A flat calm, hot day and following a night of Easterlies, the first notable day of Spring arrivals. A  light south‑westerly wind at force two with good visibility during the morning and evening, although moderate sea mist covered the island between 13:00 and 15:00. No rain was recorded, and the temperature reached 15 °C.

The first guided walk of the year was led by Joel and Steve, setting the bar high with 17 guests attending. Despite the sea mist, plenty wildlife could be enjoyed and several migrant moths and butterflies were seen.

Once the fog cleared it was a nice afternoon, very warm!

Guided walk members after seeing the Lichen assemblage and Golden-hair Lichen

Looking north along the East Side from Pen Cristin © Steven Stansfield 

Good numbers of Lepidoptera were recorded for such an early Spring day. A Large White was at Tŷ Pellaf. Elsewhere four Red Admirals, five Small Tortoiseshells and a Painted Lady were seen. Peacocks reached ten across the island and a Speckled Wood was in Cristin Garden. Sixteen Rush Veneers were seen and two Silver Ys, fresh in from further South. Four Diamond‑back Moths were at Pen Cristin during the guided walk. Sadly today Ezra had to say goodbye to the two Small Tortoiseshells hibernating in the LSA which he had become quite fond of, we wish them well on their adventure.

Gannets totalled eight along the West Coast, with seven moving south and one north. Six Shelducks were seen between the two beaches. 11 Mallards were recorded today and the two Gadwalls were again on Pwll Cain.

Raptors included one female Sparrowhawk at the Observatory, a Merlin at the South End, and a Peregrine at Nant.

Only 17 Oystercatchers were noted today. Other waders included, two Whimbrels were at the Narrows, and a Curlew on the West Coast.

Kittiwakes totalled 41, with 40 off the East Side and a single Sandwich Tern was seen off the West Coast from Cristin.

A single Collared Dove was at Tŷ Pellaf.

Another day of early Spring hirundine movement. Three Sand Martins flew North over the Narrows. 14 Swallows were seen moving through today, the majority of the birds flew north but four headed south over the Narrows. Five House Martins were seen including a pair hanging around the Lighthouse.

40 Meadow Pipits and three Rock Pipits were recorded. Pied Wagtails totalled three and White Wagtails two. 12 'alba' wagtails flew over, mostly heading North.

12 Dunnocks and eight Robins were present. 14 Stonechats and 12 Wheatears were recorded across the island. Ten Blackbirds were detected, a big change from two weeks ago when we could only detect ones or twos.

The first Grasshopper Warblers of the Spring arrived on the island with five different reeling birds, three in the Wetlands and two on the Mountain.

An all round great day for warblers with a massive increase across the whole island. Four Goldcrests, 21 Blackcaps, 53 Chiffchaffs and 74 Willow Warblers giving a grand total of 157 warblers across the island. Of these 65 birds were trapped and ringed, including 33 Willow Warblers, 20 Chiffchaff and 11 Blackcaps.

Modest finch numbers today with five Chaffinches, 12 Goldfinches and 47 Linnet recorded. 14 Siskins and a Lesser Redpoll moved around the island throughout the morning with birds occasionally dropping in briefly.

A lovely warm spring day following light easterly wind at force four, as expected with these conditions, a good number of migrants around. Visibility remained good, with no precipitation recorded, the temperature reached 18°C.

Emma, with help from Fiona and Andy (Obs regulars, who are staying at Plas this year with family) set about cleaning and stocking the gift shop today.

Get the place clean

check the stock

and work into the small hours 

Getting it ready for day visitors tomorrow

New style mugs

Free Morse Bags from Fiona!

A good number of butterflies were seen around the island today with three Red Admirals, a Painted Lady and a Peacock, all split between Cristin and Nant.

Painted Lady at Nant © Joel Tragen

Again a single Fulmar was off the South End, a Manx Shearwater was along the West Coast and Gannets totalled six. Eight Cormorants and 23 Shags were seen around the coast with an immature Shag in Henllwyn.

A Grey Heron was at Pwll Cain. Again the usual four Shelducks were seen between the beaches. Mallards numbered six and the Gadwall pair favoured Pwll Cain once more. Five Moorhens were seen in the regular locations.

