Bardsey's Wildlife

2026-07-26T15:11:00.000+01:00

Today’s conditions presented a stiff F4 West Southwesterly wind during the morning which switched towards a Northwesterly wind in the afternoon. Temperatures peaked at 19°C with the day remaining largely overcast with spells of sun breaking through.

Some high butterfly counts were taken today with 91 Meadow Browns and ten Common Blues observed. Two Northern Eggars were also noted around the Observatory in the evening.

With the wind swinging Westerly, a short seawatch was attempted during the morning which proved fairly quiet. Some movement was evident however, with 692 Manx Shearwaters, 25 Gannets, 17 Puffins and 96 Kittiwakes past the South End in one hour.

Numbers of Gulls roosting on the South End and Henllwyn have increased dramatically with estimates this morning of ~320 Kittiwakes, ~460 Herring Gulls, 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, ten Great Black-backed Gulls and one Black-headed Gull.

Part of the Kittiwake roost on the South End. (c) Ezra Sherwell

A few Wader are still present around Henllwyn and Solfach. This includes three Whimbrels, 11 Curlews, one Redshank and two Common Sandpipers.

Hirundine, pipit and wagtail numbers were generally low in the southern parts of the Island with 12 Swallows and three House Martins present. A total of 18 Meadow Pipits, six Rock Pipits and two Pied Wagtails were observed between South End, and the Narrows.

The Withies hosted some early migratory warblers boosting the breeding population, with six Chiffchaffs and four Willow Warblers present. An additional seven Willow Warblers and a Goldcrest were also seen at Nant. A small flock of 37 Linnets were also present on the South End.

2026-07-25T10:07:00.000+01:00

Changeover days rarely produce much coverage and this was no exception. With Joel heading off for a well-earned holiday, Ezra not returning to the island until late afternoon and Ida remaining on Bardsey in a voluntary capacity, there was limited time available for fieldwork. After a prolonged dry spell, the island also finally received some much-needed rain, although it amounted to little more than a brief 20-minute shower during the afternoon, followed by another passing shower overnight.

Given the circumstances, it was a relatively quiet day, but there was still enough wildlife interest to reward those who managed to get into the field.

Migrant bird activity remained fairly subdued. Around Cristin, a single Willow Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap and a Robin provided evidence that autumn passage was continuing at a low level. A Sedge Warbler in the Wetlands was another likely migrant, while nine Woodpigeons spread between Cristin, the Wetlands and Tŷ Pellaf suggested some ongoing movement.

The island's breeding birds remained more conspicuous. Swallows were particularly evident, with 18 recorded between Cristin and Tŷ Pellaf, while two House Martins were seen at Pwll Gareth. Three Sparrowhawks and two Peregrines around Cristin ensured there was no shortage of aerial predators.

Two Whimbrels at the Narrows added to the passage wader interest, while a juvenile and adult Black-headed Gull were in Henllwyn .

Offshore, seabirds included 30 Manx Shearwaters, 80 Kittiwakes and 33 Puffins were logged, while four Razorbills and two Guillemots were noted around Pen Cristin and Henllwyn. Carreg yr Honwy held seven Shags and four Cormorants.

Butterflies remained active whenever the weather allowed. Meadow Browns were again the dominant species, with 31 recorded, mostly in the Lowlands. Red Admirals were particularly noticeable around Cristin, where four were seen, along with Green-veined White, Small Copper, Painted Lady and Peacock. Among the moths, Magpie Moth, Northern Eggar, White-shouldered House Moth and Eudonia mercurella were all noted inside Cristin during changeover and were carefully evicted! The latter species a recent colonist the the first records in 2021 on 23 August at Cristin and 6 September at Nant. in the trap overnight a Pebble Prominent was caught along with another Small Mottled Willow - a migrant from the south.

Pebble Prominent (c) Steven Stansfield

The first record for the island was an individual which was taken from a moth trap near the Plantation on 1 June 2011. This was followed by three in 2014, 2022 and 2023 and singles in 2019 and 2021. The caterpillars feed on various sallows, which are plentiful on the island.

Small mottled Willow (c) Steven Stansfield

Up to this year a total of nine moths have been recorded on the Island; the first was caught at Cristin in 2000 and was followed by further singles at Cristin on 6 May 2008 and in Cristin Withy on 2 August 2009. The next record was one at Nant on 12 June 2015, with two then caught at Cristin in September 2017. Amazingly, three of these moths were recorded in one night on 8 September 2024. This year has proved the best year so far with numerous records in spring and three so far in the summerThis species has a very large global range and is a pest in some areas, but usually only occurs as an immigrant in Britain, with most records coming from the south coasts.

