Sunday 17 July 2022


Last night we had a fantastic time ringing Storm Petrels at the North End, with 23 ringed and 3 re-traps, as well as six new Manx Shearwaters ringed. Measuring the weight of the Stormies never gets old, they're one of very few species that willingly sits on the weighing scales without flying off! 

Storm Petrel © Steve Stansfield

Bethany with a Manxie © Steve Stansfield

In the morning, calm seas and warm air made for some exciting cetacean action. A pod of 11 Atlantic White-sided Dolphins were sighted off the West Coast - a fairly uncommon species in British waters and often seen further out in deeper seas. Whilst watching them, the first Arctic Skua of the year flew south.

More waders were present today with 20 Curlews, a Dunlin, four Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, and a Redshank. The juvenile Marsh Harrier was still touring the Island, and elsewhere there were two Starlings, and three Black-headed Gulls

In the afternoon, we headed out to the South End to give the Thrift Clearwing lure another go to see whether they were still on the wing, and managed to attract at least two to the pheremone. 

Thrift Clearwing © Ollie King

Afterwards we headed out to the North West with Bethany and Dawn fields to ring the first Manx Shearwater chicks of the year with as they've grown large enough to ring. 

Searching for Manx Shearwater chicks © Ollie King

Elsewhere on the Island it was all hands on deck at Ty Pellaf as all the sheep were hearded for shearing. Looked like hot work and a great team effort from all!

Sheep shearing operation! © Ollie King

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