Bardsey's Wildlife

2026-09-21T08:45:00.000+01:00

Gentle southerly force 3 winds brought very poor visibility with morning mizzle, calm sea state 2 conditions, and a maximum temperature of 16°C, making seawatching impossible for most of the day.

Wetland, shore, and inshore counts produced 10 Ringed Plovers at Solfach, six Curlews, six Turnstones, five Grey Herons, two Redshanks offshore, a Whimbrel at the Narrows, a Dunlin, and a Little Egret at the North End. Raptor activity featured a Sparrowhawk at Tyllwyd and a Kestrel at Pen Cristin. Visible overhead migration and grounded songbirds picked up noticeably. Moving southward totals featured 71 Lesser Black-backed Gulls passing south, 23 Swallows, a House Martin, 41 Meadow Pipits, 12 Grey Wagtails, three Tree Pipits, and an alba wagtail. Grounded migrants and residents included 28 Robins, 18 Linnets, 12 Rock Pipits, six Blackcaps, six Chiffchaffs, four Goldcrests, and a singing Willow Warbler at the Observatory.

Marine mammal monitoring recorded a Harbour Porpoise off the West Coast.

Insect activity was limited due to the overcast weather but did produce five Bedstraw Hawkmoth caterpillars found on the Fuchsia around the Observatory. Up to today there hadn't been a record of this fine moth on the island - so somehow at least one female has managed to arrive and slip by the moth trap and all of us, lay a bunch of eggs on the Fuchsia in the garden and then disappear unseen!

Bedstraw Hawkmoth Catterpiller (c) Ezra Sherwell

2026-09-20T11:52:00.000+01:00

Today's sightings were highlighted by the record of an adult LAUGHING GULL seen passing south down the west coast just before we did changeover. This is the first record of this North American gull for the island. The bird passed close in shore and disappeared over the Narrows as it made its way south. Unfortunately, a thorough search post-changeover proved fruitless and so far the bird hasn't been relocated.

Other notable records during the morning's seawatch included a 2CY Pomarine Skua, seven Arctic Skuas, three Great Skuas, a juvenile Sabine's Gull off the West Coast, a Sooty Shearwater, and a Red-throated Diver off the North End. Heavy movement of more common species included 984 Kittiwakes, 899 Razorbills, 229 Manx Shearwaters, 138 Gannets, 22 Guillemots, 22 Common Scoters, 23 Arctic Terns, 16 Sandwich Terns, and seven Common Terns. Gentle westerly force 3 winds brought calm sea state 2 conditions, excellent visibility, and dry weather, with a maximum temperature of 17°C.

Coastal species and waterfowl produced 36 Curlews, five Whimbrels, three Redshanks, three Turnstones, a Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, a Teal at Pwll Gareth, 16 Shags, four Cormorants, and three Grey Herons. Raptor activity was highlighted by a Marsh Harrier (the fifth record this year) moving north over the island, along with two Sparrowhawks and a Kestrel.

Marsh Harrier circling high over the Observatory (c) Steven Stansfield

Landbird migration and grounded songbirds featured 14 Chiffchaffs, 12 Blackcaps, 10 Goldcrests, two Willow Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher at the Observatory, 15 Robins, 13 Stonechats, two Wheatears, 21 Swallows, a House Martin, 33 Meadow Pipits, and 24 Linnets.

Insect activity during the calm, clear conditions included eight Red Admirals, six Painted Ladies, five Small Coppers, three Green-veined Whites, two Speckled Woods, a Large White, a Comma (which may well have colonised the island now, with the number of records in the past two years), a Migrant Hawker, and five Humming-bird Hawk-moths.

2026-09-19T21:38:00.000+01:00

Fresh southwesterly force 5 winds generated rough seas (Sea State 5) and poor visibility accompanied by morning rain showers, with temperatures reaching 17°C.

Sunset over the West Coast (c) Steven Stansfield

A quiet start to the days seawatching delivered results late morning and in the evening with a Leach's Petrel passing south past North Hide and three Sabine's Gulls, two of which passed south off the West Coast in the morning and another south past North Hide in the evening. Other offshore passage included one Curlew Sandpiper in with a flock of 13 Dunlin, 598 Kittiwakes, 101 Manx Shearwaters, five Arctic Skuas, 129 Gannets, 117 Razorbills, nine Guillemots, three Sandwich Terns and two Arctic Terns.

Other wader counts were generally low with five Curlews, a Whimbrel and three Grey Herons noted. Raptor sightings featured two Sparrowhawks. Landbird migration included a Firecrest at Nant alongside 12 Goldcrests, five Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, 17 Robins, two Grey Wagtails, two Swallows, 19 Rock Pipits and four Meadow Pipits across the island.

Cetacean monitoring recorded at least 10 Risso's Dolphins moving off the West Coast. Grey Seal counts reached 99 adults across the island's haul-outs alongside 23 pups.

2026-09-18T13:50:00.000+01:00

The highlight of the day came right at the end when a Short-eared Owl was caught down on the Narrows at around 11pm. The bird was subsequently ringed and released shortly after.