2026-07-24T19:43:00.000+01:00

A light (F2) north-westerly breeze and excellent visibility provided ideal conditions for coverage, and a calm sea was great for cetacean watching.

The continuation of the drought is taking its toll on the island's vegetation, what was once green and lush is ow brown and burned to a crisp! The bracken on the mountain for now at least gives a bit of colour to our beige landscape.

A little rain is forecast for the weekend, but we need a lot to turn the island green again

On the bird front, Willow Warbler was the commonest migrant, with eight logged (five of which were trapped and ringed) between Cristin and Nant, while four Chiffchaffs were scattered through the same areas. A single Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat were also traped at Cristin added to the selection, suggesting a gentle trickle of southbound passerines moving through the island. Swallows remained present with eight recorded across Obs, Nant and the mountain, accompanied by two House Martins at Pwll Gareth.

A Buzzard provided an interesting record and was the first for some weeks. First seen over the North End at 17:00 before heading south over the Lowlands, it was later watched departing northwards off the North End at 19:15, indicating a bird actively migrating through rather than lingering.

Elsewhere, a few signs of local dispersal were evident, including juvenile Stonechats above Nant and the family groups of Sparrowhawks around the Observatory.

At sea, Manx Shearwaters dominated proceedings, with around 500 rafting off the west coast. Kittiwake numbers were saw 194 recorded between the East Side and west coast, while 80 Puffins remained off the East Side. Coastal waders included two Whimbrels and three Curlews.

Marine mammals stole the show. Risso's Dolphins were encountered repeatedly around the island, with an impressive total of 23 logged. Groups were seen off the East Side, North End and west coast, including two calves among the East Side animals. Common Dolphins were also present off the west coast, where six were recorded, while five Harbour Porpoises, including two juveniles, added to an excellent day's cetacean watching to keep Phoebe happy!

Butterflies were particularly conspicuous in the warm conditions. Meadow Browns remained abundant, with around 150 counted across the island, while Graylings were concentrated on the mountain, where 17 were logged. Migrants included a single Painted Lady along the west coast, accompanied by four Red Admirals and three Small Coppers.

Day-flying moths also added interest. Seven Silver Ys were spread between the mountain, East Side and Observatory, while six Magpie moths and a Six-spot Burnet were recorded. Three Migrant Hawkers were still around the Observatory continuing what has already been a productive season for migrant insects, while a lone Emperor Dragonfly on the mountain was another welcome sighting and the first since the 16th.

In the moth trap, a tiny, but rather beautiful (in my opinion anyway!) Acleris holmiana was only the third record for the island. Two different individuals were trapped on 1st and 4 August 2022 at Cristin; these represented the first records for Bardsey.

This tiny tortrix has a modern vernacular name of White-marked Tortrix

2026-07-23T00:14:00.000+01:00

Strong northerlies continued today, staying at F5 until 17:00, the sea state was three for much of the day. Visibility remained good and temperatures rose to 19°C.

A slight increase in Migrant Hawkers, reaching a total of six with four around Cristin.

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, still a rare species on the island with less than 15 records. One of four "Yellow Underwing" species in the moth trap © Joel Tragen

The usual residents birds of prey were seen around the island with the pair of Sparrowhawks around Crisitn much of the day but also seen hunting around the island and four Peregrines were seen around Nant.

More Whimbrels than Curlews were seen together with four of the former and half as many of the latter.

A nice selection of small gulls were seen roosting in Henllwyn, the highlights being four Mediterranean Gulls, three Common Gulls and nine Black-heaaded Gulls (with a tenth individual seen in Solfach).

Nice selection of small gulls of a variety of ages © Joel Tragen

Two Swifts followed Pen Cristin and the Mountain, heading north. Elsewhere a total of 24 Swallows and ten House Martins were seen.

A notable increase of Willow Warblers were seen across the island with a total of seven, with singles seen across the island. A Whitethroat was seen in Traeth Ffynnon. Two Sedge Warblers were recorded, along with 11 Chiffchaffs. The only finches seen today were Linnets which totalled eight.

2026-07-22T19:23:00.000+01:00

The northerly winds eased up slightly, dropping to a F4 but the sea state remained at three. Visibility remained good and no precipitation was recorded. Temperatures stayed the same at 18°C.

Little "EZ" which has arrived from another colony! © Connor Stansfield

Last night the team went out Manx Shearwater ringing between Ty Pellaf and Traeth Ffynnon. After ringing 38 birds and retrapping a further 50 ringed birds, the last bird of the night to be captured contained a ring from another colony. A nice way to end a successful night and we look forward to receiving news back about this bird.