Raptors included one adult male Sparrowhawk in the Plas withy, a large female Merlin was seen over the Mountain heading over Ty Nessaf and down towards the West Coast. An immature male Peregrine was seen at the South End.

Only one Snipe was flushed in the Wetlands and a Redshank was along the West Coast. Oystercatchers totalled 108, with no large flocks today.

Three Black‑headed Gulls and two Kittiwakes were seen passing the South End. Two Sandwich Terns were seen fishing briefly in Solfach. A small flock of large larus were seen feeding in the North-west Fields in the evening, this included three Lesser Black‑backed Gulls and seven Herring Gulls.

A single Guillemot was along the West Coast, whereas Razorbills reached ten across the North End and South End. Five Puffins were on the East Side from the Mountain by the guests.

A bit of hirundine movement was nice with seven Sand Martins, seven Swallows, three House Martins flew through, all moving North.

A big Meadow Pipit day with 100 being seen, including 69 at the South End. Rock Pipits totalled eleven, and Pied Wagtails seven, with two White Wagtails at Nant. Twelve ‘alba’ wagtails moved north over the island.

Dunnocks reached 15 but only one Robin was detected, on the West Coast. Stonechats totalled seven, including pairs at the Wetlands and the South End, and single males at Tŷ Pellaf and the Mountain. 32 Wheatears were recorded, with 20 at the South End. This is the highest Wheatear count of the Spring so far. Seven Blackbirds were seen, mostly being singing males but a couple females were also seen.

The best day for warblers so far but still only modest numbers recorded, with 13 Blackcaps, 34 Chiffchaffs and 23 Willow Warblers.

Three Chaffinches continued to stay on the island and only ten Goldfinches were present. Three Siskins and a Redpoll were heard over. Linnets were numerous, totalling 94, with a good mixture of grounded birds and other moving through the island. A single Reed Bunting was in the Wetlands.

Conditions were much improved after the stormy weekend, with a south‑easterly breeze force four, slight seas and good visibility. With temperatures rising to 13°C, the island felt noticeably calmer and more spring‑like.

Grey Seal numbers were exceptionally high, with 102 hauled out at Henllwyn, 63 at Solfach, two around Carreg yr Henwy and three elsewhere, making for an impressive day around the coastline.

One of the largest counts of Grey Seals all year © Steven Stansfield

Butterfly activity increased in the warmer conditions, with two Small Tortoiseshells at the LSA, one Peacock and single records of Large White, Green‑veined White and Red Admiral. Two Green Tiger Beetles were also noted at Solfach.

At sea Gannets were moving with 19 logged. Shags numbered ten and three Cormorants were around Carreg yr Henwy. Two Kittiwakes also passed along the West Coast.

Wildfowl were well represented. Shelducks reached eight split between Henllwyn, Solfach and the Narrows. Mallards totalled six with birds at Pwll Cain and the Wetlands. A pair of Gadwall remained at Pwll Cain. Moorhens numbered five across several freshwater sites.

Raptors included two Sparrowhawks, a Merlin along the West Coast and a male Peregrine over the Mountain.

Oystercatchers totalled 80 across the island, with strong concentrations at Henllwyn and the South End. Two Whimbrels were at Carreg yr Henwy. Singles of Snipe and Common Sandpiper (the first of the year and seventh earliest ever for the island) was in the Wetlands and one Redshank remained at Solfach.

Woodpigeons remained numerous with 30 across the island. Meadow Pipits totalled 14, while Rock Pipits numbered eight. Wagtails were prominent, with seven Pied Wagtails, five White Wagtails and ten 'alba' wagtails moving through, many heading south.

Wrens were abundant with 42 logged. Dunnocks numbered ten and two Robins were present. Stonechats were widespread, totalling 14 across several habitats. Wheatears numbered seven with birds on the South End, Henllwyn and the Narrows. Five Blackbirds were also recorded.

Warblers continued to build strongly. Chiffchaffs reached 29, Willow Warblers increased to 11 and Blackcaps numbered ten. A single Firecrest was not present today, but one Goldcrest remained. A single Blue Tit was recorded at Nant.

