Bardsey's Wildlife

2026-05-06T17:17:00.007+01:00

A westerly wind at force two persisted through the day, with a sea state of two and good visibility. No precipitation was recorded, and the temperature reached 13 °C. The well height was zero‑point‑two metres.

Today we welcomed Harry, who has come to volunteer for the next ten days. This is Harry’s 3rd visit back to volunteers, following his first visit during a Bangor University Birdwatching Society Student week in 2025.

Gareth very kindly took the team around the East side on his boat so the first seabird survey of the year could be conducted, with the main focus being on nesting Shags. During the survey 99 Shags nests were located, along with 400 Kittiwakes, 50 Lesser Black‑backed Gulls, 150 Herring Gulls and nine Great Black‑backed Gulls. Auks also back in some numbers with at least 400 Guillemots, 600 Razorbills and 50 Puffins.

Cormorant © Steven Stansfield

Cormorant above and Shag below © Steven Stansfield

Puffin © Steven Stansfield

Canada Geese © Steven Stansfield

A Buzzard was seen over Cristin, the male Sparrowhawk was also present and the male Peregrine was seen on the mountain above Cristin.

A Sanderling was at Solfach along with a Bar-tailed Godwit. A Dunlin was heard between the South End and Henllwyn. Ten Whimbrel were recorded and a Curlew was heard from Cristin.

A total of 126 Swallows were recorded, other hirundines included two Sand Martins and 23 House Martins.

A Garden Warbler was ringed at Cristin. Other warblers included four Sedge Warblers, two Whitethroats, nine Chiffchaffs and one Willow Warbler was at the Wetlands.

A Lesser Redpoll flew over the South End, a Chaffinch and two Goldfinches were at Cristin. A total of 18 Linnets were recorded.

2026-05-05T23:23:00.019+01:00

A northerly wind at force four held throughout the day, with a sea state of three and very good visibility. The temperature reached 10 °C.

The team returned to the North Hide to fix the door and provide extra strapping and support to the structure.

The two Canada Geese remained on Pwll Cain and the Grey Heron was at Pwll Gareth. The male Sparrowhawk remained at the Observatory.

Sparrowhawk © Steven Stansfield

A Dunlin was at Henllwyn and there were 12 Whimbrels spread around the coast. Two Sandwich Terns were also seen in Henllwyn.

A Sand Martin and four House Martins were present. A total of 23 Swallows were logged across the island. A White Wagtail was at Solfach along with the resident three Pied Wagtails pairs in the usual locations.

Five Sedge Warblers and two Whitethroats were present. Other warbler included a Blackcap, three Willow Warblers and 15 Chiffchaffs.

Tree Sparrow © Ezra Sherwell

Ezra located a Tree Sparrow at Tŷ Pellaf but it quickly moved on. A Lesser Redpoll was heard flying over Crisitin and Linnets numbered 34.

2026-05-04T22:58:00.011+01:00

A northerly wind at force four persisted through the day. The sea state was three. Visibility was good. The temperature reached 12 °C.

The team spent the afternoon starting to piece together the puzzle-pieces of the North hide, successfully managing to secure all the salvageable pieces back together.

North Hide in use - April 2024 © Kate Fox

the hide after it had been trashed by a storm in winter 2025 © Mari Hughes

The team begins work!

All the bits (almost) fixed back together

All that remains is to fix the door, add more strengthening straps and fit the roof when it arrives © Steven Stansfield

Thanks to all who donated to help get the hide repaired. We raised a good amount and almost all of it has now been spent on bolts, screws, hinges and the new Onduline roof that will be delivered soon.

During the Low Tide Seal Survey, 168 Grey Seals were recorded.

Two Canada Geese circled the island before landing and settling on Pwll Cain for the remainder of the day. The Grey Heron remained on Pwll Gareth.

The male Sparrowhawk was around Cristin and an immature female Peregrine was seen around the North End.

Two Sand Martins and five House Martins were recorded, along with 49 Swallows.

A very vocal Lesser Whitethroat spent the morning singing in Cristin Garden. Other warblers included a Whitethroat (which was trapped and ringed), two Sedge Warblers, three Willow Warblers and 23 Chiffchaffs (20 of these were trapped at Cristin, 13 were new and seven recaptures).

A Jackdaw moved north at Nant.

Control Lesser Redpoll, ringed last year as a first year bird at another site in the UK © Ezra Sherwell

Four Siskins were seen, with a nice male dropping into Nant. Ten Lesser Redpolls were recorded moving over, with a British Control being trapped at Cristin. A Chaffinch was present at Cristin. Two Reed Buntings were recorded with one at the Wetlands and one at Cristin.

Overnight a nice showing of the aurora borealis took place with the northern sky turning shades of pink and purple.

Northern Lights © Connor Stansfield

2026-05-03T21:12:00.007+01:00

A northerly wind at F3 persisted through the day. The sea state was three. Visibility was moderate. The temperature reached 13 °C.

23 Green‑veined Whites, a Small Copper, three Painted Ladies and three Peacocks made up the butterflies for the day. A Silver-Y Moth and Diamond‑back Moth were also seen.

The pair of Shovelers were seen again, originally sat in Henllwyn but then circled the island, dropping onto Pwll Gareth for the rest of the day. The drake Gadwall was on the West Coast for a change.

Still only 34 previous records of these dapper ducks for Bardsey

A male Kestrel was seen hunting over the mountain and the male Sparrowhawk remained around Cristin.