Short-eared Owl caught and ringed under BTO permit (c) Mervyn Jones

Westerly force 7 winds generated rough seas (Sea State 6), poor visibility, and moderate afternoon rain, keeping temperatures around 16°C. Despite the windy conditions, seawatching was fairly quiet but did deliver five Arctic Skuas, 79 Manx Shearwaters, one single Sandwich Tern, 351 Razorbills, 103 Kittiwakes, four Guillemots 90 Gannets, and a Common Scoter. Wader counts around the coast produced 35 Curlews at Pen Cristin, eight Turnstones at Solfach, five Whimbrels, a Snipe flushed at the Narrows, a Ringed Plover, one Redshank and two Grey Herons (including one passing the West Coast).

Landbird sightings were largely restricted to sheltered areas with species logged including four Goldcrests, four Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler, a Wheatear, two Stonechats, seven Robins, 32 Rock Pipits, 16 Meadow Pipits, eight Linnets, and a single Woodpigeon. Visible movement overhead was subdued, featuring nine Grey Wagtails, four unassigned alba wagtails and two Swallows over the Narrows.

Cetacean records featured at least five Risso's Dolphins off the West Coast. Grey Seal numbers were up again with 201 adults counted across the island's haul-outs. Seal pup numbers also increased with 17 recorded.

2026-09-17T12:16:00.000+01:00

Westerly force 6 winds built rough seas at Sea State 5, accompanied by good visibility and a light afternoon shower, with temperatures reaching 16°C.

View from the evening seawatching at the North Hide (c) Ezra Sherwell

Seawatching efforts for the day were headlined by four Sooty Shearwaters with one moving south off the West Coast in the morning and three south past North Hide in the evening and a Pomarine Skua passing south past North Hide. A report of a Mute Swan passing down the west coast of the island made up the most unusual sighting of the day. Some notable movement of other species was also evident with 377 Manx Shearwaters, three Arctic Skuas, and a Great Skua off the West Coast. Terns moving along the coast included 14 Arctic Terns, seven Common Terns, four Sandwich Terns, and three Commic Terns. Alcids dominated the seawatch by numbers with a passage of1,689 Razorbills, alongside seven Guillemots, 306 Kittiwakes, 131 Gannets, six Common Scoters, and a single Fulmar.

Wader sightings were highlighted by a Jack Snipe passing over the narrows just before sunrise. Other wader species included four Whimbrel. and 29 Curlews. Passerine numbers were generally low, however, two Whinchat were spotted down in Traeth Fynnon during the afternoon. Five Grey Wagtails moving south over the Observatory, three Swallows, 13 Rock Pipits, two Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, two Robins, and a Woodpigeon were also observed throughout the day.

Marine mammal sightings featured a Risso's Dolphin off North Hide. Grey Seal haul-out counts reached an impressive 151 adults across the island with pup numbers now up to 20. A single Painted Lady along the East Side was the lone butterfly record in the strong winds.

2026-09-16T11:08:00.000+01:00

Fresh northwesterly force 5 winds moderated to force 3 later in the day, bringing excellent visibility, calm sea state 3 conditions, dry weather, and a maximum temperature of 16°C.

Seawatching off the West Coast and North End produced good variety of Skua movement along with high numbers of passing auks. Highlight records included a juvenile Long-tailed Skua and an adult Pomarine Skua off the West Coast along with five Arctic Skuas, and a Great Skua off the North End. Further seawatch movement included 1,193 Razorbills, 355 Kittiwakes, 156 Gannets, 40 Manx Shearwaters, 33 Common Scoters, 21 Sandwich Terns, nine Fulmars, six Arctic Terns, and four Black-headed Gulls.

Wader passage and coastal records featured 44 Curlews, five Bar-tailed Godwits resting at the Narrows before heading south, three Whimbrels, three Turnstones, two Redshanks, a Snipe, and a Ringed Plover. Passerine migration saw a small influx of grounded warblers and other landbirds, led by 13 Blackcaps, six Chiffchaffs, three Goldcrests, three Wheatears, 26 Swallows, 21 Meadow Pipits, 21 Linnets, nine Rock Pipits, six unassigned alba wagtails, five Grey Wagtails, and a Skylark.

Curlew (c) Steven Stansfield

Marine mammal activity featured a Risso's Dolphin off the North End. Grey Seal counts reached 114 adults alongside 18 pups.

2026-09-15T17:13:00.000+01:00

Today saw force 5 westerly winds causing sea state 4, but otherwise it was a pleasant day with very good visibility, no rain, and temperatures reaching a high of 18°C.

Seawatching produced the best of the birds today, with one Pomarine Skua, nine Arctic Skua, and one Great Skua all heading south from the north end. Ten Little Tern and one Sabine’s Gull were also seen in the same direction.

Other seabirds included impressive numbers of Razorbill, totalling 1241, 65 Guillemot, 637 Kittiwake, 41 Sandwich Tern, 16 Common Tern, three Arctic Tern, nine Fulmar, 222 Manx Shearwater, and 439 Gannet. In terms of wildfowl seen over the sea, 38 Common Scoter, one Teal, and seven Wigeon were all noted, and a total of 18 Mallard on Solfach.

Wader highlights were one Purple Sandpiper at the north end, one Dunlin, 11 Curlew, one Redshank, and one Common Sandpiper.

Landbirds included 15 Chough, 10 Rock Pipit, 14 Linnet, and one Skylark around the west coast. Other migratory passerines were seen such as nine Swallow, one House Martin, five White Wagtail, two Blackcap, six Chiffchaff, two Willow Warbler, and two Goldcrest.

Chough on the Narrows (C) Elliott Haywood

In terms of other wildlife, very little was seen, although a single Peacock butterfly at Nant was the highlight.

