Sunday 3 September 2017

A wet, windy and generally unpleasant day on Bardsey saw staff focused on catching up with paperwork for most of the day. Nontheless, a handful of interesting sightings were gleaned from a combined four hours seawatching in the morning and early afternoon. 169 Manx Shearwaters, 128 Kittiwakes and 127 Gannets  moved offshore, with 28 Razorbills and 22 Fulmars the only other notable counts. The highlight was a first-winter YELLOW-LEGGED GULL off the South End, surprisingly just the sixth record for Bardsey. Two Shelducks moving south were also the first record since the breeding birds departed in early July, and with slim pickings like today, contributed the days second biggest surprise! Other birds passing offshore were a single Great Skua, three Guillemots and two Common Scoters, with a Red-throated Diver again lingering offshore.

Turnstones were the only waders to have increased in number noticeably, with 40 seen today. There were also 12 Curlews, seven Whimbrels, six each of Ringed Plovers and Dunlins and three each of Oystercatchers and Redshanks, alongside three Grey Herons on the Narrows. A single Snipe was also in the Wetlands.

Unsurprisingly, migrant passerines were very few and far between. Nine Goldcrests and five Wheatears were scattered about, with the total sum of other sightings being singles of White Wagtail, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. Overall, a very quiet day!

several Angle Shades moths have begun to emerge in the last week or so on Bardsey; Ben Porter, The Island Naturalist

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