Four Bar‑tailed Godwits and six Turnstones were at Solfach. Six Dunlins were recorded across the island along with 13 Whimbrel and a Curlew.

Four Sand Martins, 12 House Martins and 85 Swallows were recorded moving through the island.

Garden Warbler trapped and ringed under license © Steven Stansfield

Two Garden Warblers were recorded with one trapped and ringed at Cristin. Ten Sedge Warblers were recorded with two trapped and ringed at Cristin. A Whitethroat was also at Cristin. Four Blackcaps, 11 Chiffchaffs and three Willow Warblers made up the other warblers present.

One Spotted Flycatcher was at Nant.

Nine Lesser Redpolls and three Siskins flew over. Other finches included a Goldfinch and 13 Linnets. Two Reed Buntings were also recorded.

2026-05-02T13:22:00.010+01:00

A south‑easterly wind at force three persisted through the day. The sea state was two. Visibility was moderate. Light rain began at 18:00 and continued through the night. The temperature reached 13 °C.

A pair of Shovelers were on the tip of the South End early morning before quickly departing and flying past Henllwyn and along the East Side. 12 Shelducks were recorded along with seven Mallards were recorded with four at the North‑west Fields and three males at Henllwyn.

Two Sparrowhawks and a Peregrine were recorded.

Bar-tailed Godwits © Steven Stansfield

Two Bar‑tailed Godwits, three Ringed Plovers and seven Dunlins were present. An impressive day for Whimbresl with 40 across the island along with a single Curlew.

A Swift was heard screaming over Cristin, another or the same individual was seen later above the Mountain with a large flock of hirundine. Big numbers of Swallows today with 183 recorded across the island along with six Sand Martins and 17 House Martins.

Swallow captured and ringed under license © Joel Tragen

Four Sedge Warblers, two each of Whitethroats and Blackcaps, 21 Chiffchaffs and six Willow Warblers made up the warblers present on the island today.

Three Tree Pipits flew over today. Two Spotted Flycatchers were at Nant and a Jackdaw was around Cristin.

Six Siskins and 16 Lesser Redpolls moved over with two of the Lesser Redpoll dropping into Cristin and ended up being ringed. 21 Goldfinches were also recorded along with a Reed Bunting was at the Wetlands.

2026-05-01T13:10:00.000+01:00

A south‑westerly wind at F4 persisted through the day. The sea state was three. Visibility was good. A very brief period of light rain occurred in the morning. The temperature reached 12 °C.

Six Green‑veined Whites, a Red Admiral and two Peacocks were seen today.

The Grey Heron was at Pwll Gareth. Six Shelduck were recorded along with nine Mallard. The drake Gadwall remained on Pwll Cain.

Two Sparrowhawks were recorded with a female at Nant and a male at Cristin.

One Dunlin was at Henllwyn whilst 18 Whimbrels were recorded across the island.

24 Swallows and two House Martins were on the wing, with the pair of House Martins exploring the lighthouse complex. Three Tree Pipits were recorded with two in the new plantation at Nant in the evening.

Grounded Tree Pipit © Joel Tragen

Five Sedge Warblers and a Whitethroat with the latter being trapped and ringed. A Blackcap, 17 Chiffchaffs and seven Willow Warblers were recorded.

A Jackdaw seen on top of the ringing hut at Cristin before flying South.

Two Lesser Redpolls flew over Cristin and 11 Linnets were present.

2026-04-30T18:29:00.019+01:00

An easterly wind at F4 persisted through the day. The sea state was two. Visibility was good. The temperature reached 18 °C.

Ezra found the first ordonata of the year, and it turned out to be a first for the island. It was a male Hairy Hawker on the mountain track between Cristin and Nant. 31 Green‑veined Whites were across the island, along with six Small Coppers, seven Red Admirals, a Speckled Wood and a Diamond‑back Moth.

Hairy Hawker - A new species for Bardsey © Ezra Sherwell

Seven Shelducks and 12 Mallards were recorded with the pair of Gadwall both being seen at Pwll Cain. The male Sparrowhawk continued to linger around Cristin.

A nice count of waders down at Solfach today with two Bar‑tailed Godwits, six Ringed Plovers (seven across the island), 11 Dunlins and two Common Sandpipers.

Two of the Dunlins on Solfach © Steven Stansfield

A Purple Sandpiper was seen at the Narrows and 37 Whimbrels were recorded across the island.

Whimbrels © Steve Stansfield

A Black‑headed Gull flew north over Nant and five Kittiwakes were moving past the South End.

Two Sand Martins, 49 Swallows and nine House Martins were recorded. Three 'flava' Wagtails were briefly grounded at the South End. Other wagtails included a Pied Wagtail, two White Wagtails and two ‘alba’ Wagtails.

Three Sedge Warblers, four Blackcaps, 19 Chiffchaffs and ten Willow Warblers were recorded.

Two Siskins flew over, whilst five Goldfinches and 24 Linnets were also present.

2026-04-29T12:12:00.000+01:00

A northerly wind at F4 persisted through the day and the sea state was three. Visibility was good. The temperature reached 16 °C.

A good day for butterflies with 11 Green‑veined Whites, four Small Coppers and five Peacocks. Three Green Tiger Beetles were also seen.

During a seawatch off the South End, Ezra recorded 14 Common Scoters. The drake Gadwall was seen again at Pwll Cain.

Two Sparrowhawks were recorded with the male at Cristin and a female at Nant.

