Thursday 2 May 2019


The day started with a light SW wind, low cloud covering the top of the mountain and some drizzle. This seemed like good conditions for bringing in some new birds and with 5 species of warbler seen from the kitchen window it was clear some birds had dropped in. 

There were several highlights today, we had our first two Spotted Flycatchers of the year at nant, our first Whinchat of the year in the wetlands and a male Shoveler found on the beach and then on Pwll cain being only the 28th island record. Not a bad morning. 

The morning also provided the start to a good day of Swallow movement heading north through the island. A total of 579 birds were counted with 22 Sand Martins and a years high count of 54 House Martins moving with them. 

There was an increase in warblers around the island, year high counts of Sedge Warblers and Common Whitethroats came in at 17 and 24 respectively. Other Sylvia warblers were also present with 39 Blackcaps, one Garden Warbler at nant and one Lesser Whitethroat trapped at the observatory. Phylosc warblers seemed to come in more in the evening. Nant and the observatory garden were the main places for these and total counts came in at 47 Chiffchaffs and 163 Willow Warblers. At this time the nets were opened in the observatory garden and over 30 birds were caught in a short space of time with an added bonus of a Crossbill heard flying south whilst a net round was being done. 



Today was all about Swallow Passage, with over 500 counted it is the largest movement of the year so far
 Dunlin on Solfach are all looking rather dapper in their summer dress

 Many of our Rock Pipits are colour-ringed. This one has unfortunately lost one ring from its left leg, but we can still tell it was ringed in either 2014 or 2015 on Solfach

 The Sparrowhawks are being seen regularly at Nant and are probably nesting in the Plantation again
 There are several pairs of stonechats 'chacking' around the island 
 Female Stonechat
We have colour ringed quite a few Whimbrel over the past few years, here is one of the birds trapped a few nights ago. Bardsey is one of the few places in the UK where Whimbrels can be seen year-round. A small number spend the winter here and the few which don't migrate further north to Iceland to breed are probably first-summer birds 

Additional counts included one Grey Heron, two Sparrowhawks, four Buzzards, one Kestrel, one Peregrine, 164 Oystercatchers, six Dunlins, 23 Whimbrels, three Common Sandpipers, one Tree Pipit and one Grasshopper Warbler


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