Sea anemones are a group of water dwelling, predatory animals that are closely related to corals and jellyfish. There are several species of sea anemone to be found in the waters surrounding Bardsey.Snakelocks Anemones, like this one, can be found most easily in Cafn at low tide.

Beadlet anemones are the most common and agressive anemone found in the coastal rock pools. Pictures (c) Gwyn Stacey

A quiet day. 14 Common Sandpipers were feeding amongst the mounds of decaying seaweed in Solfach, a Reed Bunting was seen on the mountain and a Sparrowhawk flew through the plantation.

The only really noteworthy bird of the day was an early returning Pied Flycatcher at Nant. 28 Willow Warblers and a Starling were still around, 12 Common Sandpipers and a Grey Heron were still on the coast and 28 Common Scoters were seen at sea.

The first Spotted Flycatcher for a while was at Ty Nesaf, 18 Willow Warblers, three Starlings, a Swift and a Kestrel were logged and ten Common Scoters flew by at sea. 12 Common Sandpipers were around the beach and a flock of 31 Oystercatchers was seen flying south over the island.

One of the highlights of the year so far was the discovery of this Lesser Horseshoe Bat roosting on the staircase carpet of Ty Nesaf. They typically live in sedentary colonies so the events leading to the arrival of this first for Bardsey are unclear. (c) Richard Brown

 

Sandeels are the staple diet of several of our breeding seabirds and high numbers this summer may account for the good breeding season for Guillemots and Razorbills. Picture (c) Gwyn Stacey

A couple of Blackcaps were found and 22 Willow Warblers were still present. Nine Common Sandpipers and a Grey Heron were around the coast and the Parakeet was still visiting the observatory garden.

The moth trap in the withies produced a good catch including a Haworth's Minor - a new species for the island.

Haworth's Minor

The Drinker. 2010 has been a record year for this species. Most records refer to the males, which come more readily to light, but females such as this one occasionally turn up in the moth traps and can sometimes be found resting by day. The name 'Drinker' comes from the caterpillar's supposed habit of drinking dew drops.

Pictures (c) Richard Else

Good numbers of Common sandpiper have been recorded around the island's coast 
(c) Ben Porter

Willow warblers continue to pass through (c) Ben Porter

The Common Prawn, found in the shallow waters around Bardsey, can change the lines and spots of colour marking its body so that their pattern matches their background.

The Shanny is a common fish in shallow water around the island. This is another animal that can change its colour to match its habitat. Pictures (c) Gwyn Stacey

Very few new birds were seen during a much more typical July day. The Cuckoo and Collared Dove were still present and 32 Willow Warblers remained scattered around the island.

By far the most dramatic sight of the day was this spectacular roll cloud that swept low over the island during the afternoon. A relatively uncommon form of Stratocumulus, a Roll Cloud or Arcus is a long tube-shaped cloud, detached from any other cloud, that appears to roll across the sky on a horizontal axis. In coastal situations they are usually created by the movement of a cool sea breeze. Picture (c) Richard Else

A Little Egret was present early in the morning and in the afternoon a Red Kite was seen over the mountain. Most of the previous day’s birds had departed by morning and only 30 Willow Warblers remained. The Cuckoo and Collared Dove were still present, seven Sand Martins were seen and eight Common Scoters were at sea.

Mist during the night had lifted by morning to reveal another good fall of warblers on the island. The Willow Warbler count came to 125, with birds seen all over the island. A good number were on the South End, and a group feeding in the lighthouse garden was found to contain a Melodious Warbler that showed well amongst the small row of bushes. The first Garden Warbler of the autumn was also at the lighthouse while numbers of other warblers on the island came to seven Grasshopper Warblers, 23 Sedge Warblers and five Blackcaps. A Greenshank was the pick of the waders, although the Black-tailed Godwit remained and six Whimbrel, seven Turnstones, six Dunlins and four Common Sandpipers were also seen. A Great Northern Diver flew north off the west coast, a Sandwich Tern and 15 Common Scoters were also at sea and a little hirundine passage involved 37 Sand Martins and a few Swallows.

