Sunday 24 March 2024

With the weather looking to turn, unfortunately some of our volunteers had an early departure to avoid getting stuck on the island for the foreseeable. A huge thank you to Mike and Linda for assisting with preparing the Observatory, helping to clean and tidy all the rooms in the building. Lauren and Tom were massively helpful with installing our new Manx Shearwater boxes at Pen Cristin, with birds starting to arrive back to the island, we are excited to see them being used this season! 
Lauren and Tom with one of the newly fitted Manx Shearwater nest boxes © Jonathan Dodds 

The breezy weather across the island didn't hamper signs of breeding activity, with lots of species beginning to form pairs and display nest building.

Six Pied Wagtails scattered across the island were pairing up and forming territories. Up to 10 Stonechats were forming territories, with some territorial disputes between pairs noted on the South End. The Herring Gull colony were also beginning to nest build with 120 present in the colony so far, all pairing up. Two colour-ringed birds were noted within the colony, ringed as chicks in 2019 and 2020 respectively, this is the first time a colour-ringed Gull from our project has reached breeding age. 

Migrants were trickling through the recording area despite the weather with a Swallow, six Wheatears, two Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, four Goldcrests, a Whimbrel and singles of Goldfinch, Siskin and Linnet moving through.
 
Several Pied Wagtails are beginning to form pairs © Steve Stansfield

Very cryptic Rock Pipit with nesting material on the Narrows © Steve Stansfield

Some of the male Stonechats are beginning to become very territorial too © Steve Stansfield

35 Purple Sandpipers are using Henllwyn daily at high tide © Steve Stansfield 

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