There were 29 Magpies recorded along with 14 Choughs and 22 Carrion Crows, with two Ravens were seen along the West Coast.

One of 29 Magpies seen today © Steven Stansfield

Finches showed strong movement. Goldfinches reached 61, while Linnets totalled 54. Two Siskins were also noted.

A windy but improving day with a strong south‑westerly breeze force 6 and a moderate sea state. Visibility was generally good and despite the fresh wind. The wind was still blowing gale force 8 at dawn, though conditions gradually eased through the day. By 3 pm lighter winds were noted and it finally felt as though things were beginning to settle and two hours later our guests were sitting in the bright sunshine on the terrace drinking tea and coffee. 

The sea was still very rough at 10am © Steven Stansfield

Thanks to storm dave and the delay we managed to get all the rooms shipshape, and the Lodge was looking very smart indeed.

Lounge ready © Steven Stansfield

Library all tidy © Steven Stansfield

North Double © Steven Stansfield

South Double - hard to believe this room was such a mess only a few days ago © Steven Stansfield

Away from the work, census saw Grey Seal numbers at 56 hauled out at Henllwyn and two at Solfach.

Butterfly activity included two Small Tortoiseshells at the LSA, while moth interest was limited to a single Early Thorn at the Observatory.

Seawatching produced steady passage. Four Fulmars moved north past the South End. Manx Shearwaters were moving strongly, with 124 logged including 122 moving south during a one‑hour sea watch. Gannets were particularly numerous, with 52 heading south and 52 Kittiwakes also passed south. Auks included 11 Guillemots, 60 Razorbills and 59 auk sp., all moving south.

Cormorants numbered six across the coastline and eight Shags were split between the West Coast, Henllwyn and the South End.

Wildfowl included two Shelducks at Henllwyn. Mallards totalled nine with seven males at Pwll Cain and a pair on the Wetlands. The pair of Gadwall remained at Pwll Cain. Moorhens numbered five across several freshwater sites.

Raptors included a male Sparrowhawk at the Observatory and a Peregrine passing the South End.

A single Whimbrel passed the South End and five Turnstones were feeding at Henllwyn.

A Sandwich Tern was a highlight, moving north past the South End.

Woodpigeons remained widespread with 29 across the island. 

Passerine movement continued steadily. Meadow Pipits totalled 55 and Rock Pipits numbered seven. Pied Wagtails were logged as two at the Observatory, while 'alba' wagtails numbered five moving overhead in both directions.

Stonechats numbered six and Wheatears totalled five across the island. Two Blackbirds were present.

Warblers included 12 Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, five Blackcaps and three Goldcrests.

The single Blue Tit was still at Nant. Two Chaffinches battled the wind along with seven Goldfinches and 12 Linnets.

A calm early morning turned into a very wet and blustery day with a seriously strong southerly severe storm force wind (f10, gusting f12) and a heavy sea state. Visibility was poor for much of the day and persistent rain during the afternoon and evening made conditions difficult. As darkness fell, the full brunt of Storm Dave hit, with gusts reaching 83mph! The island was being properly battered. 

Storm Dave giving its all © Steven Stansfield

As a result out first guests of the season could not make the crossing as the wind and sea rapidly increased as the morning progressed. this gave us a bit of a break and we were able to carryon getting the Obs ready for their arrival. Emma however was still over in the Lodge working at getting the place ready, polishing and tidying until 1am!

Everything needs to be perfect by tomorrow afternoon

Despite the conditions, seabird movement was impressive. A passage of Manx Shearwaters took place along the West Coast, with 1,057 logged. Of these, 934 passed during one and a half hours of sea watching, with a further 123 resting in several small rafts. Seven Gannets moved through and eight Shags were recorded, mainly along the West Coast. Five Cormorants were also present.

Wildfowl included four Shelducks split between Henllwyn and Solfach. Mallards totalled 13, with the pair of Gadwalls again present at Pwll Cain. Moorhens numbered three between Pwll Cain, the Wetlands and the Withies.

Raptors included a Sparrowhawk at the Observatory, a Merlin hunting along the West Coast and a Peregrine at Nant.

