Bardsey's Wildlife

2026-10-18T13:22:00.000+01:00

Conditions were calm today with a Force 3 North-East breeze, excellent visibility, and a smooth sea state of two, with temperatures reaching 11°C. Marine mammal and seal monitoring recorded 125 Grey Seals with five pups, and one Risso's Dolphin off the west coast.

A steady stream of passerine passage was notable today, starting from first light with some thrush movement and continuing well into the afternoon. The bulk of the numbers came from corvid arrivals with 500 Jackdaws, 58 Carrion Crows, 24 Choughs, 19 Rooks, six Ravens, and 57 Magpies, with thrush passage a close second with 333 Redwings, 43 Fieldfares, 14 Blackbirds and three Song Thrushes. Other passage counts included 132 Chaffinches, 16 Bramblings, 36 Greenfinches, 21 Siskins, 18 Redpolls, nine Goldfinches, five Grey Wagtails, seven Pied Wagtails, 13 Alba Wagtails, four Reed Buntings, 68 Skylarks, 35 Starlings, one Stock Dove, and ten Woodpigeons, noted. Counts of passerines landed on the island were much lower but produced some variety including one Great Tit at Nant, 90 Meadow Pipits, 26 Rock Pipits, 29 Robins, 11 Chiffchaffs, six Blackcaps, one Lesser Whitethroat at Cristin, ten Goldcrests, seven House Sparrows and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Two Water Rails were also recorded.

House Sparrow ringed at Cristin (c) Steven Stansfield

Seabird movement and coastal counts offshore featured 14 Gannets, 38 Shags, 30 Common Scoters, seven Wigeons, five Shelducks, two Teals, one Little Egret, 63 Razorbills, 28 Black-headed Gulls, 18 Common Gulls, four Mediterranean Gulls and two Kittiwakes. Wader passage and shorebird numbers featured nine Turnstones, four Lapwings, four Snipes, three Knots, three Redshanks, two Whimbrels, one Golden Plover, and one Bar-tailed Godwit. A notable increase of raptor diversity was noted today with three Peregrines, two Sparrowhawks, one Hen Harrier, one Buzzard, one Kestrel, and one Merlin.

2026-10-17T15:59:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather conditions presented a gentle North-East wind blowing at Force 3, good visibility, and a smooth sea state of three as temperatures reached a mild 12°C.

Seabird movement and coastal counts were quiet featuring three Gannets, three Black-headed Gulls and eight Kittiwakes. Wader and waterfowl numbers included featured one Grey Plover, one Snipe, one Whimbrel, four Curlews, three Redshanks, 11 Turnstones, one Water Rail, and three Moorhens. Raptor diversity increased notably today with two Buzzards, two Peregrines, two Merlins, one Sparrowhawk, and one Kestrel all noted during the day.

Visual migration counts produced a noteable passage of corvids and finches with 450 Jackdaws, 17 Rooks, 23 Carrion Crows, seven Ravens, 28 Starlings, 48 Chaffinches, one Brambling, two Greenfinches, 11 Goldfinches, eight Siskins, four Linnets, and three Lesser Redpolls. nine Woodpigeons, 39 Skylarks, six Meadow Pipits, ten Rock Pipits, one Flava Wagtail, three Grey Wagtails, one Pied Wagtail, and two Alba Wagtails all noted.

Jackdaws spiralling down onto the Narrows (c) Steven Stansfield

2026-10-16T15:59:00.000+01:00

The weather today presented a North-West wind blowing at Force 5, good visibility, and a sea state of 3, with very light showers setting in during the evening as temperatures reached 12°C.

Sunset from the South End (c) Ezra Sherwell

Marine mammal counts recorded 304 Grey Seal including 29 pups, and invertebrate observations produced one Convulvulous Hawk moth, one Rush Veneer, one Square-spot Rustic, one Turnip, one Swallow-tailed Moth, and one Angle Shades.

Swallow-tailed Moth (c) Steven Stansfield

Convulvulous Hawk moth (c) Steven Stansfield

Seabird movement past the island featured two Great Northern Divers, 44 Gannets, Arctic Skua, 62 Mediterranean Gulls, one Little Gull, 26 Black-headed Gulls, 22 Common Gulls, 352 Kittiwakes, three Guillemots, and 336 Razorbills and 16 Common Scoters. Shorebird counts produced five Whimbrels, 42 Curlews, five Redshanks, four Turnstones, three Snipes, and one Golden Plover. Raptors sightings included two Sparrowhawks, two Peregrines, one Buzzard, and one Merlin.