A Lapwing was seen on the rocks at Henllwyn whilst over at Solfach two Bar‑tailed Godwits and a Ringed Plover were present. Eight Whimbrel.

The first Common Terns of the year were seen during Ezra’s eawatch with passing the South End heading north-east, good Kittiwake passage was recorded with 516 also moving in the same direction as the terns.

A Black Guillemot was found by Ezra in the bay at Traeth Ffynnon, staying long enough for all the Observatory staff to connect.

Black Guillemot leaving around the corner of Pen Cristin © Steve Stansfield

One Sand Martin, 39 Swallows and eight House Martins were recorded on the island. A Tree Pipit was on the Mountain.

Four Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat, four Blackcaps, 22 Chiffchaffs and six Willow Warblers were recorded.

Three Siskins were recorded moving over, otherwise two Goldfinches and ten Linnets, were the only other finches noted.

2026-04-28T21:42:00.010+01:00

An easterly wind at force four persisted through the day, sea state was two. Visibility was good. The temperature reached 13 °C.

The first Small Coppers were seen with four being seen and two Green Tiger Beetles were at Traeth Ffynnon.

The Grey Heron remained at Pwll Gareth and the drake Gadwall also remained at Pwll Cain.

The first Sanderling of the year was seen at Solfach along with a Ringed Plover and two Dunlins. A Snipe was at the South End. Seven Whimbrels and two Curlew were seen.

A Feral Pigeon was seen around the East Side and a Collared Dove was heard singing at Tŷ Nessaf.

Hirundines included two Sand Martins, 34 Swallows and four House Martins. 52 Wheatears were seen with 26 at the South End.

Greenland-type Wheatear © Joel Tragen

Nine each of Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats, along with two Blackcaps, 21 Chiffchaffs and ten Willow Warblers.

Two Lesser Redpolls were recorded flying over Cristin and Nant. One Chaffinch and 24 Linnets were seen.

2026-04-27T17:43:00.012+01:00

A light northerly wind at F4 prevailed through the day, sea state was three. Visibility was poor in the morning with fog, improving by midday. Temperatures reached 14°C.

The Grey Heron was seen again at Pwll Gareth and the drake Gadwall was present at Pwll Cain. The male Sparrowhawk remained around Cristin most of the day.

Sparrowhawk © Joel Tragen

Two Dunlins and a Curlew were at Narrow, six Whimbrels were recorded across the whole island.

Two Racing Pigeons were seen with one roaming around Cristin gift shop and the other on the abbey at Nant. A Collared Dove was also at Cristin.

Collared Dove © Ezra Sherwell

Two Sand martins and 21 Swallows were seen across the island with a mixture of birds moving through and some feeding up before departing.

One each of Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat were seen. Also three Blackcaps, 16 Chiffchaffs, four Willow Warblers and a Goldcrest were seen.

A Chaffinch was at Nant. Also two Goldfinches and six Linnets were present.

2026-04-26T21:44:00.012+01:00

A light westerly wind at force two, a sea state of one and moderate visibility were recorded, with some fog mid‑morning. A brief light shower passed through early morning. The temperature reached 13 °C.

The nice weather allowed Ezra and Joel to make the first excursion around the East Side of the Mountain for Chough monitoring. Whilst around there they were able to get some good seabird counts, recording the following: 55 Shags, c100 Lesser Black‑backed Gulls, c300 Herring Gulls, five Great Black‑backed Gulls, 82 Kittiwakes, 43 Guillemots, 301 Razorbills and 78 Puffins. All between the North End Gull colony and Bae Felan.

The drake Gadwall was again at Pwll Cain. The male Sparrowhawk was loitering around Cristin garden and one of the Peregrines was seen on the east side of the Mountain.

The only notable waders seen today were nine Whimbrels, two of which were around the east side of the Mountain. Only six Swallows were recorded today.

Warbler consisted of three Sedge Warblers, two Whitethroats, a Blackcap, six Chiffchaffs, two Willow Warblers and a Goldcrest. A nice variety but very low numbers across the board.

Whitethroat © Ezra Sherwell

A handful of finches were recorded. A Siskin and Crossbill were heard over Cristin, as were Lesser Redpoll and a flock of five were seen bombing around the Withies. Other finches included three Goldfinches and ten Linnets.

2026-04-25T14:18:00.006+01:00

A very nice sunny day with a light north‑westerly wind at F2, a sea state of two and very good visibility, with much of Ireland, Ceredigion and Anglesey being visible. Temperatures soared to 18 °C.

A male Orange Tip was seen on the track between Cristin and the School House, this is a fairly notable sighting as Orange Tip butterflies are less than annual on the island! Other butterflies included eight Green‑veined Whites, a Red Admiral, a Small Tortoiseshell, two Peacocks, and three Speckled Woods.

The Grey Heron remained around Pwll Gareth. seven Shelducks and six Mallards were present, the drake Gadwall was still on Pwll Cain. The male Sparrowhawk remained at Cristin.

The only note-worthy waders recorded today were nine Whimbrels and a Curlew. The first Feral Pigeon of the year was seen at the North End.

23 Swallows and six House Martins flew over the island.

Sedge Warbler © Joel Tragen

A good arrival of warbler with the first Reed Warbler singing in the Wetlands along with ten Sedge Warblers and seven Whitethroats across the rest of the island. Low number of other warblers with three Blackcaps, nine Chiffchaffs, 13 Willow Warblers and two Goldcrests. The Blue Tit was in the Sallows at Carreg.

