The wind was still in the West today, but had picked up to 30mph, and with only a few showers forecasted, George headed to the North End for some seawatching. In just over two hours, one Diver sp., 44 Gannets, three Pale-bellied Brent Geese, one Common Scoter, 71 Mediterranean Gulls, 144 Black-headed Gulls, two Common Gulls, 420 Kittiwakes, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 600 Razorbills headed south, along with the highlight - the first Leach's Petrel of the year. 

A feeding flock of over a thousand Black-headed Gulls was present off the North End too, as well as around 2000 Kittiwakes. There could quite easily have been more than this, but unfortunately visibility was poor and the flock was fairly distant. Hopefully this flock will build and perhaps get a little closer. 

Wader highlights included a Grey Plover, a Purple Sandpiper, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Whimbrel, while 16 Common Snipe were flushed on a walk through the Wetlands and Lowlands and presumably the same Woodcock as yesterday was still present at Nant. 

In the late afternoon, George headed out on a walk to look for seal pups, a new pup had been born on Henllwyn, equalling last years record of 55 pupping females, this is brilliant, and there is still time for another to be born to beat this record. Rough weather is forecasted for the next few days though, so hopefully the mother manages to keep her tiny pup safe through it all. 

The newborn pup on Henllwyn

The mother keeping a watchful eye from nearby

Alex got started with taking the nets down for the winter, with the Nant ringing site now having been taken down. It's served us well this year, catching a nice variety of species, most recently of which being the Barn Owl, each site has its own specialities. 

Sunset at Nant