Low numbers of Migrant Hawkers remained with two at Cristin and a single at Nant, totalling three.

Ruby Tiger © Joel Tragen

A Teal was seen by Ida in the bay at Traeth Ffynnon in the morning and two female Mallards were seen in weird locations with singles at the North End Gull colony and another at Bae Felen.

Another juvenile Marsh Harrier was seen flying south along the East Side getting constantly harassed by two of the three juvenile Peregrines seen around the East Side today. 45 minutes later the Marsh Harrier was seen coming back over the Mountain above Bae Felen and flying straight out east, where the Peregrines once again began mobbing it. Two Sparrowhawks were seen around Cristin and a third, an immature male, was seen at Nant. The resident male Sparrowhawk was seen around the East Side, where it was also very aggressively chased by one of the Peregrines, narrowly escaping with its life.

Low numbers of waders today with two Whimbrels in Henllwyn and a total of six Curlews. Also in Henllwyn were eight Black-headed Gulls and two Common Gulls.

Across the island 30 Swallows were noted with many family groups hanging around; however, only one House Martin was recorded today.

Two Willow Warblers were present in the Withies whilst a single Chiffchaff was heard around Cristin garden.

2026-07-21T00:08:00.000+01:00

A northerly of F5 continued to blow through today with a sea state of three and good visibility being noted. Despite the wind temperatures warmed up slightly to 18°C.

Today we were joined by Ida who is here to volunteer for the next couple weeks, she first came to the Observatory during a Bangor University Birdwatching Society week this year and has been keen to come back.

July Highflyer © Joel Tragen

A handful of Migrant Hawkers were still buzzing around the island with four at Cristin and a single at Nant.

A large feeding frenzy was seen between the West Coast and the North End, predominantly made up of Gannets with at least 80 all plunging into the waves. They were also joined by a smart adult Mediterranean Gull and a handful of other gull species. Across the island, in Henllwyn, an adult Common Gull was seen roosting with a mixed gull flock. Black-headed Gulls were seen in various locations, totalling 14. A Grey Heron was still present, today in Traeth Ffynnon.

Gannets diving off the North End © Joel Tragen

Only a handful of waders were recorded today but almost half of these were Whimbrels with three different singles recorded around the coast, along with four Curlews.

Swallow numbers remained high with 34 recorded along with four House Martins.

A Sedge Warbler was seen skulking around Ty Pellaf Withy whilst Blackcaps were heard “tak”-ing at Cristin and Nant. A Willow Warbler briefly sang in the Wetlands whilst another was calling non-stop around Cristin garden. Low numbers of Chiffchaffs today with five recorded.

Again, a Goldfinch flew north over Cristin calling in the morning and a total of ten Linnets were spotted across the island.

2026-07-20T00:09:00.000+01:00

The winds switched to straight northerlies at F5 whilst the sea remained at a state of three. Visibility remained good and temperatures dropped to 17°C.

A large arrival of Migrant Hawkers were noted across the island with 20 recorded, 13 of these at Nant alone. This is by far the highest ever count for the island.

Migrant Hawker © Joel Tragen

The highlight of the day was a juvenile Marsh Harrier flying low along the East Side heading south, the whole time getting hassled by two Peregrine juveniles. This was seen by the team who were down in Seal Cave placing trail cameras on Kittiwake nests. A Kestrel was seen at Nant again, much like the Marsh Harrier, it was getting chased by juvenile Peregrines, however their motive was likely different as they chased it throughout the plantation.

Also whilst monitoring around the East Side the team saw four Fulmars, including their two chicks, a Storm Petrel and its chick.

Storm Petrel © Joel Tragen

The usual Grey Heron was again seen around the Narrows and nine Curlews were seen roosting on the East Side. A Black-headed Gull flew along the East Side, heading north.

No House Martins were seen today but a total of 13 Swallows were recorded. An unusual sighting of a juvenile Blackbird seen around Bae Felen on the East Side, far from any suitable vegetation.

Low number of warblers were detected today with a single Blackcap heard at Cristin, along with a Goldcrest. Across the island five Chiffchaffs were recorded.

In the morning two Goldfinches flew over Cristin and a total of five Linnets were recorded across the island.

2026-07-19T00:48:00.000+01:00

A north-westerly of F4 blew across the island and a sea state of three was recorded. Visibility remained good and no precipitation fell, temperatures remained at 18°C.

A slight increase in the number of Migrant Hawkers with four across the island, three of these were at Cristin.

In the evening the Kestrel came to roost in Nant whilst three Peregrines and the Sparrowhawk pair were all seen at Cristin.