Three Lesser Redpolls dropped into the Withies. Eight Goldfinches and 19 Linnets were also present.

2026-04-24T21:57:00.002+01:00

Another stunning day with light easterly wind at F3, a sea state of two and excellent visibility allowed views of the wind turbines on the Wicklow mountains of Ireland. The temperature reached 19 °C.

Three Shelducks were at Henllwyn. Mallards numbered 2, both at Pwll Cain.

Sparrowhawks reached 3, with a pair at the Cristin and a female at Nant. A Peregrine was seen over the Wetlands.

A Dunlin was heard on the South End and Whimbrels numbered seven. Two Sandwich Terns were at Solfach.

Another good day for hirundines with 67 Swallows and 14 House Martins being seen across the island.

The Ring Ouzel was seen again by Ezra on the Mountain.

Ring Ouzel © Joel Tragen

A Grasshopper Warblers was reeling at Nant. Sedge Warblers reached six and Whitethroats numbered two. Other warblers included seven Blackcaps, 14 Chiffchaffs, 15 Willow Warblers and a Goldcrest.

A Blue Tit was at Nant and a Rook flew north.

Ezra, whilst completing his Breeding Bird Census found a Yellowhammer on Pen Cristin. A Siskin and two Lesser Redpolls were heard overhead. Other finches included two Chaffinch, eight Goldfinch and 22 Linnet.

2026-04-23T21:46:00.016+01:00

Another warm light easterly wind at F3, a sea state of two and good visibility prevailed. The temperature reached 17 °C. Census effort totalled six hours.

With all the warm weather 12 Green Tiger Beetles were seen scampering around Traeth Ffinion.

Again the Grey Heron was at Pwll Gareth. Shelducks reached 8, with several pairs dotted around the island. Mallards numbered 9 and the drake Gadwall flew over to Solfach from Pwll Cain.

An immature male Kestrel, was seen at Pen Cristin. A Sparrowhawk remained around Cristin and a large female Peregrine was at the South End.

Summer-plumage Bar-tailed Godwit © Joel Tragen

Wader passage continues to keep us entertained with a stunning summer-plumage Bar‑tailed Godwit at Solfach, later joined by a Greenshank. Three Dunlins on the Narrows looked very dapper in their summer-plumage too, all at the Narrows. Three Common Sandpipers were seen around the coast and a Redshank was on the West Coast. Whimbrels reached 25 and Curlews numbered two.

A Black‑headed Gull flew North along the West Coast and two Sandwich Terns spent time between the West Coast and the North End, also seen at Solfach.

A Collared Dove remained at Nant and a Skylark spent the morning around the North End.

The best day for hirundine movement so far with 19 Sand Martins, 30 House Martins and 75 Swallows moving through the island

The first Tree Pipit of the year was heard flying over the West Coast. A White Wagtail was at the Narrows and four Pied Wagtails were scattered around the island.

Whilst leading a guided walk, Joel had a Ring Ouzel, the first of the year, flew over the group whilst they were at Pen Cristin. Today was also an incredible day for Wheatears with 196 across the island, at least 72 of these were Greenland‑type birds.

Garden Warbler © Joel Tragen

Two Garden Warblers were the first for Spring, both at Nant. A Grasshopper Warbler and a Sedge Warbler were recorded singing and six Whitethroats were seen. Other warblers included 20 Blackcaps, 39 Chiffchaffs, 40 Willow Warblers and two Goldcrests.

At least two Blue Tits were present today, sometimes seen bombing it across large distances. A Hooded Crow flew south over the Narrows with a Rook, two more Rooks were recorded moving, totalling three.

Hooded Crow © Joel Tragen

A male Reed Bunting was seen at Tŷ Pellaf. Two Lesser Redpolls and four Siskins were recorded. A Chaffinch was at Tŷ Capel. Other finches included five Goldfinches and 31 Linnets.

2026-04-22T09:16:00.009+01:00

A moderate easterly wind at force four, a sea state of two and good visibility prevailed throughout the day. The temperature reached 14°C.

Shelducks numbered four, with a pair at Henllwyn and a pair at Solfach. Mallards totalled six and drake Gadwall was seen at the Narrows.

The pair of Sparrowhawks were seen again at Cristin and the male Peregrine made the rounds several times.

A Ringed Plover and two Dunlin were at Henllwyn. Four Whimbrels and two Curlews were also seen. Two Sandwich Terns were at the Narrows.

Two Collared Doves were seen around Cristin Garden.

A Sand Martin, six House Martins and 43 Swallows were seen throughout the day. A White Wagtail was at Pwll Cain and three ‘alba’ wagtails flew over, Pied Wagtails totalled five across the island.

Female Redstart © Ezra Sherwell

A female Redstart was in Cristin Garden early morning before being relocated at the schoolhouse in the afternoon by Steve. Two female Pied Flycatchers were seen at Tŷ Pellaf by Ezra. Wheatears totalled 48, with many birds around the coast and eight hanging around Pwll Cain.

A Grasshopper Warbler was in the South End gorse. Five Sedge Warblers and seven Whitethroats were seen across the island, along with 23 Blackcaps, 23 Chiffchaffs and 53 Willow Warblers. Three Blue Tits were seen with a pair at Nant.

Three Rooks were seen passing over the Narrows.