2026-09-14T13:47:00.000+01:00

Despite the mist and general poor visibility, a good variety of waders was found on the shores including 23 Turnstones, five Ringed Plovers, three Purple Sandpipers, three Redshanks, a Dunlin, a Whimbrel, a Curlew and a Common Sandpiper. Amongst the Ringed Plovers there was one individual that we ringed last week that has remained on the Island so far. Temperatures peaked at 17°C with brisk force 5 southwesterly winds creating an unsettled sea state 4.

View over Henllwyn up to Ty Pellaf and Pen Cristin shrouded by mist (c) Ezra Sherwell

Landbird sightings were constrained by the weather, though a notable record of two grounded Skylark was produced, with these being only the second and third individuals records on the ground this year. Other passerine sightings included 21 Meadow Pipits, 18 Rock Pipits, 10 Robins, 11 Linnets, four Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, two Grey Wagtails, 17 White Wagtails, two Stonechats, a single Swallow, and six Woodpigeons.

2026-09-13T13:15:00.000+01:00

Light southerly force 2 winds created calm sea state 2 conditions, though very poor visibility constrained any seawatching and counts across the island, with temperatures reaching 18°C.

Despite the thick conditions, ringing operations at the Observatory provided valuable observations of grounded migrants, featuring six Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, two Goldcrests, three Robin, two Dunnocks and one Wren processed. An additional two Chiffchaffs, one Goldcrests, 10 Robins, a Song Thrush, and a Goldfinch were also recorded largely around the Observatory.

Overhead calls and open-ground records included 10 White Wagtails, an unassigned alba wagtail, a Grey Wagtail over the Observatory, seven Meadow Pipits, and a Rock Pipit. Coastal waders and waterbirds recorded around the island included 30 Curlews, four Whimbrels, two Turnstones and a Redshank.

Grey Seal activity remained high with 103 haul-out adults recorded across the island alongside a new year high of 13 pups.

Grey Seal Pup (c) Phoebe Moss

2026-09-12T17:02:00.000+01:00

The weather today brought some stormy weather with southwesterly force 6 winds, rough seas (Sea State 6), poor visibility, and morning rain showers, with temperatures peaking at 17°C.

Wader passage highlighted the day's sightings, headlined by 26 Bar-tailed Godwits passing over the Narrows. Additional shorebird records included 41 Curlews (40 along the West Coast), 25 Turnstones, five Whimbrels, four Ringed Plovers, four Redshanks, two Purple Sandpipers at the Narrows, and a Common Sandpiper. Seawatching off the West Coast and North End produced a passing Roseate Tern off the South End, 43 Gannets, 20 Common Scoters heading south off the West Coast, two Fulmars, two Manx Shearwaters, two Kittiwakes and two Teal at Pwll Gareth.

Gannet (c) Steven Stansfield

Vismig and landbird movement was led by 62 Swallows and a House Martin, with the majority of these seen passing off the Island from the South End. Grounded migrants and songbirds included a Whinchat (released from the roost at Cristin Garden Lane), eight Chiffchaffs, five Goldcrests, four Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler, 13 White Wagtails, 20 Rock Pipits and five Robins.

An evening of Manx Shearwater ringing produced 20 individuals ringed and 3 recaptured with the vast majority of these now being young birds.

2026-09-11T16:59:00.000+01:00

Westerly winds shifting to southerlies at force 3 brought calm sea state 3 conditions, good visibility, and dry weather, with temperatures reaching a pleasant 17°C.

A Whinchat appearance in the late afternoon provided some excitement to a fairly quiet day on the ground and was later trapped and ringed during an attempted Swallow roost catch. Other landbirds on the island included 18 Blackcaps (two trapped and ringed at Nant), a Sedge Warbler at the Tŷ Planwydd reeds, nine Chiffchaffs (five trapped and ringed at Nant), seven Willow Warblers (two trapped and ringed at Nant), six Goldcrests (three trapped and ringed at Nant), 16 Robins (three trapped and ringed at Nant), two Song Thrushes (one retrapped), a Wheatear, 22 Linnets, 19 Rock Pipits and17 Meadow Pipits. Overhead passage included 17 Grey Wagtails (13 at Nant), 17 White Wagtails, 17 unassigned alba wagtails, five Pied Wagtails, 51 Swallows, four House Martins, a Sand Martin, a Skylark, and a late night Tree Pipit calling over the Observatory.

Whinchat (c) Joel Tragen

Passing seabirds off the West Coast included 24 Dunlin (19 heading south), 16 Kittiwakes, eight Gannets, eight Razorbills, two Common Scoters, a Fulmar, and a Manx Shearwater calling past Tŷn y Ffynnon. Coastal wader counts featured 40 Curlews at South End, nine Turnstones, four Ringed Plovers, four Redshanks, two Whimbrels, and two Common Sandpipers. The two Teal were still present on the wetlands.

Cetaceans featured two Common Dolphins off the West Coast and Grey Seal counts reached 106 individuals, with the pup count now up to six. Sunny weather prompted interesting butterfly and insect sightings, including 11 Painted Ladies, six Small Coppers, two Clouded Yellows, a Comma, two Humming-bird Hawk-moths, two Harlequin Ladybirds and three Migrant Hawkers.

2026-09-10T14:04:00.000+01:00

South-to-southwesterly force 6 winds brought sea state 4 conditions, good visibility, and moderate rainfall until late afternoon, with a maximum temperature of 16°C.

