A gorgeous day weather wise with blue skies and light easterly winds.
Along parts of the steep east side it was generally quiet, lacking many of the gulls that are normally present there, but the resident Shags seemed to be very active, dotted along the cliffs amongst the nesting areas, some in close pairs, crests raised in a display. Four Choughs, a small flock of Linnets, the odd Rock Pipits, Herring and Greater Black-backed Gull and Wrens habited the slopes as two Peregrines soared above.
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One of Bardsey's fantastic resident species, Chough soaring over the east side |
Although things were business as usual on the narrows there were a couple of signs of new arrivals. A
Robin and
Song Thrush there were clearly new birds in and were quick to head north after a brief stop amongst the lobster pots adjacent to the boathouse. The
Curlew flock today were out on Carreg yr Henwy on the low tide rocks, 40
Oystercatchers, two
Shelduck, six
Mallards, seven
Redshanks were also there. A single
Collard Dove turned up later, heading south initially before doing an about turn and heading north towards the farm. No Wheatears as of yet but they will surly be expected in the next week or so!
Around the Ty Pellaf, the farm, the first singing
Stonechat was seen and heard, a
Sparrowhawk soared high, a small gathering of 13
Meadow Pipits,
Wrens,
Robins and
Dunnocks, a single
Chaffinch and the
Collard Dove seen earlier.
A quick check of a site in the north west fields which was a potential Little Owl nest site found last season showed evidence that the exact area was still in use by Little Owls. Pellets surrounded the ground below the gorse bush around Manx Shearwater burrows, also present was a
Little Owl itself!
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Little Owl pellets underneath the gorse bush with numerous Manx Shearwater burrows in the vicinity, a potential nest site for Little Owls found last season |
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Little Owl pellet complete with beetle bits! |
At the north end of the island a sneaky
Water Rail plodded through one of the gardens, the highly mobile
Collard Dove sang, remaining
Firecrest proved again elusive but still present at the plantation with a
Goldcrest and a small flock of
Starlings buzzed around. Late on 16
Purple Sandpipers were seen flying round Carreg yr Henwy before settling down.
Lepidoptera news today consisted of a great sighting of the first
Red Admiral at rest along the main track.
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