Four Crossbills were in the conifer plantation at Nant, but after a few failed attempts, successfully left the island North. A Lesser Redpoll was at Cristin, two Siskins flew over and a female Chaffinch was at Nant. Other finches included seven Goldfinches and 15 Linnets. A Reed Bunting was again in the Wetlands.

Female Crossbill sat at Nant © Joel Tragen

2026-04-21T18:07:00.013+01:00

The island woke to a strong easterly wind at force five and a sea state of four after yesterday's flat calm weather. Visibility remained good throughout, with no precipitation recorded. The temperature reached 13 °C.

The day was mostly spent around the observatory doing odd jobs, all the Observatory and Bardsey Island Trust staff met up to run through the marine radios and some other island training. Ezra and Joel spent the afternoon doing maintenance work on the solar panels and squeezed in some nest finding around Cristin garden.

A handful of butterflies were on the wing today with four Green‑veined Whites, a Speckled Wood and one Silver-Y at the Cristin. One Red Admiral was at the Wetlands. A single Painted Lady and two Peacocks were at Nant.

Four each of Fulmars and Gannets were seen around the coast, again two Sandwich Terns were at Solfach. Again a Grey Heron was around the Wetlands, favouring Pwll Cain.

A pair of Shelducks were at Solfach. Mallards totalled 12 and the drake Gadwall was on Pwll Cain again.

An adult male Marsh Harrier was found by Ezra early morning whilst he was carrying out his Breeding Bird Census, it flew South over the Narrows before U-turning back over the Mountain.

Marsh Harrier © Steven Stansfield

A pair of Sparrowhawks remained hunting the garden at Cristin.

A Common Sandpiper was hanging around the West Coast and only five Whimbrels were seen today.

Unusually a Stock Dove dropped onto the school house roof and three Collared Doves were seen flying around the Cristin area.

A Sand Martin was seen from Cristin. Across the rest of the island 16 Swallows and nine House Martins were seen.

Male Pied Flycatcher © Ezra Sherwell

A nice arrival of classic Spring migrants today with a female Redstart along the West Coast, far from any vegetation, a Whinchat sat on the fence-line to the Green Lane and a male Pied Flycatcher sat on the track between Cristin and Nant. Wheatears numbers reached 19 with some Greenland-types also being seen.

The first Song Thrush of the year showed itself in the Wetlands and a late Redwing dropped into Cristin Garden in the evening.

The first Lesser Whitethroat was seen in the scrub next to Capel and Whitethroats reached three with one sharing the bush at Capel with the Lesser Whitethroat. Other warblers included 27 Blackcaps, 24 Chiffchaffs and 28 Willow Warblers.

Lesser Whitethroat © Joel Tragen

Three Blue Tits were seen across the island and a Starling was at Plas.

There were 17 Goldfinches and 23 Linnets recorded, with two Lesser Redpolls dropping into several sites around the island briefly and five fly-over Siskins. A Reed Bunting was heard on the West Coast.

2026-04-20T14:22:00.009+01:00

Another calm day with a gentle easterly wind at force two, a sea state of one and very good visibility prevailed throughout the day. The temperature reached 12°C.

A Grey Heron was at Pwll Cain. Eight Shelducks and five Mallards were seen, the drake Gadwall remained on Pwll Cain.

Red Kite just coming across the sound © Stephen Hyam

Two Red Kite were seen over the Mountain, both U-turning before reaching Cristin, this ties in with a large movement of Red Kites across the rest of the UK. With the warm gentle easterlies, a Buzzard made the crossing and was seen down in the Wetlands. A Kestrel was seen from Cristin.

A lone Dunlin was at Henllwyn and two each of Common Sandpipers and Turnstones were seen. 11 Whimbrels, a Curlew and a Redshank were also present.

Turnstone © Ezra Sherwell

Two Sandwich Terns were seen off the South End.

Ten Sand Martins, 11 House martins and 30 Swallows were seen across the island. Four White Wagtails were recorded, along with ten Pied Wagtails and five ‘alba’ wagtails. Wheatears totalled 39, with 22 on the South End.

Three Grasshopper Warblers, two Sedge Warblers and a Whitethroat were present. Other warblers included 11 Blackcaps, 20 Chiffchaffs, 67 Willow Warblers and a Goldcrest. A pair of Blue Tits were at Nant and a Starling was at Solfach, moving up to Tŷ Pellaf garden.

Seven each of Siskins and Lesser Repolls flew-over. Other finches included two Chaffinches, 22 Goldfinches and 27 Linnets.

2026-04-19T12:35:00.006+01:00

A Red Admiral and two Speckled Woods were on the Mountain.

Six Shelducks were recorded. Mallards reached 12 and the drake Gadwall remained at Pwll Cain.

A Buzzard was seen at the North End. Two Sparrowhawks and two Peregrines were also seen.

A Redshank and two Turnstones were at Henllwyn. Four Whimbrels and two Curlews were the only other waders of note.

193 Kittiwakes were seen off the East Side of the Mountain. Two Sandwich Terns spent time between the Narrows and the West Coast.

Three Skylarks passed high over the Wetlands. 12 Sand Martins, 41 Swallows and eight House Martins were recorded. A White Wagtail was on the Narrows and six ‘alba’ wagtails flew over.

A Grasshopper Warbler and a Sedge Warbler were in the Wetlands. Other warblers included nine Blackcaps, 20 Chiffchaffs, 18 Willow Warblers and a Goldcrest. A Blue Tit was seen zipping around the Withies.