A Grey Heron was seen around the Narrows again whilst two Curlews flew along the West Coast.

A total of ten Swallows were seen across the island, with family groups seen around Nant and Crsitin.

Juvenile Chiffchaff © Joel Tragen

A Goldcrest was heard at Nant along with two Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps were seen in the front garden. A Goldfinch flew north over Crisitn in the morning and five Linnets were seen on the Mountain.

2026-07-18T19:19:00.000+01:00

Another quiet day bird wise on the island allowed staff some welcome time to recharge their batteries after the demands of the breeding season, although there was still plenty of wildlife interest for those in the field. This rest however, did come after a complete changeover of guests and cleaning of the Lodge. Ezra left the island for the second part of his summer holidays, leaving Joel, Phoebe and Connor on the island.

The most significant birding highlight came from the shoreline east of Henllwyn, where a Greenshank, the first of the autumn, was recorded among an impressive gathering of 60 Redshanks. The latter is the highest count of the year so far and represents a notable concentration for the time of year. Also present in the area were two Turnstones, adding to a growing sense that autumn wader passage is beginning to build.

Redshank and Oystercatcher (c) Phoebe Moss

Migrant landbirds were scarce, with just two Chiffchaffs recorded around Cristin. Most other species reflected the island's local breeding populations, including eight Swallows around Cristin and Pwll Gareth. A small number of Woodpigeons, Wrens, Dunnocks and Magpies were also recorded around Cristin and the Wetlands.

One of the day's most entertaining sightings was a juvenile female Peregrine, watched hunting low around Cristin, often flying below chimney height as it searched for prey. Two Sparrowhawks were also present around the Observatory area, while two Choughs remained on the mountain.

Marine wildlife provided one of the day's star attractions. Five Risso's Dolphins were seen in Cafn.

Butterflies remained conspicuous around Cristin, with Meadow Brown by far the commonest species, accounting for 15 of the day's records. Other species included Green-veined White, Red Admiral and Peacock. Day-flying insects also featured Magpie Moth, Rosy Tabby and three Migrant Hawkers.

2026-07-17T19:13:00.000+01:00

The settled conditions produced relatively little visible bird migration, but there was still plenty of interest across the island, with migrant insects, local bird movements and seals providing the day's highlights. The staff took advantage and had a relatively lazy day and caught up on paperwork

Passerine activity was limited, with just a handful of migrants recorded around Cristin. A lone Chiffchaff was the only migrant warbler noted, while four Swallows were feeding around Cristin.

Raptor activity was modest, with two Sparrowhawks around Cristin and two Peregrines over the mountain. Elsewhere, four Choughs were noted on the mountain, while the resident Moorhen family at Pwll Gareth comprised two adults and a juvenile.

Although bird migration was quiet, the island's insect life remained active. Meadow Browns were the most numerous butterfly, with 25 around Cristin, accompanied by five Green-veined Whites and two Red Admirals. Day-flying moths included three Magpie moths at Cristin, while two Migrant Hawkers were also recorded there, continuing the recent run of migrant dragonfly sightings.

Low water Grey Seal counts around the coastline produced a total of 126 animals, with concentrations of 62 at Henllwyn and 44 around the South End. A further 20 were counted at Carreg yr Honwy,.

At sea, bird numbers were generally low, although two Shags and a Curlew were recorded along the west coast. The Mountain held 15 Herring Gulls, while scattered records elsewhere reflected the quiet nature of the day.

2026-07-16T20:57:00.000+01:00

We had a calm start this morning, with winds from the north picking up into the afternoon. The sea remained flat calm with a sea state one and good visibility.

With the conditions working in our favour, we had an exciting sighting of eight Harbour Porpoises off of Pen Cristin. This large nursery group was composed of five adults and three calves. They moved slowly southwards in their characteristic rolling motion. We also had three species of jellyfish in Cafn: Lionsmane, Blue and Moon.

Pen Cristin © Phoebe Moss

Butterfly activity was still high, with two Small Whites still around Cristin along with 51 Meadow Browns, 11 Graylings, ten Painted Ladies and two Peacock butterflies. We also had three Common Blues between the Observatory and Pen Cristin. For day-flying moths, we had six Yellow Shell, six Silver Y, three Rosy Tabby and two Hummingbird Hawk-moths. An Emperor Dragonfly also made an appearance on Pen Cristin with its distinctive blue colouration.