Coastal waders and waterbird sightings included 30 Curlews at Tryfan, alongside nine Turnstones, four Whimbrels, four Ringed Plovers, two female Teal at Pwll Gad, a Dunlin, a Redshank, and a Common Sandpiper. The day's single raptor sighting was a male Sparrowhawk around the Observatory. An evening catch on the Narrows produced two Ringed Plover, one of which was a recaptured bird from earlier in the week and the other was new.

Whimbrel (c) Steven Stansfield

Songbirds and small migrants noted across the island featured a Spotted Flycatcher at Nant, five Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, three Willow Warblers, three Goldcrests, five Wheatears, nine Robins and a Song Thrush. Visible movement overhead and resident counts included 19 Swallows, a House Martin, seven White Wagtails, two unassigned alba wagtails, two Grey Wagtails, 21 Rock Pipits, 12 Meadow Pipits, 20 Linnets,

Marine mammal activity was highlighted by three Risso's Dolphins off the West Coast and Grey Seal counts reached 106 individuals across the island.

2026-09-09T13:39:00.000+01:00

Fresh northwesterly force 6 winds brought sea state 5 conditions, good visibility throughout the day, dry weather, and a maximum temperature of 16°C.

Evening view over the South End (c) Ezra Sherwell

Seawatching passage was highlighted by an adult Sabine's Gull passing south off the North End. Movement offshore also included three Red-throated Divers heading south off the West Coast, 488 Kittiwakes off the North End, 41 Common Scoters off the North End, 40 Gannets heading south off the West Coast, 35 Manx Shearwaters, six Fulmars, 25 Razorbills, 12 Guillemots, 56 Sandwich Terns, nine Arctic Terns, and seven Common Terns. Shorelines and wetland sites produced 30 Curlews, nine Turnstones, seven Knot, six Ringed Plovers, three Redshanks, two Common Sandpipers, a single Whimbrel and two Teal. Raptors logged were a male Sparrowhawk at Nant and two Peregrines on the Mountain.

Passerine migration saw a noticeable influx in warbler counts, headlined by 23 Blackcaps and a single Garden Warbler at Nant. Additional grounded migrants and songbirds included seven Chiffchaffs, seven Willow Warblers, six Goldcrests, two Spotted Flycatchers, 20 Robins, 13 Wheatears, eight Stonechats, two Song Thrushes, 32 Rock Pipits, 20 Meadow Pipits, 24 Linnets and a Blue Tit at the Observatory. Overhead movement and resident counts featured 47 Swallows, 11 House Martins, a Sand Martin, a Tree Pipit over the Observatory, 32 unassigned alba wagtails, four Grey Wagtails, a Pied Wagtail.

Cetaceans featured six Risso's Dolphins off Henllwyn. Invertebrate activity was well-represented despite the wind, including 12 Painted Ladies, eight Red Admirals, six Small Coppers, three Clouded Yellows, three Commas, three Speckled Woods, three Humming-bird Hawk-moths, two Green-veined Whites and three Migrant Hawkers.

2026-09-08T12:47:00.000+01:00

Today saw strong westerly winds, sea state 5 and good visibility overall. The temperature reached a high of 16°C and there was no rain.

Seawatching produced the main highlights of today, with good numbers passing through. Five Sabine’s Gull, two Little Gull, five Leach's Petrel, two Storm Petrel, and 18 Arctic Skua all passed south along the west coast. The total number of Kittiwakes reached 2256, as well as 581 Manx Shearwater, 348 Sandwich Tern, 23 Common Tern, three Arctic Tern, and a single Black Tern. Other seabirds included 20 Fulmar, 173 Gannet, 18 Guillemot, 142 Razorbill, two Cormorant, and 13 Shag. A total of 12 Common Scoter were also seen, along with 13 Mallard, and two Teal, making it a good day for waterfowl.

Arctic Skua (C) Steve Stansfield

Waders included 17 Dunlin flying south along the west coast, two Whimbrel, 11 Turnstone, one Ringed Plover, and two Common Sandpiper at Traeth Fynnon. Landbirds included two Peregrine seen flying over the mountain, 20 Meadow Pipit, and 20 Rock Pipit. There were healthy numbers of migratory passerines today, with one Grey Wagtail, 30 White Wagtail, 10 Wheatear, one Blackcap, three Willow Warbler, three Goldcrest, one Spotted Flycatcher, and 25 Swallow.

It was a good day for butterflies, with a total of 10 Clouded Yellow seen around the island, as well as one Small Copper, one Peacock, one Comma, and two Speckled Wood. A single Migrant Hawker and a total of three Humming-bird Hawk-moth completed the recorded insects.

2026-09-07T20:31:00.000+01:00

Fresh southwesterly force 6 winds brought sea state 5 conditions, good visibility throughout the day, and rain arriving in the evening, with a maximum temperature of 18°C.

Seawatching passage off the West Coast included 149 Kittiwakes, 150 Manx Shearwaters, 50 Gannets, 44 Common Scoters, five Fulmars, and a single Arctic Skua. Terns moving along the coast included 54 Sandwich Terns, 24 Common Terns, 16 Arctic Terns, 11 unassigned Commic Terns, 25 Razorbills and seven Guillemots. Wader passage along the West Coast brought good diversity, headlined by two Curlew Sandpipers, a Golden Plover, and a Knot moving south in the morning. Additional coastal wader counts featured 30 Curlews, 16 Dunlin, nine Turnstones, seven Ringed Plovers, five Whimbrels, and a single Redshank. Other wetland and coastal species included 18 Shags, and five Cormorants.