This Melodious warbler in the lighthouse garden was the highlight of another good day. (c) Ben Porter

Willow Warblers (top two), Sedge Warbler (middle) and Garden Warbler (bottom). Pictures (c) Ben Porter

Turnstones have been among a good selection of waders in recent days. (c) Ben Porter

A miserable day produced little in the way of birds, with a juvenile Cuckoo the most interesting find. The Black-tailed Godwit was still present, and other waders included five Common Sandpipers and four Dunlins. 15 Willow Warblers remained on the island and a couple of Sand Martins were seen.

Calm winds and overcast skies in the night led to a few more waders and warblers being present: a total of 30 Willow warblers were seen, a vocal Grasshopper Warbler was in the wetlands and 6 Sedge Warblers were in the oat fields. A good selection of 13 different species of wader included the Black-tailed Godwit from yesterday evening, two Lapwings, a Sanderling, seven Common Sandpipers, seven Turnstones, six Dunlins and two Purple Sandpipers. Seawatching produced a Common Tern, a Sandwich Tern and 20 Common Scoters, as well as four Risso's Dolphins.

 A variety of waders were seen today including this Sanderling

A Sandwich Tern (above) and a Common Tern were also seen today

Up to twenty Grayling butterflies have been present on the mountain

pictures (c) Ben Porter

The most notable bird of the day was a smart Black-tailed Godwit whose arrival in the evening provided an unexpected distraction from a football match taking place on the Narrows. The first Sparrowhawk for some weeks was seen at the plantation, three Lapwings were on the South End, eight Purple Sandpipers arrived in Henllwyn and a Grey Heron was roosting on Carreg yr Honwy. Eight Willow Warblers were still present, a single Siskin was seen and a Couple of Sand Martins and a Swift passed through. The long-staying Ring-necked Parakeet continued to visit the peanut feeder at Cristin.

Today was quiet compared with the unseasonal excitement of the previous day, but it was still good by July’s usual standards. The sighting of the day was a male Crossbill seen drinking from a puddle near the limekiln, while other highlights were mainly residue from yesterday’s arrival: 27 Willow Warblers and a couple of Grasshopper Warblers remained, along with a single Snipe. A flock of seven Common Sandpipers continued a good period of passage for this species, a couple of Swifts and Starlings were seen and six Common Scoters passed at sea.

A Spectacle was the only noteworthy moth in the trap (c) Ben Porter

A drop in the wind overnight combined with a dark and cloudy sky resulted in an unexpected fall of migrants, many of which had presumably been drawn towards the lighthouse during the night. The bushes on the South End were teaming with warblers, some of which filtered through to the rest of the island during the day. At least 60 Willow Warblers were counted, along with 25 Grasshopper Warblers and eight Sedge Warblers. A Whinchat was near the observatory and six Snipe in the lowlands were also likely to have been attracted to the beacon. The first Mediterranean Gull of the autumn was sat on the sea with 17 Black-headed Gulls and six Little Egrets, presumably the same flock from last week, flew north. A flock of around 40 Sand Martins appeared and joined the local Swallows hawking above the hay fields, nine Swifts passed through and a couple of Collared Doves and a Siskin were seen. Two Dunlins, three Common Sandpipers, 11 Redshanks, three Whimbrels, 52 Curlews and a Heron were on the coast and 13 Common Scoters flew past at sea. The first Risso’s Dolphins of the year (three adults and a calf) were seen off the South End.

Sedge warblers(top), Grasshopper warblers (middle) and Willow warblers (bottom) were seen in numbers all over the island today (c) Ben Porter

Three Willow Warblers in the plantation were early southbound migrants and a Kestrel was also a new arrival. Two Common Sandpipers sheltered from the waves with 13 Redshanks at high tide and 4 Whimbrels were with the Curlew flock.

