamomile

Anthemis punctata ssp cupaniana

At the start of a 4 mile walk around the Great Orme from the West Shore, I discovered these beautiful flowers growing on the cliff faces. In the first two images you can see the rock strewn beach below. It is usually found in southern climes, and here, on the Great Orme, it is at one of its most northerly outposts. Mainly a garden plant, it usually only naturalises by the sea, which it has appeared to have done so here.

Also called ‘Dog Fennel’, it is an evergreen perennial with mats of intricately shaped leaves which are mostly silvery in the growing season. Apparently they give off a pungent aromatic scent when warmed by the sun. Hasten to say, I couldn’t smell anything on the day which was overcast.

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Sicilian Chamomile (Anthemis punctata ssp cupaniana), West Shore of the Great Orme, Llandudno, Wales. April 2017.

A Brief Moment With Bright Eyes

A little further along the Great Orme coastal path this little one bounded out of the scrub. It allowed me a brief few moments into its life in the wild before it hopped out of view.

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Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Great Orme, Llandudno, Wales. April 2017

Welsh Rabbit

No, not cheese on toast, but a bunny from Llandudno with a beautiful seaview home who was just so chilled out on his front porch he didn’t want to move even though I was but a stone’s throw away snapping my camera and saying how cute he was.

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Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Great Orme, Llandudno, Wales. April 2017