The winter months can be fairly quiet, and often lack much, if any, movement of wildlife as most species are settled into their wintering grounds. However, as the arctic blast from the east, a storm named Emma, approached it brought strong easterly winds coupled with a drastic drop in temperature forcing birds to move west across the UK and grounding individuals on the island. Initially a handful of Golden Plovers were spotted in the North West Fields which was a real treat. Not a usual winter species on the island, more often a species seen passing by the island during the Autumn months. However the real spectacle of what was happening was apparent as the day progressed. Small parties swooped down from the skies alighting in the island fields forming larger and larger groups until by the end of the day the island record for this species had been broken with a whopping 314 individuals noted!

Previous annual counts of Golden Plovers on Bardsey Island

Lapwings, again another species not usually recorded at this time of year was also clearly disrupted by the storm. In total 68 were recorded, their beautiful but alien like calls echoing around the islands landscape. Other species of waders were not seemingly effected as of yet and numbers were generally as usual, 47 oystercatchers, three Purple Sandpipers, three Common Snipes, a Whimbrel, two Redshanks and three Turnstones were present around the Narrows.

A Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard stalked the island, perhaps in search of an easy meal, meanwhile a few Thrushes were also present including 13 Fieldfares, six Song Thrushes and two Redwings. A gang of nine Ravens squabbled over the island and 12 Choughs made up corvid numbers.