Fresh northwesterly force 5 winds moderated to force 3 later in the day, bringing excellent visibility, calm sea state 3 conditions, dry weather, and a maximum temperature of 16°C.

Seawatching off the West Coast and North End produced good variety of Skua movement along with high numbers of passing auks. Highlight records included a juvenile Long-tailed Skua and an adult Pomarine Skua off the West Coast along with five Arctic Skuas, and a Great Skua off the North End. Further seawatch movement included 1,193 Razorbills, 355 Kittiwakes, 156 Gannets, 40 Manx Shearwaters, 33 Common Scoters, 21 Sandwich Terns, nine Fulmars, six Arctic Terns, and four Black-headed Gulls.

Wader passage and coastal records featured 44 Curlews, five Bar-tailed Godwits resting at the Narrows before heading south, three Whimbrels, three Turnstones, two Redshanks, a Snipe, and a Ringed Plover. Passerine migration saw a small influx of grounded warblers and other landbirds, led by 13 Blackcaps, six Chiffchaffs, three Goldcrests, three Wheatears, 26 Swallows, 21 Meadow Pipits, 21 Linnets, nine Rock Pipits, six unassigned alba wagtails, five Grey Wagtails, and a Skylark. 

Curlew (c) Steven Stansfield

Marine mammal activity featured a Risso's Dolphin off the North End. Grey Seal counts reached 114 adults alongside 18 pups.

Today saw force 5 westerly winds causing sea state 4, but otherwise it was a pleasant day with very good visibility, no rain, and temperatures reaching a high of 18°C.

Seawatching produced the best of the birds today, with one Pomarine Skua, nine Arctic Skua, and one Great Skua all heading south from the north end. Ten Little Tern and one Sabine’s Gull were also seen in the same direction.

Other seabirds included impressive numbers of Razorbill, totalling 1241, 65 Guillemot, 637 Kittiwake, 41 Sandwich Tern, 16 Common Tern, three Arctic Tern, nine Fulmar, 222 Manx Shearwater, and 439 Gannet. In terms of wildfowl seen over the sea, 38 Common Scoter, one Teal, and seven Wigeon were all noted, and a total of 18 Mallard on Solfach.

Wader highlights were one Purple Sandpiper at the north end, one Dunlin, 11 Curlew, one Redshank, and one Common Sandpiper.

Landbirds included 15 Chough, 10 Rock Pipit, 14 Linnet, and one Skylark around the west coast. Other migratory passerines were seen such as nine Swallow, one House Martin, five White Wagtail, two Blackcap, six Chiffchaff, two Willow Warbler, and two Goldcrest.

Chough on the Narrows (C) Elliott Haywood

In terms of other wildlife, very little was seen, although a single Peacock butterfly at Nant was the highlight.

Despite the mist and general poor visibility, a good variety of waders was found on the shores including 23 Turnstones, five Ringed Plovers, three Purple Sandpipers, three Redshanks, a Dunlin, a Whimbrel, a Curlew and a Common Sandpiper. Amongst the Ringed Plovers there was one individual that we ringed last week that has remained on the Island so far. Temperatures peaked at 17°C with brisk force 5 southwesterly winds creating an unsettled sea state 4.

View over Henllwyn up to Ty Pellaf and Pen Cristin shrouded by mist (c) Ezra Sherwell

Landbird sightings were constrained by the weather, though a notable record of two grounded Skylark was produced, with these being only the second and third individuals records on the ground this year. Other passerine sightings included 21 Meadow Pipits, 18 Rock Pipits, 10 Robins, 11 Linnets, four Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, two Grey Wagtails, 17 White Wagtails, two Stonechats, a single Swallow, and six Woodpigeons. 

Light southerly force 2 winds created calm sea state 2 conditions, though very poor visibility constrained any seawatching and counts across the island, with temperatures reaching 18°C.

Despite the thick conditions, ringing operations at the Observatory provided valuable observations of grounded migrants, featuring six Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, two Goldcrests, three Robin, two Dunnocks and one Wren processed. An additional two Chiffchaffs, one Goldcrests, 10 Robins, a Song Thrush, and a Goldfinch were also recorded largely around the Observatory. 

Overhead calls and open-ground records included 10 White Wagtails, an unassigned alba wagtail, a Grey Wagtail over the Observatory, seven Meadow Pipits, and a Rock Pipit. Coastal waders and waterbirds recorded around the island included 30 Curlews, four Whimbrels, two Turnstones and a Redshank.

Grey Seal activity remained high with 103 haul-out adults recorded across the island alongside a new year high of 13 pups.

Grey Seal Pup (c) Phoebe Moss

The weather today brought some stormy weather with southwesterly force 6 winds, rough seas (Sea State 6), poor visibility, and morning rain showers, with temperatures peaking at 17°C.

Wader passage highlighted the day's sightings, headlined by 26 Bar-tailed Godwits passing over the Narrows. Additional shorebird records included 41 Curlews (40 along the West Coast), 25 Turnstones, five Whimbrels, four Ringed Plovers, four Redshanks, two Purple Sandpipers at the Narrows, and a Common Sandpiper. Seawatching off the West Coast and North End produced a passing Roseate Tern off the South End, 43 Gannets, 20 Common Scoters heading south off the West Coast, two Fulmars, two Manx Shearwaters, two Kittiwakes and two Teal at Pwll Gareth.

Gannet (c) Steven Stansfield

Vismig and landbird movement was led by 62 Swallows and a House Martin, with the majority of these seen passing off the Island from the South End. Grounded migrants and songbirds included a Whinchat (released from the roost at Cristin Garden Lane), eight Chiffchaffs, five Goldcrests, four Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler, 13 White Wagtails, 20 Rock Pipits and five Robins.

An evening of Manx Shearwater ringing produced 20 individuals ringed and 3 recaptured with the vast majority of these now being young birds.