Wader numbers remained respectable despite the weather. Oystercatchers totalled 117, with the majority gathered around the Narrows. A single Snipe was present at the Wetlands and two Redshanks were logged at Henllwyn.

Woodpigeon numbers reached 32, with the remains of the Collared Dove found, having fallen to a raptor. Passerine numbers were lower in the difficult conditions but still included good interest. Meadow Pipits totalled 39 across the island and Rock Pipits numbered four. Pied Wagtail was noted once and two 'alba' wagtails were seen, one at Nant and one at the Observatory. Only one Stonechat was seen though Wheatears were more numerous, with 12 logged across the island. Warblers continued to arrive steadily. Chiffchaff numbers rose to 17, while Willow Warblers increased to nine. Two Blackcaps were present and Goldcrests totalled 11 and the Blue Tit was recorded at Nant. Finches continued to move despite the weather: Goldfinches numbered 20, all moving south very low, while Linnets totalled 42, with many also moving south close to the ground. Two Siskins were logged.

The 3rd was very blustery day with a strong south‑westerly wind force eight, a moderate sea state and generally murky visibility. Light rain fell at dawn and conditions remained unsettled throughout, although temperatures climbed to 12°C.

With Guests due within 24 hours it was all hands to the pumps following census. Cleaning and trying to get the work completed on the Obs. Joel and Ezra have done a great job in helping us get everything done. Emma carried on working late into the evening getting the beds tidies and all the place polished etc. on the north side. Steve spent the day finishing getting all the beds dressed, rooms cleaned on the south side and painting the rotten wall. Joel and Ezra began the final clean down of the Obs after Emma had done some training with them in the afternoon. Connor was pumping oil and generally helping tidy up. We were getting there!

The wall post dry-rot treatment and waiting for paint. ©Steven Stansfield

First coat of paint on © Steven Stansfield

In terms of non-fungi related wildlife (!) inverts remained scarce but included a single Small Tortoiseshell at the LSA hut. Day‑flying moths comprised one Early Thorn, one Common Quaker and a single Twenty‑plume Moth at the Observatory.

Offshore activity included one Fulmar and five Manx Shearwaters passing the South End. One Gannet moved through the Narrows and seven Shags were present around the coast. A single Great Black‑backed Gull, two Kittiwakes and two Guillemots were also noted offshore.

Wildfowl included four Shelducks split between Henllwyn and Solfach. Mallards totalled eight across several freshwater sites. The two Gadwall were present at Pwll Cain. Moorhens were logged at three sites.

Raptors were well represented despite the weather. Two Sparrowhawks were seen, along with a Buzzard at Nant and two Peregrines recorded around the Observatory.

Waders were dominated by Oystercatchers, which totalled 151, the majority gathered around the Narrows. Two Snipes were at the Wetlands. A single Curlew was logged along the West Coast and one Redshank remained at Solfach.

Gulls were present in larger numbers, with 218 Herring Gulls concentrated at Solfach, while eight Great Black‑backed Gulls were seen.

Woodpigeons were numerous again, totalling 29 across the island.

Passerine movement was noticeably reduced in the difficult conditions. Meadow Pipits totalled 20 and Rock Pipits 11. Three 'alba' Wagtails moved overhead. Only one Stonechat and one Wheatear were recorded and Blackbirds totalled three.

Warbler diversity remained low. Chiffchaffs dropped to six, with a single Willow Warbler also noted. One Blackcap was logged and Goldcrests numbered six.

The ringed Blue Tit was recorded at Nant. Nine Choughs gathered around the Observatory area, one Rook seen in the Observatory garden.

Finches were scarce, with just six Linnets logged.

Yet another breezy day with a south‑westerly wind force four, a slight sea state and generally good visibility. Rain arrived later in the afternoon and evening, with temperatures reaching 9 C.

Work continued on the Lodge ahead of the imminent arrival of guests at the weekend. The wall was treated with anti-fungal liquid ready to be painted tomorrow.

This should do the trick ©Steven Stansfield

PPE overload looks like Aliens have landed ©Steven Stansfield

Moth activity included two Early Thorns and a single Common Quaker at the Observatory.

