The blue skies were deceptive today with a 30mph wind from the north and the temperature dropping to 4⁰C! There was even a sprinkling of light hail over Pen Cristin this afternoon. After keeping busy yesterday it was good to catch up with some office work including inputting our ringing data into the online system. 

Llŷn Peninsula from the North End

The windy conditions made the daily census difficult with most birds finding somewhere sheltered. Four Swallows were seen struggling north and the a Ringed Plover was on Solfach. The upside of the wind is that seawatching has improved with a Red-throated Diver, a Black-headed Gull, 39 Gannets, 15 Manx Shearwaters and 25 Kittiwakes flying close to the coastline. 

Closer to the ground, Sam counted four Green Tiger Beetles at the South End. Ben Porter, who is a previous Bardsey resident, found some Sea Stork's-bill on Pen Cristin. It is a small and difficult to spot plant species mostly limited to coastal areas in Wales, Cornwall, Devon and the East coast of Ireland. 

Green Tiger Beetle

Sea Stork's-bill

Birds today: one Red-throated Diver, nine Fulmars, 15 Manx Shearwaters, 25 Gannets, one Merlin, one Ringed Plover, one Purple Sandpiper, one Jack Snipe, three Curlews, two Redshanks, one Black-headed Gull, 25 Kittiwakes, four Swallows, four Wheatears, one Blackcap, one Starling, 24 Linnets, one Lesser Redpoll.