It was very stormy over night with over 4000 litres of rainwater collected. All our water tanks are now full and the well should also start topping up a bit over the next few days. The clouds cleared at around 7am and it turned into a clear though still windy day with gusts of 40mph. 

Morning from the South End

Calm after the storm

Most of the seal pups have so far survived the rough weather which is good news!

Female Grey Seal

Three Fulmars were seen along with 31 Manx Shearwaters. Gannet numbers were pretty impressive, with 362 seen, 137 from the south end and 225 counted from the north end. These magnificent beasts are still nesting on the cliffs in some of the colonies in the UK, our nearest being Great Saltee (Wexford) and Grassholm (Pembrokeshire).

Gannets

A single Arctic Skua chased Kittiwakes briefly off the North End, a Mediterranean Gull also passed there, along with 20 Black-headed Gulls. A total of 33 Herring Gulls were seen along with 20 Greater-black Backs and 323 Kittiwakes.

Greater Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Herring Gull

In Total 83 Razorbills were seen and also 90 unidentified Auks and three Guillemots.

Waders in the roost were not in great numbers today - the Grey Plover remained, there were single Ringed Plovers and Purple Sandpiper passed the North End and two Snipe were in the Wetlands. A Whimbrel and 52 Curlews were seen in Henllwyn, and seven Redshanks were with 28 Turnstones on the Narrows.

Grey Plover

The Collared Doves were still here and a/the Great-spotted Woodpecker was seen flying from Cristin Withy to Ty Pellaf Withy.

Two Skylarks were seen over the Narrows, and a Swallow over the North End. Meadow Pipits numbered 28, whilst 40 Rock Pipits were seen. 

Meadow Pipit

Rock Pipit

Six Pied Wagtails and a White Wagtail were on the Narrows. The Whinchat was present at the farm again, with the usually Stonechats and eight Wheatears were seen, five on the south end and three at the north.

Stonechat

Wheatears

The only warbler of the day was a Chiffchaff in the North West Fields, though eight Goldcrests were seen and a Firecrest in the Observatory garden was a bit of a surprise.

The Chough flock of 29 was in the Lowlands, whilst 17 Goldfinches were seen along with 156 Linnets and a single Lesser Redpoll that was at Nant. 

Linnet

Stuart led the weekly guided walk in the late morning trying to shout over the winds. They were also shown some of the Grey Seal pups, many of which were not impressed by the high storm tide! The walk finished at Solfach at high tide with a few waders including the long staying Grey Plover. 

On a trip to the South End, Stuart found a Snow Bunting feeding on the Thrift flowers.

Snow Bunting

Sunset from the West Coast

Birds today: one Fulmar, 362 Gannets, two Grey Herons, one Ringed Plover, one Grey Plover, one Purple Sandpiper, two Snipes, one Whimbrel, 52 Curlews, seven Redshanks, 28 Turnstones, one Arctic Skua, one Mediterranean Gull, 20 Black-headed Gulls, 323 Kittiwakes, 83 Razorbills, 13 Collared Doves, one Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Skylarks, one Swallow, one White Wagtail, one Whinchat, one Chiffchaff, eight Goldcrest, one Firecrest, one Chaffinch, one Lesser Redpoll, one Snow Bunting