Small White Butterfly © Joel Tragen

In the afternoon, Joel and Ezra went round the East Side to continue the Manxie census. While there, a Marsh Harrier flew over the contours of the cliff whilst getting mobbed by Kittiwakes and large gulls. After a few minutes of being harassed by our resident seabirds, it flew back to the mainland. Whilst around the East Side, Joel found a bird of prey pellet containing a Storm Petrel recovery, this bird was ringed by Ewan last July on the 25th on the Narrows.

We also had 20 Black-Headed Gull and ten Common Gulls are still around on Henllwyn and Solfach.

We also had a Grey Heron fly over the Narrows and eight Curlews around the island. A Sand Martin and six Swallows were spotted in the Wetlands. Four Sedge Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler were all found in the Withies.

2026-07-15T15:12:00.000+01:00

Today felt like a classic mid-summer day throughout, largely cloudless with highs of 26°C and a gentle F3 Easterly breeze. The sea for the most part remained glassy smooth also.

This morning, we had eight Common Dolphins co-foraging with Gannets off of Pen Cristin. They were active at the surface, moving in circles with leaps and bows visible from the south end. Later in the afternoon, we also had a lone Risso’s Dolphin at the very southern tip of the island.

Risso's Dolphin © Phoebe Moss

A Gannet's view of the South End © Phoebe Moss

The warm weather produced an abundance of butterfly across the Island, of which some highlights included six Small White, 13 Painted Lady, seven Red Admiral, one Speckled Wood.

Some new arrivals had come in overnight with a juvenile Cuckoo and the first Grasshopper Warbler of the autumn spotted at Nant.

Other Warblers noted included a Sedge Warbler at Cristin, three Blackcaps at Nant with one being a freshly fledged young bird, 11 Chiffchaffs and three Willow Warblers split between Nant and Cristin. Two Goldcrests were also spotted, one at Nant, the other at Cristin.

There was a small influx of Hirundines today with one Sand Martin on the South End, and 37 Swallows and 20 House Martins spread across the Island. Two were also recorded up the mountain.

Wagtail movement was also apparent with two Grey Wagtails moving through on passage, one over the Narrows, the other over Nant, both heading South. Seven Pied Wagtails and one “alba” wagtail was also seen around the Island.

Finch numbers were generally low today with three Linnets recorded; however, a single Lesser Redpoll was heard flying over the plantation in the morning.

Gull and waders movement was still prominent with 32 Black-headed Gulls, eight Common Gulls, one Dunlin, six Curlews, two Common Sandpipers and one Redshank noted, largely split between Henllwyn and Solfach.

Counts of 168 Puffins and 159 Kittiwakes rafting off the East were taken during East Side monitoring, and a single Kestrel was also observed hunting in the area.

2026-07-14T20:32:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather was hot and sunny throughout peaking at around 25°C with a cool F3 Northerly breeze.

A decent number of Small Whites remained, with 25 recorded around the island, 20 of which were in the garden at Cristin.

Wader passage remained prominent today with Common Sandpiper numbers rising to a total of seven on Solfach. Other wader sightings included singles of Lapwing, Whimbrel and Redshank all on the South End. Three each of Curlews and Grey Herons were around the Narrows.

The variety of Gull species on the Island has risen to seven with the arrival of five Common Gulls and one Mediterranean Gull joining the usual Great Black-backed Gulls, Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Herring Gulls and Kittiwakes around the island and a reduced count of 16 Black-headed Gulls.

Common Gull © Ezra Sherwell

Good numbers of hirundines were noted with 41 Swallows and 27 House Martins.

A single Sedge Warbler was still calling in the Withies and four Linnet were observed on the South End.

2026-07-13T01:36:00.000+01:00

Today was another hot one on the island, but with strong north easterly winds providing some much needed relief. Visibility was ok as heat haze was once again a challenge and the sea was a little rougher at a sea state three.

Butterfly and day-flying moth activity was exciting today with a Clouded Yellow and a Comma butterfly seen! The comma was the definite highlight, seen twice at Nant and is a rarity on the island. This lined up with a huge arrival of Small Whites on the island with 81 recorded, 50 of which were around Cristin. We also had five Magpie moths and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth. A Migrant Hawker dragonfly at Nant was the first sighting of the year, likely having blown over from the mainland.

Small White © Joel Tragen

In the afternoon, Joel and Ezra went round the East side to continue the Manxie census. While busy counting burrows, they discovered the first Storm Petrel chick of the year and were treated to a Kestrel hovering just off the coast.

Wader activity is still high today, with a Lapwing and Snipe on the South End. Eight Curlews were also scattered around the island and three each of Redshanks and Common Sandpipers were recorded between Henllwyn and Solfach.

