Monday 28 May 2018

It was another calm and muggy day on Bardsey. A bank of fog rolled in off Cardigan Bay during the morning, making census a bit of struggle since we couldn't see three metres in front of us at times, but it soon lifted to reveal a beautiful day and a clear out of migrants. The second Stock Dove of the year was on the South End and a Grey Wagtail flew over, but perhaps the most unusual record of the day was a Mistle Thrush found in the gorse on the West Coast late in the evening. This species is an uncommon passage migrant in early spring and autumn, but a record in late May almost unheard of! With the island's recent spell of scarcities it briefly got the mind racing when it first popped up as a distant large thrush-shaped silhouette!

Other birds today included 815 Manx Shearwaters, four Gannets, three Cormorants, 22 Shags, a Grey Heron, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, a Kestrel, a Peregrine, a Sanderling, seven Dunlins, a Curlew, eight Puffins, two Collared Doves, a Little Owl, a Swift, two Stonechats, 11 Wheatears, a Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler, three Blackcaps, three Chiffchaffs, four Willow Warblers, just three Spotted Flycatchers, four Chaffinches and 17 Linnets.

The moth trap held the first Small Elephant Hawk-moth of the year, whilst out on the coastline hundreds of migrant Diamond-back Moths (Plutella xylostella) were flushed underfoot. These are part of a wider nationwide influx taking place at the moment.


The Lighthouse was floating above the island this morning. Weird.

When the winds are coming from the right direction millions (perhaps even billions) of Diamond-back Moths can arrive in the UK. There were at least several hundred scattered along the coastline this evening. It'll be interesting to see if any turn up in the moth trap tonight.

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