Four Siskin moved overhead as did two Lesser Redpoll. Six Chaffinches were dotted around the island. Only ten Goldfinches and 25 Linnets were seen.

2026-04-18T20:03:00.004+01:00

Sadly today we had to say goodbye to the students, but before they left we managed to catch a small handful of birds in the heligoland trap. This meant that all the students got to ring at least one passerine whilst here, all doing either a Blackcap or a Goldfinch. Certainly a memorable experience. Again a massive thank you to the Cameron Bespolka trust, the BTO’s YBOV grant and Wild Sounds for enabling this trip to go ahead again and making it as special for the students and possible. Also a thank you to Saffron for drumming up interest and putting all the work into running the trip.

Two Bottle‑nosed Dolphins were offshore in the afternoon.

The Grey Heron remained at Pwll Gareth and the drake Gadwall remained at Pwll Cain. Sparrowhawks numbered 2, with one at Cristin and a male in the Withies.

Before leaving, Saffron saw five Purple Sandpipers at the Narrows. A Snipe was in the Wetlands and five Whimbrels were spread out across the island.

Two each of Kittiwakes and Sandwich Terns were seen off the coast.

A Sand Martin moved south over the Wetlands, three House Martins moved south over the Narrows and 18 Swallows were seen across the island. Six White Wagtails were on Solfach.

A small clear out of Grasshopper Warblers with only three present, all in the Wetlands. A Sedge Warbler was also at the Wetlands. Other warblers included two Blackcaps, 13 Chiffchaffs and nine Willow Warblers. Two Goldcrests were at Nant.

Again two Chaffinches were present. Goldfinches reached 58 and Linnets numbered 47. Six Siskins and two Lesser Redpolls flew over.

2026-04-17T19:45:00.002+01:00

A strong southerly wind at force six persisted through the morning, with light rain until 09:30. The sea state was four and visibility remained moderate. The temperature reached 12 °C.

With poor weather in the morning the students waited eagerly to go out birding with a member of staff. As soon as the rain halted they grabbed their bins and rushed out, eager to see what had been grounded. In the afternoon Joel led a guided walk for the guests.

During a seawatch off the North End in the evening, Ezra produced an unseasonal Sabine’s Gull as it moved through the Sound and out towards Anglesey. He also had a single Harbour Porpoise and a small diver sp., likely a Red-throated Diver.

A Painted Lady was seen on the Mountain and a Red Admiral was at Nant.

Fulmars totalled 11 and 2,322 Manx Shearwaters, 2,146 passed the North End, mostly moving north‑west to east through the Sound. An additional 120 Manx Shearwaters were rafting offshore. 74 Gannets were recorded around the coast with 48 of these off the North End.

A Grey Heron was at Pwll Gareth. Three Shelducks were around the beaches, Mallards totalled 12 and the drake Gadwall was at Pwll Cain.

A female Sparrowhawk was at Cristin and a Peregrine was over Nant.

A Ringed Plover was at Solfach. 13 Purple Sandpipers were seen leaving Carreg yr Honwy at high water and flying to the Black Rocks. A Snipe was in the Wetlands. Whimbrels totalled 18 and a Curlew passed north off the North End. A single Redshank was at Henllwyn. One Common Sandpiper was at Solfach. Turnstones numbered 5, with four at Henllwyn and one arriving from the north to the North End.

Kittiwakes totalled 21 and six Sandwich Terns were seen today, with four of the Sandwich Terns being seen passing past the island from the North End by Ezra.

Low numbers of hirundines today, nine Swallows moving through being the only ones recorded today. The wagtail counts today were five Pied Wagtails, two White Wagtails and seven fly-over ‘alba’ wagtails.

Whilst leading a student group on census, Saffron found a Wood Warbler, skulking away in the canopy of Nant. Six Grasshopper Warblers were heard reeling, with birds covering most areas of the island. Other warbler included ten Blackcaps, 29 Chiffchaffs and 40 Willow Warblers. Again a Goldcrest was at Nant.

Low numbers of finches with two Chaffinches again between Cristin and Tŷ Pellaf. Other finches included ten Goldfinches and 43 Linnets.

2026-04-16T19:19:00.005+01:00

As we were just past mid-week and the students had gotten a feel for the island, it was time to split into teams for the bird race. Ezra, Joel and Saffron each had a team and raced around the island trying to record as many species as possible. With results in its was extremely close with Saffron’s and Ezra’s teams drawing with 47 species and Joel’s team taking the lead by 1 species with 48 recorded in the day.

Whilst down at Solfach Joel's team was lucky enough to see a Common (Harbour) Seal hauled out away from the Atlantic Grey Seals. Common Seals are uncommon visitors to the island so it was especially nice for the student to see the direct difference between the two species.

A Painted Lady and a Peacock were the only butterflies recorded today, both at Nant.

Fulmars totalled six and 45 Manx Shearwaters were seen. 39 Gannets were recorded today, along with ten Cormorants and 21 Shags. 32 Kittiwakes were seen around the coast as were two Sandwich Terns.

Four Shelducks were around the Narrows as usual. Mallards totalled 22 and the pair of Gadwall were at Pwll Cain.

Three Sparrowhawks were seen today, two immature males at Cristin and an adult male in the Wetlands. A single Merlin was seen from Cristin and two Peregrines were seen above the Mountain.

