Nature
We have several nature reserves in the area, one only a mile away from our house in the sandunes on Morfa Harlech. Morfa Harlech Nature Reserve stretches from the beach at Harlech through to Traeth Bach and includes much of the Glaslyn and Dwyryd estuaries including mud flats and salt marsh areas which are important winter wildfowl feeding grounds. Harlech beach consists of mile after mile of golden sands and clean seas with a backdrop of some of Britain's best sand dunes ....some reaching 100 feet (30m) in height. Harlech beach and its surrounding dune area is one of the finest examples of a natural dune system in Britain and has been designated a National Nature Reserve(NNR) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
The Wildlife Trust have 4 sites of special interest nearby :- Morfa Bychan, Traeth Glaslyn, Gwaith Powdwr, Coed Crafnant
Birds
The area is a haven for birdwatchers with over 140 species of birds to found through the year. There are several different types of habitat – mountain, moorland, forest, pasture and several estuaries for birds to thrive on. On our door step we have the estuary at Llechollwyn, Traeth Bach and ,Glaslyn with the RSPB centre at Penmaenpool is about a 30 minute drive.
We have been fortunate in having the first breeding pair of ospreys in Wales settle in the area. The nest is about fifteen minutes , by car, from our house, and the site is now a manned RSPB osprey centre.
A pair of red kites are regular visitors to the fields around our house, and there can be few more thrilling sights than to watch the aerobatics of kites on the wing. Lapwings and Curlews pay us a visit but in reduce numbers over recent years. We have resident blackbirds bluetits, sparrows and wagtails who have nested in the gardens, and several pairs of house martins have taken up their annual unpaid residence in the eaves.
Following the Rights of Access to Open Country Act, much of the upland area in now open to the public, but always respect this right and follow the country code.