Kittiwakes (c) Steven Stansfield

Visible movement and grounded passerines included 32 White Wagtails, 16 Grey Wagtails, four unassigned alba wagtails, one Pied Wagtail, 42 Swallows, eight House Martins, 29 Linnets, 22 Rock Pipits, 17 Meadow Pipits, 11 Robins, five Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, a male Blackcap on the Mountain, four Wheatears, three Goldcrests, three Stonechats and a Song Thrush.

Butterflies and insects active during the clearer parts of the day included 20 Painted Ladies, eight Clouded Yellows, five Red Admirals, three Small Coppers, two Large Whites, two Small Whites, two Speckled Woods, and a Humming-bird Hawk-moth.

2026-09-06T12:51:00.000+01:00

Southerly force 5 winds generated sea state 4 conditions with good visibility and temperatures reaching a warm 20°C.

Offshore passage today was varied including two Arctic Skuas passing South End, alongside 17 Manx Shearwaters, 111 Common Scoters including one drake showing partial asymmetric leucism, 83 Gannets, 11 Fulmars, and 27 Shags. Terns moving along the coast included a Black Tern off the West Coast, 76 Sandwich Terns, and six Common Terns off the North End. Gulls and alcids were represented by 12 Kittiwakes, ten Lesser Black-backed Gulls, five Great Black-backed Gulls, four Herring Gulls, three Black-headed Gulls, two Yellow-legged Gulls, 13 Razorbills and two Guillemots. High numbers of waders passed by the West Coast during the morning with the highlights being two Curlew Sandpiper and a Snipe heading south off the North End. Additional shorebird records included 165 Dunlin, 14 Ringed Plovers, seven Sanderlings and seven Purple Sandpiper in passage and nine Turnstones, 19 Curlews, three Whimbrels and a Snipe on the coast. Raptors logged were a male Sparrowhawk in the lowlands and a Kestrel at South End.

Fulmar (c) Joel Tragen

Mixed flock of waders (Dunlin, Snipe, Ringed Plover) moving past the North End (c) Joel Tragen

Landbird migration and grounded songbirds featured a Spotted Flycatcher at Nant, three Goldcrests, five Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers, a Blackcap, three Wheatears, five Robins, six Stonechats and a Song Thrush. Visible movement overhead included 20 House Martins heading south, eight Swallows, a Sand Martin off the North End, 14 White Wagtails, ten unassigned alba wagtails, three Grey Wagtails, three Pied Wagtails, eight Meadow Pipits, nine Rock Pipits and 17 Linnets.

Invertebrate activity was exceptionally high, led by 50 Painted Ladies scattered across the island, 10–15 Clouded Yellows, eight Red Admirals, three Small Coppers, three Common Blues, two Green-veined Whites, a Comma, a Speckled Wood, a Humming-bird Hawk-moth, a Silver Y, and a Migrant Hawker.

2026-09-05T14:06:00.000+01:00

West winds at force 5 brought sea state 4 conditions with good visibility, dry weather, and a maximum temperature of 17°C.

Seawatching offshore was headlined by 30 Common Dolphins moving south off the West Coast alongside a brief feeding frenzy off the North End featuring 25 Manx Shearwaters and 29 Gannets (with possible tuna present). Additional seabird passage included four Fulmars, eight Kittiwakes, six Sandwich Terns, a single Balearic Shearwater off the West Coast, a male Common Scoter heading south off the West Coast and a Razorbill. Coastal sightings included 32 Curlews, 27 Shags, two Redshanks, a Snipe, a Whimbrel, and a Turnstone. Raptor sightings featured an adult male Sparrowhawk at the Wetlands and a Peregrine on the Mountain.

Migrant passerines and grounded songbirds showed a steady presence, led by 10 Willow Warblers (two trapped and ringed at Nant), five Chiffchaffs (one retrapped at Nant), four Blackcaps, two Goldcrests (one trapped and ringed at the Observatory), a Sedge Warbler, and a Song Thrush. Visible passage and resident counts included 20 White Wagtails, eight unassigned alba wagtails, nine Grey Wagtails, 22 Meadow Pipits, 17 Swallows, four House Martins, 12 Linnets and seven Robins with one trapped and ringed at Nant.

Butterfly and insect highlights benefitted from the dry weather, featuring 12 Red Admirals, 11 Painted Ladies, a Comma and three Migrant Hawkers.

Comma in the Green Lane (c) Phoebe Moss

2026-09-04T22:49:00.000+01:00

Strong west-southwesterly force 6 winds brought rough seas and good visibility with no precipitation, and temperatures peaking at 16°C.

Seawatching passage along the West Coast delivered three Sooty Shearwaters, two Balearic Shearwaters, 900 Manx Shearwaters, nine Arctic Skuas, and three Great Skuas (including two off the West Coast and one passing Narrows). Terns passing offshore were represented by a Sandwich Tern and four Commic Terns off the West Coast. Gulls and other seabirds moving offshore included 132 Kittiwakes, six Great Black-backed Gulls, five Herring Gulls, 200 Gannets, seven Cormorants, four Fulmars, three Shags, three Guillemots, and two Razorbills. Coastal waders and waterbirds featured 41 Curlews, three Ringed Plovers, two Whimbrels, two Turnstones, a Common Sandpiper, and a Redshank.