The colour-ringed Ringed Plover and seven Turnstone were on Henllwyn at high tide along with 11 Purple Sandpipers on the Black Rocks. Whimbrels totalled 19 and a Curlew was on the South End. A Snipe was flushed from the Wetlands. Three Redshanks were seen between Henllwyn and the West Coast. A Water Rail was heard calling in the Withies.

Across the island two Sand Martins, five House Martins and 63 Swallows flew through. Eight Pied Wagtails and three White Wagtails were seen.

A Grasshopper Warbler reeled briefly at Cristin. Other warblers on the island today included four Blackcaps, 12 Chiffchaffs and 15 Willow Warblers. A Goldcrest was at Nant.

Three Jackdaws and six Rooks attempted the crossing from the island, all the Rooks doubled back but the Jackdaws left South off the South End.

Two Chaffinches were present on the island and a Siskin was heard over Cristin. Also 28 Goldfinches and 92 Linnets were seen.

2026-04-15T19:20:00.001+01:00

A strong southerly wind at force six, gusting eight, and a sea state of four prevailed through the morning. Visibility was poor until midday, improving to good thereafter. Rain fell until midday. The temperature reached 12 °C.

Once again small groups of the students joined a member of the team in carrying out census in different areas of the island, picking up tips and tricks they use to record birds whilst in the field. They then had the rest of the afternoon to put these skills into practice and came to log with some impressive totals. Finally we ended the day with quiz night, which all the students thoroughly enjoyed. Saffron’s secret talent of decoding anagrams was uncovered but ultimately Joel’s team, the St(ringers), came out top after a sudden death round.

A Fulmar was off the South End and 195+ Manx Shearwaters were see throughout the day with a mixed auk and Manx Shearwater flock of approximately 500 birds off the East Side. 34 Gannets, six Kittiwakes and two Sandwich Terns were seen around the coast.

Six Shelducks were at Solfach and Henllwyn. Mallards reached 15 and the pair of Gadwall were at Pwll Cain. A single Water Rail was heard in the Wetlands.

The only raptors recorded today were three Sparrowhawks

Wader migration continues to pick up with 18 Whimbrels across the whole island and a Curlew with a flock of eight Whimbrel was at the North End. One Redshank was at Henllwyn along with six Turnstones.

Six each of Sand Martins and Swallows with seven House Martins were recorded moving through the island today.

Ezra ‘started’ the day well with a pair of Redstarts skulking around the the South End gorse. Sadly they proved too elusive by midday for anyone else to connect but a good sign for the Spring.

A brief Whitethroat at Cristin was the first of the year. Other warblers across the rest of the island included 12 Blackcaps, 23 Chiffchaffs, 13 Willow Warblers and one Goldcrest.

A Chaffinch was at the Cristin. Other finches included six Goldfinches and 61 Linnets.

2026-04-14T13:53:00.000+01:00

A shift back to the wet and windy Spring days we’ve been having recently. But a moderate south‑easterly wind at force five, gusting seven meant birds were on the move. Visibility moderate to poor as light rain moved in sheets through the island, occasionally relenting for no more than ten minutes.

After last night’s Manx Shearwater walk, the students were treated to a massive lie in, having to meet a member of staff for census at …. 8am. After shadowing either Steve, Ezra, Joel or Saffron for census, Joel went through the moth trap with the students. Steve then followed lunch up with an identification session with the students, running through the identification of a lot of the migrants that were to be expected this week. They then spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the island and returned to the Observatory for log and a bonus talk from Steve.

A handful of warblers were fresh in, including a noticeable increase of Blackcaps. But the star of the show was incredible Goldfinch migration with the highest recorded count seen moving through the island, mainly in large flocks.

A handful of seabirds were recorded today. Manx Shearwaters totalled 19 and Gannets reached nine. Cormorants numbered five whilst lots of Shags were noted, totalling 31, with 23 along the West Coast.

Five Shelducks were seen between the beaches and Mallards reached 14. A single male Gadwall was at Pwll Cain. Moorhens totalled 5 with a pair on Tŷ Pellaf pond successfully hatching two chicks.

Raptors included two Sparrowhawks, a female sat above Cristin and a male flushed off the mountain. The resident male Peregrine was seen chasing small passerines attempting to leave the island at the North End.

Whimbrel migration appears to made a proper start with 11 seen across the island including seven birds by the North End hide. Elsewhere, a Ringed Plover, four Turnstone and two Snipe were seen. Oystercatchers reached 99.

Two Sandwich Terns were at Solfach, flying close by the students at times. Razorbills reached 29, with 26 rafting off the South End.

Swallows reached 19, with birds moving north and south. A House Martin moved south through the North End.

Meadow Pipits totalled 44 and Rock Pipits, nine. Pied Wagtails were seen at several places on the island totalling up to five. Only three ‘alba’ wagtails flew over, heading north.

Stonechats numbered seven, including pairs at the North End and Carreg Bach. Wheatears reached 11, with eight at the South End, including a Greenland‑type bird. Blackbirds totalled nine across the island.

A high Blackcap count relative to 'phylloscopus' warblers today, reaching 19, with 13 at Nant. Chiffchaffs totalled 27 and Willow Warblers totalled 22.

An incredible day for finch movement with the highest ever day total for Goldfinch with 520 moving over the island through the morning in decently sized flocks of 20-40. Good numbers of Linnet were also recorded moving with 227 recorded. Two Lesser Redpolls were recorded flying over the Mountain and the Wetlands and a single Chaffinch was at Tŷ Pellaf.