Another good day for Black-headed Gulls across the island with 14 seen, with a good mixture of juvenile and adult birds seen, three Sandwich Terns were also recorded.

Swallows were spotted all over the island, with a total of 43 recorded, many of which likely recent fledglings. We also had 26 House Martins seen between Cristin and the South End. Whilst eight Swifts were seen overhead.

Fresh juvenile Sedge Warbler caught at Cristin © Joel Tragen

A Grey Wagtail flew over the South End in the morning. Two Stonechats, four Wheatears and a Sedge Warbler were all seen today. Seven Chiffchaffs, two Goldcrests and 18 Linnets were also recorded.

2026-07-12T01:17:00.000+01:00

It was another very warm day, with temperatures of 26°C and very little wind. Visibility was good and the sea was calm, peaking at sea state two.

We were treated to two dolphin sightings! In the morning, 24 Common Dolphins were foraging for nearly an hour off the West Coast, with leaps, head slaps and breaches all seen from shore. Gannets also made an appearance, co-foraging with the dolphins. Later, a group of six Risso’s Dolphins made a very literal and very large splash also off the west coast. Leaping and ‘rushing’ a few kilometers off the north-west, the group were exhibiting potential mating behaviours.

A view of the Enlli of the West Coast with Ogof Morlas in the bottom left and Solfach just visible on the right © Joel Tragen

The overnight easterly winds brought over some exciting visitors to the island with a lot of new birds moving through. Highlights included the Red Kite seen on Henllwyn and an influx of waders, namely three Lapwings, three Redshanks, three Common Sandpipers, 68 Oystercatchers and seven Curlews. 34 Black-Headed Gulls were also seen between Solfach and the West Coast. Two early female Teals were getting hassled by the Moorhens on Pwll Gareth and a Kestrel was hovering around the East Side.

Red Kite making a close flyby of the boat house © Joel Tragen

Teals after getting bullied off Pwll Gareth by the local Moorhens © Joel Tragen

We had 40 Swifts flying overhead, 20 Swallows and 10 House Martins seen at Cristin. In Nant plantation a Spotted Flycatcher and Song Thrush were seen.

Across the island five Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat, two Blackcaps, a Goldcrest and 16 Chiffchaffs were recorded. Two Goldfinches and 23 Linnets flew across the Narrows.

2026-07-11T00:35:00.000+01:00

Today the sun was shining as we greeted new guests to the Observatory. High temperatures of 28°C were reached and the F3 northern winds provided a bit of relief and a sea state 3.

We had a Clouded Yellow on the Narrows today! But there were a fair few day-flying moth species about today, including three Six-Spot Burnet, three Magpie Moths, one Silver Y and seven Hummingbird Hawk-moths.

Chinese Character hiding beneath some Fuscia © Joel Tragen

Today we recorded a count of 206 rafting Puffins off the East side. At least one Lapwing was heard overnight on the South End as Ezra walked home. A Whimbrel and two Curlews on Henllwyn amongst the seals.

We had 23 Swallows and five House Martins across the island today and five Swifts flying above the Mountain. Three Meadow Pipits and five Rock Pipits were also recorded.

Two Stonechats were seen at the farm, five Wheatears between Henllwyn and the south end. Three Sedge Warblers, a Goldcrest and two Chiffchaffs were recorded across the island. Seven Linnets on the Narrows and South End.

2026-07-10T20:20:00.000+01:00

A much brighter day dawned with barely any cloud cover leading to a maximum temperature of 19°C. A fresh Northerly breeze at averaging F4 grew gradually throughout the day.

The calm, clear weather created perfect conditions for completing some of the final parts of east side seabird monitoring with a morning boat trip to monitor Kittiwake numbers and breeding success. Later a trip round the east side was undertaken on foot to count Manx Shearwater burrows and ring some of the last remaining Auk. The cliffs have started to look sadly sparse as we approach the end of the breeding season for many of the cliff nesting species.

An unseasonal flock of 15 Common Scoter were seen flying along the West Coast early in the morning. A flock of four Little Egret were also seen flying south over the Narrows early morning by Ben Porter, an additional bird was flushed from the rocks on the east side of Pen Cristin as we went past with Gareth. Two Grey Herons were seen in Henllwyn.

One of the juvenile Oystercatcher that successfully avoided the gulls and Peregrines © Joel Tragen

Curlew numbers hit a high count for the Autumn with 29 seen across the island, a single Whimbrel was noted on the South End and a Redshank flew South along the West Coast.

Seven Black-headed Gulls were noted around the coast, two flying over the South End, another two in Solfach and three off the West Coast.