Four Manx Shearwaters were heard calling from burrows on the South End, a clear sign that the breeding season is getting under way. Four Shags were present between the South End and Henllwyn. The lone Grey Heron remained at the Narrows.

Wildfowl were well represented. Three Shelducks were at Henllwyn and Mallards totalled five between Pwll Cristin, Pwll Gareth and Ty Pellaf Pond. The female Gadwall was at Pwll Gareth, but no sign of the male today.

Raptors included one Sparrowhawk around the Observatory, two Buzzards and a Merlin at the South End.

Moorhens numbered five across the freshwater pools. A Water Rail was heard at Nant. Oystercatchers totalled 77, with 50 at Henllwyn and smaller numbers elsewhere. 

A single Stock Dove was amongst the 24 Woodpigeons across the island and one Collared Dove at the Observatory. Two Long‑eared Owls, a male and female, were roosting together in gorse at Nant.

Meadow Pipits totalled 62 with birds moving in both directions across the island. Rock Pipits were scarce with just one at Tŷ Pellaf. Alba wagtails were conspicuous with 16 logged, many moving south.

Wrens were abundant with 41 counted, while Dunnocks numbered eight and Robins five. Stonechats totalled seven across several areas and four Wheatears were logged, mostly males. Blackbirds numbered five. The Blue Tit from yesterday arrived at the Observatory garden and made its way into a net.

Blue Tit © Steven Stansfield

Warblers remained a strong feature of the day. Chiffchaffs numbered 13, while Willow Warblers dropped to eight. A single Blackcap remained at Nant. Goldcrests totalled eight and two Firecrests were again seen around the Observatory.

Choughs numbered ten, mostly around the Mountain. A single Raven drifted between the Mountain and the Wetlands. Finches included eight Chaffinches, 30 Goldfinches, 22 Linnets and three Siskins. 

A blustery day with a steady westerly wind force four, a slight sea state and generally good visibility, although showers developed later in the afternoon. Temperatures reached 11°C.

Being April fools day, Ela and I cooked up a plan to trick Joel. With the help of Ai we produced a semi-realistic photo of a White Stork in the fields below Cristin. Ela then came to the Obs and said to Joel that she had seen a large Black and white Heron, with orange legs and beak and proceeded to show him this photo! We could not make the photo look really good or he would smell a rat, so we produced this awful image, for Ela to show him on her phone. The stork was a bit big, but it did the job. We had Joel for s short while anyway! Sorry Joel...

April Fool! White Stork - It's Massive! © Steven Stansfield and Nanno Bannana AI

Away from the tomfoolery, butterfly activity increased slightly with three Small Tortoiseshells and one Peacock seen, while moth interest included two Early Thorns at the Observatory.

The sea  produced two Gannets passed the South End and nine Shags were scattered around the island. Five Cormorants were also logged. 

A single Grey Heron remained at Pwll Gareth, beside an imaginary black and white 'heron'!

Wildfowl included six Shelducks divided between Henllwyn and Solfach and nine Mallards across Pwll Cristin, Pwll Gareth, the Wetlands and Solfach whilst the pair of Gadwall were still on Pwll Cain. Raptors were represented by two Sparrowhawks and a single Peregrine hunting around Nant.

Moorhens totalled five across the freshwater pools. Wader numbers were steady with Oystercatchers totalling 135. Two Snipes were at the Wetlands and two Whimbrels passed along the West Coast, with a single Curlew also there. A Green Sandpiper was another good record, in the Wetlands.

Gulls remained widespread with 88 Herring Gulls across the island and four Great Black‑backed Gulls. Two Kittiwakes passed the South End. Auks included one Guillemot, 21 Razorbills and a Puffin was also seen moving past the South End.

Woodpigeons were present in good numbers with 25 across the island. 

Passerine movement continued at a steady pace. Meadow Pipits totalled 64 and Rock Pipits seven. Alba wagtails reached eight with birds dotted around Nant, the Wetlands, the Observatory and the South End. Pied Wagtails numbered just three.

