A southwesterly wind at Force 2 to 3, a sea state of two, excellent visibility, and temperatures reaching 19°C provided conditions for cetacean observations and ringing efforts around the island.

Cetacean counts off the east side recorded 13 Risso's Dolphins, comprising a pod of six that included a calf, two separate groups of three, and a single individual. In addition, three Bottlenose Dolphins were logged to the northeast of the Island near to the mainland.

Female and calf Risso's Dolphin seen off Pen Cristin (c) Jason Brook

Risso's Dolphin (c) Jason Brook

Ringing operations focused around the Observatory processed several species throughout the day. Birds trapped and ringed or re-trapped included eight Willow Warblers, four Wrens, one Sparrowhawk, three Magpies, one Sedge Warbler, one Robin and one Blackbird. A juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker was also spotted in the observatory garden during the ringing session although it unfortunately evaded the nets.

Additional observations across the island noted two Grey Herons, 14 Curlews at Carreg yr Honwy, four Whimbrels at Carreg yr Honwy, two Redshanks, one Black-headed Gull off the West Coast, one Common Gull at Solfach, three Sandwich Terns off the South End, six House Martins, four Swallows, three Pied Wagtails, three Stonechats, and one Woodpigeon.

Weather conditions logged a southwesterly Force 3 wind, a sea state of three, clear visibility, and a temperature of 18°C.

Shoreline counts recorded 43 Oystercatchers across Pen Cristin, Cristin, Henllwyn, South End, Carreg yr Honwy, West Coast, and North End. Migrant waders included eight Whimbrels split between Cristin, Henllwyn, South End, West Coast, and North End, eight Curlews, four Redshanks, and one Turnstone at Carreg yr Honwy.

Seabird and gull totals comprised eight Mediterranean Gulls including seven at Carreg yr Honwy and one off the West Coast, 11 Black-headed Gulls, four Common Gulls, 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 452 Herring Gulls, six Great Black-backed Gulls, 15 Kittiwakes, four Sandwich Terns off the West Coast, 22 Gannets, 12 Shags, seven Cormorants, one Fulmar off the West Coast, and ten Manx Shearwaters off the South End.

Passerine counts included 16 Willow Warblers with 11 logged at Nant, three Chiffchaffs at Nant, one Whitethroat on the Mountain, three Wheatears, five Stonechats, 18 Swallows, four House Martins at the South End, 12 Meadow Pipits, six Rock Pipits, three Pied Wagtails, 14 Linnets, one Robin at the Observatory and nine Woodpigeons. Raptor observations comprised four Sparrowhawks near the Observatory, one Kestrel on the Mountain, and one Peregrine at Nant. 

Linnet bathing in a pool on the Narrows (c) Ezra Sherwell

Coastal counts recorded 227 Grey Seals, with 195 hauled out at Henllwyn, nine at Carreg yr Honwy, three at Solfach, and 20 around remaining island shorelines.

Strong westerly winds reaching Force 5 along with a matching sea state of five brought an impressive day of seabird movement. The standout highlight of the day was the first Sooty Shearwater of the season heading northeast along the West Coast.

Seawatching off the West Coast featured a heavy morning passage of 6,013 Manx Shearwaters heading North, with peak movement reaching around 2,500 birds per hour. An evening seawatch from the South End produced an estimated 5,000 birds past the point, gathering around the island waiting for it to get dark bringing the daily total of Manx Shearwaters to 11,013. Additional seabirds pushing North off the West Coast included 159 Gannets (with a further three off the South End bringing the total to 162), 11 Fulmars, 55 Kittiwakes (alongside 20 off the South End and 17 at Carreg yr Honwy for a total of 92), 13 Black-headed Gulls, two Great Black-backed Gulls, two Shags, one Lesser Black-backed Gull, and six Herring Gulls. Heading south off the West Coast were 11 Sandwich Terns.

Coastal counts around Carreg yr Honwy, Solfach, and Pen Cristin included 493 Herring Gulls split between 250 at Pen Cristin and 243 at Carreg yr Honwy, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls at Carreg yr Honwy, ten Black-headed Gulls across Carreg yr Honwy and Solfach, six Great Black-backed Gulls at Carreg yr Honwy, three Shags at Carreg yr Honwy, a lone Oystercatcher at Pen Cristin, and a Moorhen in Withies.

Landbird migration featured ten Willow Warblers spread across Nant, Withies, the Observatory, and Wetlands, two Sedge Warblers and a single Reed Warbler along Green Lane. Other passerine records included two Chiffchaffs at the Observatory, 12 Stonechats, four Swallows and two Pied Wagtails at Nant. Raptors were represented by single records of both Kestrel and Sparrowhawk near the Observatory. 

During the afternoon we went to monitor and ring some of the Manx Shearwater chicks which are growing quickly and starting to look quite large and downy.

Five week old Manxy chick (c) Steven Stansfield