An increase in Swifts shot through the island, along with four Sand Martins, 13 House Martins and 49 Swallows.

The first Willow Warblers of the Autumn passed through Nant in the morning, totalling four. Two Chiffchaffs remained around Cristin garden where a Siskin was also noted and three Linnets were seen in the Wetlands.

2026-07-09T15:20:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather conditions presented an overcast day with thick fog presiding for most of the day. A gentle F3 breeze combined with a peak temperature of 18°C provided a much cooler day.

A group of six Risso’s Dolphins were spotted off the West Coast during the morning seal survey. A total of 131 seals were counted during this survey.

Lots of butterflies were spotted in the still morning with Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoishell and Meadow Brown all present.

Wader numbers are increasing around the Narrows with two Curlew, one Whimbrel, one Common Sandpiper and two Redshank all present. Two Grey Herons were also around the Narrows.

A Swift was seen over the Narrows, four Swallows and nine House Martins were seen across the island.

Nant was bustling with young birds this morning with a fresh Goldcrest, two families of Chiffchaffs, and numerous other juveniles including Stonechats, Dunnocks, Blackbirds and Wrens. A Blackcap was also heard tacking around the Observatory.

2026-07-08T13:51:00.000+01:00

Today was very calm, with light winds blowing from the south-west and high temperatures of 21°C. The afternoon saw fog rolling in off the sea, making visibility challenging, but creating a very mysterious atmosphere. We also had to say goodbye to our amazing volunteers, Saffron and Cameron, who did brilliant work over the past two weeks. Luckily, Ezra also came back from his summer break!

12 Common Dolphins, including 2 calves, were observed travelling south along the West Coast. This included many synchronised leaps and bows, with the group moving quickly. A Mauve Stinger and Lionsmane jellyfish were also seen in Cafn.

An Emperor Dragonfly was the invertebrate highlight of the day, observed flying around the gardens at Cristin.

Six Gannets were seen diving off the West Coast and a Kestrel was also spotted hovering above the Lowlands. Six Curlew, a Redshank and a Greenshank were seen and heard around the island today, the later flew south over the island, heard from the office at Cristin.

We also had two Swallows and ten Meadow Pipits on the South End. 13 House Martins and three Linnets were also recorded.

2026-07-07T12:47:00.000+01:00

Yesterday’s fog stuck around this morning, but finally lifted by midday. It was a warm, calm day, with temperatures of 19°C, a sea state of 1 and winds blowing in from the south.

We had two Risso’s Dolphin sightings this afternoon. The first was a group of six adults socialising off the West Coast. They stayed for half an hour, performing short dives and slowly moving further westward. The second sighting was much briefer, with 4 individuals leaping closer to our coastline.

A lot of butterfly activity today! 15 Red Admirals, 11 Painted Ladies, 19 Green-veined whites and no fewer than 124 Meadow Browns. For day-flying moths, the most common species was the beautiful Six-spot Burnet with 11 across the island. We also had two Hummingbird Hawk-Moths and two Silver Y moths.

Joel opened the nets at Cristin during the morning and had a productive session catching the resident female Sparrowhawk, a young Magpie and a Sedge Warbler along with a handful of young Wrens.

Joel, Saffron and Cameron once again headed to the East Side for some seabird monitoring. Counts of 350 Kittiwakes and 150 Guillemots were quickly overshadowed by the 600 Razorbills still in the colony. 60 Shags, 10 Cormorants and 22 Gannets were also counted between the East side and West Coast.

We also spotted three Sedge Warblers, nine Chiffchaffs and a Whitethroat at Cristin. Across the island, 15 Swallows, two House Martins, five Meadow Pipits and four Rock Pipits were also recorded. At Cristin we also had one Goldfinch and two Linnets up on Pen Cristin.

2026-07-06T12:10:00.000+01:00

Today, a thick sea mist blanketed the island. The sea was almost completely obscured and from Cristin, the lighthouse disappeared completely from view. The sea state (when visible) was a 3 and we had F4 south westerly winds.

Today, the most common butterfly recorded were Meadow Browns, with 39 seen. We also had ten Graylings, eight Green-Veined Whites, five Red Admirals and four Painted Ladies. For day-flying moths, the most common moth by far was the Straw-Barred Pearl with 150 seen on the East side! Eight Six-spot Burnets, two Hummingbird Hawk-Moths and a Silver-Y moth were also seen. We also had a Rush Veneer at Pen Cristin; a migrant from North Africa.

Joel, Saffron and Cameron headed to the East Side in the afternoon for some seabird monitoring. 275 Kittiwakes, 100 Guillemots, 400 Razorbills, 40 Shags, three Fulmar and three Gannets were all recorded. The highlight of the day was the recapture of a Razorbill first ringed on the island as an adult in 1999- making it at least 30 years old!