Wrens were very evident with 34 across the island, while Dunnocks reached ten and two Robins were noted. Stonechats totalled ten including several pairs holding territory. Wheatears increased again to 11, and five Blackbirds were logged. A Blue Tit at Nant was the first of the year.

Warblers showed a marked increase. Chiffchaff numbers rose sharply to 32 with birds widely spread. Willow Warblers reached 15. Blackcaps numbered five and Goldcrests reached 14 and a single Firecrest remained at the Observatory.

Corvids were prominent with 38 Magpies and 28 Carrion Crows recorded. Chough numbers were strong again with 19 across the Mountain. Two Ravens were also seen.

Finches were well represented, with nine Chaffinches, Goldfinches reached 50, Linnets numbered 45, again showing active passage. A single Reed Bunting was recorded at the Wetlands.

Work continued on the Lodge, with and electric fan heater being used to dry out the very wet wall!

Trying to dry out the very wet wall before Dry rot treatment is applied

 © Steven Stansfield

A drop in the harsh Westerlies at force four, with excellent visibility and temperature remaining high at 13°C. Making for a very pleasant day of birding.

A warm and sunny day © Steven Stansfield

Joel and Ezra began working on the garden, getting it tamed before the guests arrived. Ezra on the mower and Joel on the strimmer, they began to hack back at the miniature jungle which had grown up over Winter. Steve continued the task of dressing bedrooms and cleaning, whilst Emma followed around getting all the beds pulled straight, polishing and dusting.

The south quad being dressed, more painting is still required around the door, a top coat for the whole wall once the stain block is dry © Steven Stansfield

Beds made, awaiting Emma's final touch © Steven Stansfield

 © Steven Stansfield

The two Small Tortoiseshells remained hibernating in the LSA hut and two more were seen on the wing at Cristin, along with a Peacock. Inside Cristin, a Common Quaker was seen.

Seabirds were limited, with one Manx Shearwater off the South End and three Gannets were recorded. Three Cormorants and seven Shags were scattered around the coast. Two Sandwich Terns flew between Carreg yn Honwy and Solfach, fishing between the two and resting on the rocks. These were the first living Sandwich Terns recorded here this year.

Four Shelducks were present, with a pair on each beach. Mallards reached twelve and the Gadwall pair were at Pwll Cain.

Raptors included a Red Kite, a Peregrine and two Sparrowhawks seen at Cristin. A Merlin at the South End and another on the West Coast meant it was possible the Icelandic bird was seen today.

A Curlew and two Whimbrels were seen along the West Coast, two Redshanks at Solfach, and five Snipe were flushed in the Wetlands. Oystercatchers totalled 167.

An increase in Auks returning to the cliffs were seen today, with six Guillemots, 12 Razorbills and five Puffins seen flying up past Pencristin towards the colonies, along with 40 ‘auk sp.’.

The first House Martins were seen today with two seen flying north through the Wetlands from Crisitin.

Meadow Pipits totalled 56, with 23 being seen at the South End, and six Rock Pipits were seen between several sites. Pied Wagtails reached seven, and 19 ‘alba’ wagtails moved over the island throughout the day..

The warm and calm weather meant a high Dunnock count was achieved, with 18 seen across the island, the same was true with Robins with seven detected. Stonechats totalled eleven and Wheatears numbers remained consistent at seven. A female Blackbird was seen carrying nesting material at Ty Pellaf with four males seen elsewhere.

Dunnock with Flowering Currant as the backdrop © Joel Tragen

Warblers included two Blackcaps, twelve Chiffchaffs and four Willow Warblers, a noticeable increase compared with the rest of the week. Goldcrests numbered four, and the two Firecrests remained.

High numbers of corvids were seen today with 32 Magpies and 30 Carrion Crows. A large flock of 16 Choughs were seen over Crisitin.

Finches included seven Chaffinches, 42 Goldfinches, two Siskins and 35 Linnets. Included grounded Chaffinch and good Goldfinch passage.

This was the first day nets could be opened for the first time in a while. A total of 11 birds were trapped, including a Firecrest, one each of all the other warblers present and six finches (four Goldfinches and two Chaffinches).

Firecrest © Steven Stansfield