Passerine activity included 15 White Wagtails, four unassigned alba wagtails, 16 Swallows, 41 Linnets, seven Rock Pipits, four Meadow Pipits, five Wheatears, four Robins, two Willow Warblers, a Chiffchaff, and a Stonechat.

Cetacean and terrestrial mammal sightings were highlighted by six Harbour Porpoises off the West Coast, along with single records of a 120 grey seal including 4 seal pups, and Common Shrew and a Wood Mouse around the Observatory.

Grey Seal mother defending her pup (c) Phoebe Moss

2026-09-03T22:49:00.000+01:00

Much of the day was taken up with the Student Bird Race with fresh southwesterly force 6 winds and rough seas at Sea State 6, accompanied by moderate visibility for the majority of the day and a top temperature of 18°C. Everyone put in a fantastic effort across the island, resulting in close scores and a competitive finish, with the winning team tallying an impressive total of 54 species. The day finished with a fun quiz night hosted by Steve and Emma.

Quiz night!

A massive thank you also to West Midlands Bird Club, British Birds, Welsh Ornithological Society/Cymdeithas Adaryddol Cymru and Wildsounds for making this week possible by sponsering this student week and helping so many future conservationists gain experience in the field.

Seawatching provided excellent highlights, including a Leach's Petrel off the North End. Shearwater counts featured a single Balearic Shearwater off the West Coast, three Sooty Shearwaters and 130 Manx Shearwaters moving south. A good showing of Skuas were represented throughout the morning with six Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua off the West Coast. Terns passing offshore included 19 Sandwich Terns, 12 Arctic Terns, and four Common Terns. Gull passage included an adult Sabine's Gull off the North End, alongside 100 Kittiwakes, 16 Herring Gulls, nine Great Black-backed Gulls, two Black-headed Gulls, and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Other seabirds offshore included 190 Gannets, 26 Shags, six Fulmars, five Cormorants, eight Razorbills, two Common Scoters, a Guillemot, and two unidentified auks.

Waders species recorded included 27 Curlews, 19 Turnstones, 10 Purple Sandpipers, 10 Knot (including 2 passing the west coast), seven Redshanks, four Ringed Plovers, three Whimbrels, three Dunlin, two Common Sandpipers.

Knot in Henllywn (c) Ezra Sherwell

Purple Sandpiper at the high tide roost on the Narrows (c) Ezra Sherwell

Passerine activity saw good counts of wagtails and pipits, including 43 White Wagtails, four Grey Wagtails, one Pied Wagtail, 38 Meadow Pipits, and 22 Rock Pipits. Overhead hirundines totaled 28 Swallows and four House Martins. Grounded migrants and songbirds included 13 Robins, seven Wheatears (including three Greenland-type individuals at Narrows), five Willow Warblers, five Chiffchaffs, five Blackcaps, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Goldcrest at Nant, 28 Linnet and a Song Thrush.

Marine mammal sightings featured 12 Common Dolphins off the West Coast. Grey Seal counts reached 52 individuals across the island. Invertebrate records included six Red Admirals, two Humming-bird Hawk-moths, two Orange Swifts, a Painted Lady, a Small Tortoiseshell, a Speckled Wood, a Common Blue and a Migrant Hawker.

2026-09-02T22:44:00.000+01:00

Fresh southwesterly force 5 winds generated rough sea conditions, good visibility, and heavy rain, with temperatures reaching 17°C.

Seawatching from the observatory yielded two Balearic Shearwaters moving along the West Coast alongside 152 Manx Shearwaters heading south. Additional seabird movement included an Arctic Skua off the West Coast, 37 Gannets, 14 Kittiwakes, eight Shags, five Common Scoters, four Sandwich Terns, two Cormorants and a single Fulmar. Coastal waders and wetland species were represented by 34 Curlews, 18 Turnstones, two trapped Dunlin at Narrows, a single Bar-tailed Godwit heading south off the West Coast, a Whimbrel at Carreg yr Honwy, and a Redshank at Solfach.

Passerine counts and visible migration was headlined by 28 White Wagtails (including 25 moving south at South End), two Pied Wagtails, 14 Swallows, seven Meadow Pipits, and a House Martin. Grounded passerines and residents included 12 Rock Pipits, a Song Thrush (trapped and ringed at the Observatory), a Willow Warbler, a Robin and a Wheatear.

Offshore seal monitoring recorded 140 Grey Seals hauled out with pup numbers now reaching four. Invertebrates recorded despite the rain included five Painted Ladies, two Humming-bird Hawk-moths, a Speckled Wood, and a Silver Y.

Grey Seal pup (c) Phoebe Moss

The students were taken out for an afternoon of rockpooling which produced some interesting sightings including several Blennys, Green Shore Crabs and a range of Sea anemones.

Students rockpooling on Solfach.

2026-09-01T22:17:00.000+01:00

Force 5 south-westerly winds led to sea state 5 with good visibility, although rain showers were present throughout the day, and a maximum temperature of 18°C.

A morning seawatching session produced the highlights of today, with a Balearic Shearwater seen going south, although difficult to pick up in the rougher waves, whilst a Great Skua was seen high off the west coast. Other seabird highlights included 11 Common Scoter, 19 Sandwich Tern, 10 Arctic Tern, five Guillemot, and six Razorbill passing through. A total of 76 Gannet were recorded across the island, as well as six Fulmar, four Cormorant, 12 Shag, 80 Kittiwake, and 20 Manx Shearwater off the west coast.