We also spotted ten Swallows and a House Martin in the Wetlands. There were also three Stonechats, two Wheatears, three Chiffchaffs, four Linnets and a Sedge Warbler found in the Withies.

2026-07-05T14:48:00.000+01:00

Winds reached F3 whilst the sea was recorded with a state of two. Visibility started off good in the morning until 15:00 when mist engulfed the island and visibility was limited to less than 100m. Temperatures remained at 18°C.

Meadow Browns remained the most numerous butterfly present on the island with 107 seen. Five Graylings were seen around the East Side, along with a Hummingbird Hawk-moth, another was seen at Cristin.

A female Red-veined Darter was seen by Cameron in the Wetlands, where he also saw an Emperor Dragonfly and two Blue-tailed Damselflies.

Two Grey Herons were seen flying north along the West Coast, where two Curlews were also seen.

A noticeable increase in Swallow numbers today with 20 recorded across the island and four House Martins were seen with a pair at Nant and a pair over the Wetlands.

A total of six Sedge Warblers were seen across the island, this included a bird in Cristin garden, which was likely a new in migrant. Two juvenile Blackcaps were skulking around Nant and a total of ten Chiffchaffs were recorded across the island, including 3 fresh juveniles at Nant. The Goldcrest heard at Nant yesterday was finally seen, allowing us to see it was a juvenile. This confirmed our suspicions that they made a breeding attempt.

The only finches seen today were Linnets, with three pairs seen, all in different locations.

2026-07-04T13:37:00.000+01:00

Again, winds reached F5, but the sea only reached a state of three today. Visibility remained good and no precipitation was recorded; temperatures improved, reaching 18°C.

Two pairs of Shelducks were seen with two each off both beaches. Two Common Sandpipers were seen off Solfach, whilst a total of three Curlews were seen.

A single Swift was heard screaming over Carreg. Hirundine numbers remain low with two House Martins and ten Swallows seen. Three adult Pied Wagtails were seen on Solfach in the evening, joined by a female Wheatear.

A Whitethroat was seen above Nant in the Gorse, whilst a Goldcrest was heard from somewhere in the Plantation. Seven Chiffchaffs, split between Cristin and Nant, were the only other warblers detected today.

The only finches today were nine Linnets, with pairs seen at Solfach and the North West Fields, plus a family of five in the Lowlands.

One of the fledged Peregrines learning what is and isn't food... this certainly isn't food but she still chased the GBBG around for 5 minutes © Joel Tragen

2026-07-03T09:44:00.000+01:00

Winds reached F5 today and a sea state of four was recorded. Visibility was good and no precipitation was recorded, temperatures reached 15°C.

Another good count of Meadow Browns was achieved today with 75 recorded, 58 of these were in the Wetlands. 26 Six-spot Burnet moths were also counted, likewise much of these were in the Wetlands. Three Hummingbird Hawk-moths were seen around the Narrows and a total of 10 Silver-Ys were seen.

A Grey Heron was loitering around the Wetlands, likely in search of young birds. Two each of Shelducks and Mallards were swimming off Solfach, along with a Common Sandpiper on the shore.

Ten Swallows and four House Martins were seen across the island, likely all breeders busy gathering food for their chicks.

Three Sedge Warblers were seen in Cristin Withy, including the first juvenile of the year which was noisily begging for food.

Eleven Linnets were seen today, including a family group of eight around the Narrows.

2026-07-02T23:06:00.000+01:00

Three each of Humming-bird Hawk-moths and Silver-Ys were recorded today, mostly around the East Side, along with 500 Straw-barred Pearl.

During the early hours of the morning, the team opened the Storm Petrel nets and caught 11 birds. In addition, three birds were seen on nests around the East Side.

A Whimbrel was heard flying along the West Coast and five Curlews were seen across the island. Around the East Side the first Mediterranean Gulls of the year were seen, with three second calendar-year birds feeding with the Kittiwakes which numbered 500, including a smart black-headed individual. A Sandwich Tern was seen off Henllwyn.

Good numbers of Auks were counted whilst Joel, Saffron and Cameron carried out the Manx Shearwater census around the East Side. 1700 Razorbills, 200 Guillemots and 150 Puffins being counted between Pen Cristin and Seal Cave.

The only hirundines recorded today was seven Swallows, five being at Nant. A single Chiffchaff at Nant was the only warbler detected today.

A Chaffinch was present at Nant and four Linnets were seen on Pen Cristin.