The day
started with a bit of a bang with news from the South End of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Originally
flushed from rocks on the west side, it flew south and landed right on the
southernmost point of Bardsey. There it showed well to two observers before
taking flight just as the rest of the wardening team arrived. Despite thorough
looking the bird never re-appeared. This becomes the fourth record for the
island, though amazingly the first since one graced the North-west Fields 36
years ago to the day in 1980.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Intense
wader coverage due to the aforementioned rarity resulted in a decent haul of three
Ringed Plovers, nine Knots, six Sanderlings, nine Curlew
Sandpipers, one Dunlin, one Snipe, two Black-tailed Godwits, five Whimbrels, 27 Curlews, 15 Redshanks,
one Common Sandpiper, and 90 Turnstones.
With massive numbers of Curlew Sandpiper in Britain this autumn it unsurprising
Bardsey has clocked up a few, but few could predict our sixth record in two
weeks considering none had been seen in three years previously!
By
mid-afternoon the wind speeds had increased to 50+ mph leaving passerines well
and truly hidden. Sea-watching was the only realistic option and rewarded eager
eyes with one Sooty Shearwater, four
Balearic Shearwaters, 982 Manx Shearwaters, 37 Fulmars, 142 Gannets, 17
Common Scoters, two Arctic Skuas, one Mediterranean Gull, and three
Sandwich Terns. Asides, one Tree Pipit, six Grey Wagtails, 24 Goldcrests, and one Teal made an appearance.
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