2026-04-13T15:08:00.120+01:00

Finally a light southerly wind at force four and a sea state of two prevailed through the day, allowing our remaining guests to leave and for the students to arrive. Visibility remained excellent, although a short shower passed over the island at 09:00. The temperature reached 11 °C.

The students arrived around midday and we got stuck in settling them in. They were all very grateful to receive their welcome packs and goodies provided by WildSounds.com. Once they had had lunch and unpacked they were treated to a guided walk to Nant by Steve and Joel. Of course being a University week the first night had to be an incredible chilli made and provided by Steve.

A massive thank you to Cameron Bespolka trust and the BTO’s YBOV fund for funding this week. Another massive thank you to Wild Sounds for providing prizes and books for the students.

Saffron, who is leading the student group, picked out two Harbour Porpoises off the West Coast from Cristin. It spurred an impromptu seawatch where a further three Common Dolphins and eight Bottle‑nosed Dolphins were picked out.

After a big tidy up by the students, we headed out to do a Manx Shearwater experience with the students where they got to ring their first Manxie.

A single Green‑veined White was seen on the track outside Plas. One Red Admiral was at Nant, along with two Painted Ladies and two Peacocks. A Speckled Wood was again flittering around Heligoland at Cristin and two Silver Y moths were recorded around the island.

Fulmars totalled three, including one circling above Cristin. Five Manx Shearwaters were along the West Coast. Gannets reached 16, with 11 off the South End. Cormorants totalled six and Shags numbered five.

Four Shelducks were at the Narrows and Henllwyn. Mallards reached 11, including a female with ten chicks at Pwll Gareth. The male Gadwall was still at Pwll Cain. Moorhens totalled eight, including two adults with four chicks at the Observatory.

Raptors included one male Sparrowhawk at the Wetlands and a single Buzzard was seen heading South over Nant where it was picked up at Cristin too.

A Common Sandpiper and Purple Sandpiper were on Solfach, seen by the students straight after getting off the boat, not a bad way to get introduced to the island. Other waders included two Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Redshank, four Turnstone and a Snipe. Oystercatchers reached 102.

Five Kittiwakes were at the South End. Still few auks being seen on and around the island with nine Guillemots, five Razorbills and at least 25 Puffins being seen.

A nice mix of hirundines passed through the island. Four Sand Martins moved south over the Wetlands. Swallows totalled 17 across the island and four House Martins moved south.

Rock Pipits numbered 3 at Henllwyn and Meadow Pipits reached 31. Pied Wagtails totalled five and 12 ‘alba’ wagtails moved over.

Stonechats totalled 11, including pairs at the North End, Carreg Bach, Tŷ Pellaf, and the Wetlands. Wheatears reached 19 with most of these being on the South End.

A small arrival of warblers today with 48 being recorded across the island, up from the 14 yesterday. The breakdown of these warblers is three Goldcrests, five Blackcaps, 22 Chiffchaffs and 28 Willow Warblers.

A single Rook moved north at the South End and 11 Chough were seen across the island.

Finches included two Chaffinches and 24 Goldfinches and Linnets were numerous, reaching 121. Four Siskins, two Redpoll and two Crossbills moved over the island early in the morning.

2026-04-12T14:55:00.000+01:00

Conditions were unsettled, with frequent gusts across the island. A strong south‑westerly wind at F6 and a sea state of five, starting to die down by the evening. Visibility remained moderate throughout, with no precipitation for most of the day but some light, short showers in the evening. Temperatures reached 11°C.

A handful of butterflies were seen today, with a Small Tortoiseshell on the Green Lane, whilst a Painted Lady and two Speckled Woods were seen at Cristin. A Drinker moth caterpillar was found by Ezra in the Withies.

Manx Shearwaters were moving strongly South, totalling 74, with 59 at the South End, along with a single Fulmar and six Gannets. Another Gannet was seen off the North End, totalling seven in total today. Three Cormorants were at Henllwyn, and a single Shag was at the South End.

Four Shelducks were at Henllwyn and the South End. Mallards totalled ten across the Wetlands and again, only the male Gadwall was seen today, hopefully meaning the female is elsewhere on eggs.

Raptors included a ringed immature male Sparrowhawk seen at Nant and a male Kestrel flew past the office window at Cristin.

A single Water Rail was at the Wetlands, flying the length of a full field before darting back into cover. Two Moorhens were present. Four Whimbrels were recorded, including one moving south very low off the South End and a Curlew was at Henllwyn. Oystercatchers reached 95, with 64 at Henllwyn.

Herring Gulls totalled 108 but only four each of Great and Lesser Black‑backed Gulls were seen. Kittiwakes reached 11, all moving South. Six Guillemots and a single Razorbill moved south.

A single Collared Dove was at Tŷ Pellaf and 17 Woodpigeons were recorded across the island.

The best day for Swallow passage so far with 21 moving south and north across the island.

Meadow Pipits totalled 31 whilst Rock Pipits numbered seven. A pair of Pied Wagtails were again at Carreg and 12 ‘alba’ wagtails flew over.

Stonechats totalled six and Wheatears reached 11, including one likely Greenland‑type bird. Dunnocks reached 11 and the pair of Robins were at Cristin. Only three Blackbirds were recorded

A handful of warbler have remained since the last push with four Blackcaps, seven Chiffchaffs and three Willow Warblers across the island.

Choughs also 21, with a flock of 18 over the Mountain and further birds at the South End and Tŷ Pellaf.

Goldfinches totalled ten today and Linnets reached 63.