3 Willow Warblers were among the usual Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Redpolls at Nant (c) Ben Porter

4 Whimbrels were around Solfach (c) Ben Porter

The Spiny Spider Crab is common in the waters surrounding Bardsey (c) Gwyn Stacey

Strong winds combined with big spring tides pushed many of the waders onto the high shore; 6 Redshank, 4 Common Sandpiper, 5 Turnstone and the first Purple sandpiper since April-May were on the rocks near Solfach. Over 70 Gannets and 400 Manx shearwaters passed by at sea. In Solfach 8 Black headed gulls and 76 Herring gulls fed at the churned up surface and a single tame Dunlin scuttled along the shore, dodging the waves.

Dunlin (top), Common Sandpiper (2nd down), Turnstone (3rd down) and Purple Sandpiper (4th down)

all pictures (c) Ben Porter

Several Kittiwake passed close by (c) Ben Porter

A last visit to the east side auk colonies found only two Razorbill chicks left among the boulder fields. A bonus Storm Petrel was also found among the rocks.

It was the distinctive smell which led to the discovery of this Storm Petrel (c) Richard Brown

Six Little Egret remained around the narrows this morning. The very vocal Curlew flock has increased to 52. A Whimbrel, five Common Sandpiper, four Dunlin, five Redshank and five Turnstone all remain. A flock of 24 Common Scoter passed at sea. Up to 63 Black-headed Gull have joined the larger gulls feeding in Solfach. Eight Sand Martin were the first for a while and were accompanied by 13 House Martin and 28 Swift in a low feeding flock above the obs.

A record shot of the 6 Little egrets ( the other one is out of sight!) that flew by earlier in the day (c) Ben Porter

Black headed gulls (top) and Herring gulls (bottom) were feeding in Solfach at high tide today (c) Ben Porter

The highlight of a very quiet few days birding was an unprecedented flock of 11 Little Egret passing around the island at sea. Somewhat surprisingly, there have only been approximately 15 previous Bardsey records. Six Grey Heron also passed by on this epic day of Ardeidae passage.

Little Egrets and a Gannet (honest) (c) Richard Brown

Wader numbers continue to increase with up to 46 Curlew and smaller numbers of Redshank, Turnstone and Whimbrel. A few Swift, Goldfinch and Lesser Redpoll are seen most days and the first returning Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff have been recorded.

A few Turnstone have been feeding in Solfach at high tide at the moment (c) Ben Porter

A Poplar hawkmoth (top) and Oblique carpet (bottom) were two of 26 species caught in the moth trap this morning (c) Ben Porter

A very quiet few days bird wise. Seabird passage has remained steady but with no surprises. An Arctic Tern lurked in the mist this morning and up to four Common Sandpiper remain around the coast. The Curlew flock has increased to 36 and a Whimbrel has joined them. An attempt to dazzle Common Sandpiper only yielded two Ringed Plover and a bonus 80 or so Manx Shearwater.

Young Swallows also find barbed wire fences to their liking. Top (c) Richard Brown,
both bottom (c) Ben Porter

Manx Shearwater continue to pass close to the shore, possibly looking for barbed wire fences (c) Richard Brown

A Map-winged swift was this mornings highlight in the moth trap (c) Ben Porter

Sandpiper passage continued today with the arrival of 21 Common Sandpiper, including a flock of 14 on the West Coast. A Grey Heron and 12 Common Scoter passed at sea. Two Grey Wagtail flew over the south end and seven Swift headed north. At Nant two Collared Dove had returned and three very vocal Lesser Redpoll toured the gardens. The Grasshopper Warbler continues to hold territory and the Ring-necked Parakeet continues to look lost.

The predator-free Welsh Islands are vital to the world population of Manx Shearwater. Approximately 2000 are seen most days at the moment. (c) Richard Brown

3 Pairs of Sedge warblers are breeding this year, some are feeding chicks (c) Ben Porter

Sunday night produced a poor catch in the moth trap, although there was a Drinker (top). However, last night due to calm winds,over 130 moths were caught.In amongst them was a Lime-speck pug (bottom), which has not been caught on the island before. both pictures (c)Ben Porter