It was another productive day for birding and ringing today, once again there were Willow Warblers singing in the garden first thing in the morning, which is always a gorgeous sound to hear. The weather was flat calm in the morning, perhaps a very slight south-westerly, later in the afternoon it turned to a slightly chilly northerly.

Bright sunshine over the island today

Cristin and Nant were busy with Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, many were singing and calling, but otherwise, they were simply seen in the conifers. Blackcaps were the other warbler seen in large numbers, but a welcome addition to the Bardsey year list came in the form of a Grasshopper warbler which was heard singing above Cristin and later caught and ringed.

Grasshopper Warbler ringed at Cristin

Wheatears were on the move in the mid-morning, dozens were seen across the island between 11:00 and 13:00, but by the late afternoon, there were barely any to be seen in the Lowlands. Hirundine passage continued to be slow with just a handful of Swallows and Sand Martins seen throughout the day.

There was some variety with the waders again today. The Grey Plover was on the South End as it was yesterday and it was accompanied by five Whimbrels that were all feeding on the grass. 

Sunset over the West Coast

Birds today: Fulmar, one Buzzard, one Merlin, three Peregrines, Grey Plover, one Snipe, five Whimbrels, two Redshanks, six Turnstones, one Collared Dove, eight Sand Martins, five Swallows, one White Wagtail, three Robins, one Grasshopper Warbler, 18 Blackcaps, 26 Chiffchaffs, 88 Willow Warblers, three Goldcrests, one Rook, five Chaffinches, 13 Siskins, 28 Linnets, 26 Goldfinches.

Ringing totals: Goldfinch 4, Siskin 7, Goldcrest 2, Willow Warbler 39, Chiffchaff 10, Blackcap 11, Grasshopper Warbler 1, Stonechat 1, Robin 1 (1), Wren (1).