Friday 12 April 2013

What a day!!
A day of intense ringing and birding saw the year's first large arrival of spring migrants, with good numbers grounded in the drizzly rain that settled over the island in the early hours,
A superb female Hawfinch was the star of the day: first found in Ty Pellaf garden mid-morning, the bird then relocated to Cristing garden, where it found its way into one of the open mist nets.

On the rest of the bird front, a Firecrest was trapped at Cristin in the morning, and three Jack Snipe were seen in the wetlands, one of which was caught with a hand net! The Hooded Crow remained in the North-west Fields.
Visible migration  was in real evidence in the morning, dominated by over 780 Redwings which flew over in flocks of up to 200 birds. 59 Fieldfares also flew overhead, along with four Sand Martins, 15 Swallows, a Skylark, 191 Meadow Pipits, the first Brambling of the year, eight Greenfinches, five Siskins, 26 Goldfinches, a Lesser Redpoll and a Reed Bunting.
The second Ring Ouzel of the year arrived into Traeth Ffynnon, and other new thrushes included a Mistle Thrush, 36 Blackbirds and 17 Song Thrushes. Four White Wagtails were seen in Solfach, and 30 Wheatears were present around the coast.
Phylloscs were represented in large numbers, 182 Willow Warblers and 132 Chiffchaffs. At least 116 Goldcrests were also seen in the island's gardens and around the coast, along with 15 Blackcaps.

In terms of ringing, an excellent total of over 160 birds were ringed during the day. 120 alone were trapped at Nant in a few hours.


23rd Hawfinch for Bardsey
 ''Don't mess with me!!''
 Hawfinches have incredible-shaped primary feathers which form a beautiful wave
 This superb Jack Snipe was seen on the ground in the Ty-Pellaf Wetlands in the early morning. Staying exactly where it was first found, a hand net was shortly placed on top of the bird, resulting in the year's fifth bird to be ringed!
 A couple of the Song Thrushes were continental birds
Willow Warblers
 Blackcap

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