Yesterday’s Quail had stayed overnight and was relocated for a second day in the lowlands. Wader numbers weren’t as high as in recent days but included five Ringed Plover, five Whimbrel, 37 Curlew, four Redshank, six Turnstone, and 16 Dunlin, two of which were ringed during a dazzling session in the evening. Passerines included a single Tree Pipit flying over the observatory, 10 Meadow Pipit, seven Rock Pipit, four White Wagtail, and 73 Alba Wagtail throughout the day. Other migrants included 35 Swallow, one House Martin, and five Wheatear, whilst warblers included three Blackcap, five Chiffchaff, three Willow Warbler, and one juvenile Whitethroat in the wetlands.

Several butterflies were of note, including a Small Tortoiseshell, and one Small Copper, as well as a good count of five Humming-bird Hawk-moth. No cetaceans were seen today, but other wildlife included two Violet Ground Beetles, a possible Southern Migrant Hawker, and five Slow Worms in the observatory garden.

Students on a Manx Shearwater chick walk

The students from the University Week helped out with ringing today, with a total of five Storm Petrels at the north end at night, followed by 23 Manx Shearwater chicks ringed from burrows during the day, giving everyone a chance to gain valuable experience.

2026-08-31T16:15:00.000+01:00

Northwesterly force 5 winds generated rough conditions at Sea State 5, accompanied by very good visibility and a top temperature of 17°C.

An exciting day of seawatching comprised much of the birding for the day with all the staff and students lining up on the terrace to watch seabirds fly past the West Coast. Three Sooty Shearwaters provided some early highlights with the first two going through within half an hour after sunrise. Skuas also provided a lot of interest throughout the morning with a variety of different ages and morphs of Arctic Skuas moving through and two Great Skuas, the second of which flew in to the West Coast before circling up over the coast providing good views for the students. Much of the passage was comprised of southward moving terns with a total of six species recorded during through the morning. The highlight was a Black Tern moving south in with a mixed flock of Sandwich and Arctic tern off the West Coast and a juvenile Roseate Tern off the North End. Counts of other species totalled 189 Sandwich Terns, 44 Arctic Terns, 37 Common Terns, eight Commic Terns, and a Little Tern off the West Coast. Headlining the gulls was a juvenile Sabine's Gull passing the West Coast and six Little Gulls also off the West Coast. Other gull counts included two Yellow-legged Gulls, 663 Kittiwakes, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 15 Herring Gulls, 11 Great Black-backed Gulls, four Black-headed Gulls, and two Mediterranean Gulls. Other seabirds passing offshore included 208 Manx Shearwaters four Grey Phalaropes off the North End, 373 Gannets, 31 Common Scoters, 26 Shags, 16 Razorbills, 13 Fulmars, four Cormorants, two Puffins, and a single Guillemot.

The most notable landbird sighting came from a Quail flushed in the lowlands during the afternoon. Wader and wildfowl passage along the coast produced four Purple Sandpipers on the Narrows, 17 Turnstones, 13 Redshanks, nine Whimbrels, six Curlews, six Dunlin, five Ringed Plovers, a single Lapwing, and a Greenshank. Passerine numbers were generally low but were bolstered in the afternoon by a Whinchat in the lowlands, a Skylark passing over the lowlands, 12 Robins, six Wheatears, five Willow Warblers, one Sedge Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and four Stonechats. Overhead hirundines, wagtails, and pipits included 25 Swallows, 10 House Martins, 23 White Wagtails, 20 Rock Pipits, and 16 Meadow Pipits.

Whinchat (c) Ezra Sherwell

Cetacean monitoring off the West Coast and North End yielded seven Common Dolphins and three Risso's Dolphins. Invertebrates started to show later in the day as the wind died off with two female Red-veined Darters, 15 Migrant Hawkers, 283 Rush Veneers, 31 Common Grass Veneers, 22 Painted Ladies, 14 Silver Ys, eight Red Admirals, four Humming-bird Hawk-moths and a Grayling seen. Six Slow Worms were also noted under the refugia at the Observatory.

In the afternoon the students were taken up the mountain to assist with finishing off the final square of the Manx Shearwater census, providing some useful expereince conducting species monitoring as part of a long-term project.

Students helping out with the Manx Shearwater census on the mountain (c) Joel Tragen

2026-08-30T16:44:00.000+01:00

Southerly force 4 winds were accompanied by Sea State 3, moderate visibility, persistent showers throughout the day, and a top temperature of 19°C.

Overhead visible migration picked up despite the wet conditions, headlined by a large surge of wagtails and pipits. Alba wagtails totaled at least 145 individuals, including 100 moving south (70 at South End and 30 at Narrows), 34 confirmed White Wagtails (including 13 moving south at South End and nine south over North End), and a single Pied Wagtail at Solfach. These were joined by nine Grey Wagtails, 25 Meadow Pipits (nine heading south along the West Coast), two Tree Pipits, and 14 Rock Pipits. Hirundine passage produced 64 Swallows and two House Martins. Grounded passerines and songbirds included 11 Willow Warblers, three Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, a Whitethroat on the Mountain, 19 Robins (three trapped and ringed), 20 Wrens (two trapped), 18 Linnets, 12 Woodpigeons, eight Wheatears and six Stonechats.

