Light south-easterly force 3 winds made for a pleasant day, with very good visibility, a sea state of 2 and no rain. Temperatures reached 12°C.

The day's highlight came in the form of a returning Hen Harrier which was mobile around the island, before being chased off by a male Peregrine over the mountain. Two Merlin were also present, an immature bird at the South End and an adult male at Pen Cristin, while three Sparrowhawk were seen.

There was a good selection of migrants around the island. A Yellow-browed Warbler was re-trapped at the Observatory, while a Siberian Chiffchaff was at Nant. Eight Chiffchaff, two Blackcap and 13 Goldcrest were also logged. Thrush numbers included 61 Redwing, 36 Blackbird and five Song Thrush, while finch passage comprised 88 Goldfinch, 67 Chaffinch, 54 Linnet, four Greenfinch, two Brambling and a Lesser Redpoll.

Other landbirds included 78 Meadow Pipit, 63 Skylark and 11 alba Wagtail, while three Reed Bunting were at the South End. 65 Starling, a single House Sparrow, one Great Spotted Woodpecker at Nant, and 311 Jackdaw were also present.

At sea, a Red-throated Diver and two Manx Shearwater passed the West Coast, along with 17 Gannet, 28 Shag, 21 Razorbill, six Mediterranean Gull, five Kittiwake and four Common Gull recorded.

In terms of wildfowl, two Whooper Swan passed the West Coast, two Wigeon, 20 Mallard and eight Common Scoter and four Teal were also recorded. Waders comprised 26 Turnstone, 20 Curlew, four Redshank, two Whimbrel and two Snipe.

As the Grey Seal pupping season nears the end, it has been a record breaking year for Bardsey, with 87 pups born so far.

Grey Seal Pup (C) Elliott Haywood

 

An Easterly wind was blowing at Force 4 over the island today; with very good visibility, a sea state of 3, and temperatures reaching 13°C the accompianing conditions. Marine mammal and seal monitoring recorded a total of 185 Grey Seals alongside 13 pups, as well as one Risso's Dolphin off the South End. 

Sunset over the West Coast (c) Steven Stansfield

Around dusk, a Tawny Owl was heard in the wetlands, remarkably, this was the first record for the island since 1961. During the day large numbers of Corvids were once again moving through the island with an estimated 750 Jackdaws, 53 Carrion Crows, two Rooks, two Ravens and 47 Magpies observed. Other passage passerine counts included 107 Chaffinches, 15 Goldfinches, one Brambling in off the sea over the South End, eight Siskins, five Greenfinches, three Linnets, one Blackcap, one Yellow-browed Warbler still at Cristin, nine Chiffchaffs, eight Goldcrests, 89 Redwings, two Fieldfares, 47 Blackbirds, eight Song Thrushes, 39 Starlings, 47 Robins, three Skylarks, 28 Meadow Pipits, 21 Rock Pipits, three Grey Wagtails, one Pied Wagtail, two White Wagtails, 15 Alba Wagtails, three Woodpigeons, one Great Spotted Woodpecker, one Blue Tit on Pen Cristin, and one Reed Bunting. 

Yellow-browed Warbler retrapped at Cristin again (c) Steven Stansfield

Offshore counts produced 51 Common Scoters, four Teals, one Eider, 34 Shags, 27 Manx Shearwaters, 22 Gannets, one Red-throated Diver, one Fulmar, 80 Kittiwakes, 64 Razorbills, 26 Common Gulls, 16 Mediterranean Gulls, and 12 Black-headed Gulls. Wader and waterfowl counts on the island included 26 Curlews, two Whimbrels, 15 Turnstones, five Redshanks, two Purple Sandpipers, one Snipe, and one Water Rail.  Raptors overhead featured two Merlins, one Sparrowhawk, and one Peregrine.

Conditions were calm today with a Force 3 North-East breeze, excellent visibility, and a smooth sea state of two, with temperatures reaching 11°C. Marine mammal and seal monitoring recorded 125 Grey Seals with five pups, and one Risso's Dolphin off the west coast. 

A steady stream of passerine passage was notable today, starting from first light with some thrush movement and continuing well into the afternoon. The bulk of the numbers came from corvid arrivals with 500 Jackdaws, 58 Carrion Crows, 24 Choughs, 19 Rooks, six Ravens, and 57 Magpies, with thrush passage a close second with 333 Redwings, 43 Fieldfares, 14 Blackbirds and three Song Thrushes. Other passage counts included 132 Chaffinches, 16 Bramblings, 36 Greenfinches, 21 Siskins, 18 Redpolls, nine Goldfinches, five Grey Wagtails, seven Pied Wagtails, 13 Alba Wagtails, four Reed Buntings, 68 Skylarks, 35 Starlings, one Stock Dove, and ten Woodpigeons, noted. Counts of passerines landed on the island were much lower but produced some variety including one Great Tit at Nant, 90 Meadow Pipits, 26 Rock Pipits, 29 Robins, 11 Chiffchaffs, six Blackcaps, one Lesser Whitethroat at Cristin, ten Goldcrests, seven House Sparrows and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Two Water Rails were also recorded.

House Sparrow ringed at Cristin (c) Steven Stansfield

Seabird movement and coastal counts offshore featured 14 Gannets, 38 Shags, 30 Common Scoters, seven Wigeons, five Shelducks, two Teals, one Little Egret, 63 Razorbills, 28 Black-headed Gulls, 18 Common Gulls, four Mediterranean Gulls and two Kittiwakes. Wader passage and shorebird numbers featured nine Turnstones, four Lapwings, four Snipes, three Knots, three Redshanks, two Whimbrels, one Golden Plover, and one Bar-tailed Godwit.  A notable increase of raptor diversity was noted today with three Peregrines, two Sparrowhawks, one Hen Harrier, one Buzzard, one Kestrel, and one Merlin.