Seabird counting was productive, highlighted by two Little Terns heading along the West Coast alongside 63 Sandwich Terns and four Arctic Terns. Offshore passage also produced 98 Gannets, 37 Manx Shearwaters, 35 Common Scoters off the West Coast, 20 Shags, nine Razorbills, seven Fulmars, and seven Cormorants. Coastal waders were well represented with 55 Oystercatchers, 40 Turnstones, 37 Curlews, 17 Redshanks, 12 Ringed Plovers, 10 Dunlin, three Whimbrels, a single southbound Black-tailed Godwit off the West Coast, a Greenshank at Narrows, and a Sanderling at Carreg yr Henwy. Gulls included 18 Kittiwakes, six Black-headed Gulls, three Mediterranean Gulls, and a Common Gull.

Kittiwake in Solfach (c) Ezra Sherwell

Sandwich Tern in Solfach (c) Ezra Sherwell

Marine mammal activity off the West Coast and South End included 10 Common Dolphins and two Risso's Dolphins. Invertebrate records despite the showers included five Humming-bird Hawk-moths, five Migrant Hawkers, two Common Blues and two Speckled Woods.

2026-08-29T15:23:00.000+01:00

Northerly force 4 winds brought rougher seas at Sea State 3, moderate visibility, steady rain that cleared by 16:00, and a cooler top temperature of 17°C.

The University week students arrived today, making it across to the Island without getting soaked despite a fairly choppy crossing. After the welcome talks the students were led out to see the northern parts of the island where a Western Bonelli's Warbler was soon identified in the plantation pines at Tŷ Nessaf providing good views much to thee students delight. Small passerine migration included a moderate arrival of warblers and flycatchers, including 59 Willow Warblers (35 at Nant), 11 Spotted Flycatchers, five Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a juvenile Whitethroat, and a Pied Flycatcher. Hirundines heading through consisted of 22 Swallows and three House Martins. Wagtails and pipits included nine Alba Wagtails moving north over Nant, five White Wagtails, five Meadow Pipits, and two Tree Pipits and five Robins.

Western Bonelli's Warbler (c) Joel Tragen

Seabird movement off the coast produced 100 Manx Shearwaters feeding off the West Coast in the evening, alongside five Sandwich Terns, five Kittiwakes, four Shags, four Cormorants, two Fulmars, five Common Scoters (all drakes heading south), and 10 Gannets. Coastal waders included 31 Turnstones, 29 Curlews, 14 Ringed Plovers, six Dunlin, three Redshanks, two Sanderlings, four Grey Herons, and a Common Sandpiper. Raptors on the island were logged as two Sparrowhawks and two adult Peregrines on the Mountain. Gull counts included a second-calendar-year Mediterranean Gull at Carreg yr Honwy, a juvenile Common Gull, and a Black-headed Gull.

Cetacean sightings off the West Coast featured 15 Common Dolphins and three Risso's Dolphins. Grey Seal haul-out numbers reached 127 in total across the island with two pups currently present. Invertebrates recorded in the late afternoon after the rain cleared included four Humming-bird Hawk-moths, and a Migrant Hawker.

2026-08-28T15:06:00.000+01:00

Early morning fog began clearing by 11:00 AM, eventually reaching good visibility, accompanied by Southwesterly force 3 winds, Sea State 2, brief early morning rain, and a top temperature of 19°C.

Highlight of the day was a repeating appearance by an Ortolan Bunting calling at Narrows, while a Wood Warbler at Nant was also spotted for the second consecutive day. Hirundines heading through included 51 Swallows and two House Martins, accompanied by two Swifts. Wagtails and pipits were recorded with 60 White Wagtails (37 off the West Coast), 11 Alba Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 23 Rock Pipits, five Meadow Pipits, and a Tree Pipit. Grounded songbirds and warblers featured 19 Willow Warblers (three trapped), five Chiffchaffs, three Spotted Flycatchers, three Blackcaps (one trapped), a female-type Pied Flycatcher at Nant (presumed the same individual from Tŷ Nesaf seen yesterday), a Sedge Warbler (trapped), and a Goldcrest at the Observatory. Other residents and chats numbered 26 Wrens, 22 Linnets, 12 Stonechats (one trapped in the reedbed), 12 Robins and three Wheatears.

Seabirds were highlighted by four Roseate Terns flying south off the West Coast, 21 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Skua passing close south along the West Coast, 28 Shags, 25 Gannets, seven Manx Shearwaters, four Cormorants, and three Kittiwakes. Coastal waders and wildfowl totals included 42 Curlews, 34 Turnstones, 16 Ringed Plovers, nine Whimbrels, nine Mallards, nine Teal flying west over Narrows, eight Dunlin, seven Grey Herons, six Common Sandpipers, six Sanderlings, three Redshanks and a Greenshank. Coastal gulls included 11 Herring Gulls, six Lesser Black-backed Gulls, four Great Black-backed Gulls, three Black-headed Gulls, and a Mediterranean Gull.

Ringed Plover with Turnstone and Dunlin in the background (c) Ezra Sherwell

Marine mammals were represented by 123 Grey Seals logged around the island's haul-outs, including 57 at Henllwyn and 23 at Carreg yr Henwy. Four pups were recorded: two living pups (one at Narrows, one at the South End) and two dead pups at the South End. A single Common Shrew was found inside the house. Invertebrates enjoyed the clearing weather, with nine Speckled Woods, three Migrant Hawkers, a Small Copper, and a Humming-bird Hawk-moth.