Passerine records from the day produced some visual migration overhead which included 59 Skylarks, five Swallows, 21 Meadow Pipits, 47 Rock Pipits, eight Pied Wagtails, three White Wagtails, and one Alba Wagtail, 17 Redwings, 16 Chaffinches, 19 Goldfinches, 11 Siskins, 20 Linnets, one Lesser Redpoll, two Reed Buntings and one Woodpigeon. Passerine numbers on the island stayed fairly steady with 21 Robins, six Stonechats, two Song Thrushes, two Blackcaps, eight Chiffchaffs, 11 Goldcrests, 24 Choughs and one Great Spotted Woodpecker.

2026-10-15T15:58:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather set in with moderate rain persisting all day, accompanied by a strong South-West wind shifting to North and dropping from Force 7 to 3. Visibility was poor, with a sea state of 4 and temperatures reaching a mild 15°C. Marine mammal and reptile observations recorded one Slow Worm noted at Plas. Grey seal monitoring around the island haul-outs tallied 45 at Solfach. Invertebrate records included one Painted Lady, one Silver Y, two Rush Veneers, one Rusty Dot Pearl and one Humming-bird Hawk-moth.

Sunset from Cristin overlooking the West Coast (c) Ezra Sherwell

Seabird and wader counts featured 90 Gannets, 18 Shags, four Black-headed Gulls, 12 Kittiwakes, 17 Razorbills, five Whimbrels, 16 Turnstones (including two ringed down on the South End), four Curlews, one Purple Sandpiper, one Snipe, and one Redshank. Remarkably, two late Manx Shearwater chicks were found down on the south end during nocturnal surveys, one calling from its burrow and another stargazing outside its burrow, the latter was subsequently ringed.

Passerine numbers were represented by 16 Meadow Pipits, 13 Rock Pipits, 32 Robins, 12 Blackbirds, four Redwings heard passing over the South End at night, two Blackcaps, one Yellow-browed Warbler, 11 Chiffchaffs, and 12 Goldcrests, one Chaffinch, five Goldfinches, 32 Siskins, and 14 Linnets.

2026-10-14T15:44:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather set in with a southerly wind blowing at Force 6, good visibility, and a choppy sea state of five as temperatures reached a mild 16°C. Marine mammal and reptile observations recorded one Slow Worm tracked by Plas. Grey seal monitoring around the island haul-outs tallied 47 at Henllwyn, 30 at Solfach, ten at Carreg yr Henwy, and three elsewhere, alongside seven pups.

Grey Seal pup (c) Steven Stansfield

Seabird movement and coastal counts featured one Great Northern Diver passing the north end, two Manx Shearwaters, 126 Gannets, 22 Common Scoters, one dark adult Arctic Skua, one Mediterranean Gull, 21 Black-headed Gulls, five Common Gulls, 156 Kittiwakes, four Guillemots, and 290 Razorbills, 16 Purple Sandpipers, five Whimbrels, 43 Curlews, six Redshanks, and ten Turnstones.

Passerine numbers across the island included one Woodpigeon, one Collared Dove, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, six Skylarks, 14 Meadow Pipits, 15 Rock Pipits, one Grey Wagtail, and five Pied Wagtails, 18 Robins, two Song Thrushes, two Redwings, one Blackcap, one Yellow-browed Warbler, one Chiffchaff, five Goldcrests, 11 Starlings, two Chaffinches, one Greenfinch, two Goldfinches, and 26 Linnets.

2026-10-13T13:44:00.000+01:00

A westerly force 6 wind dominated the day, with good visibility, a sea state of 4 and dry conditions, temperatures reached 16°C.

The highlight from seawatching was a juvenile Pomarine Skua off the South End, with two Arctic Skua also seen, while a Balearic Shearwater passed the West Coast along with 33 Manx Shearwater. Other notable seabirds included a Black Guillemot and a Puffin, amongst a total of 2609 Auk sp., mainly Razorbill. Five Mediterranean Gull, three Common Gull, 478 Kittiwake and 311 Gannet were also recorded, as well as 10 Common Scoter and a female Pintail off the south end.

On land, a Yellow-browed Warbler was found at Plas, while a Lesser Whitethroat was around the Observatory and Withies. A Snow Bunting was briefly seen at the Narrows and other migrants included 16 Skylark, 12 Goldcrest, five Song Thrush, a Lesser Redpoll and two Siskin.

Chough (C) Elliott Haywood

Elsewhere, a female Merlin was seen around the mountain, six Whimbrel, two Dunlin, two Purple Sandpiper, and two Redshank were recorded, whilst a Great Spotted Woodpecker remained at Nant.

Very little was seen in terms of other wildlife, with a Humming-bird Hawk-moth recorded at the Observatory.

2026-10-12T11:38:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather brought misty conditions with mizzle persisting through most of the day, though a short period of good visibility broke through at midday. Winds blew moderately from the South-East at Force five alongside a sea state of three, with temperatures reaching a mild 16°C.

Seabird counts produced 41 Gannets, 27 Common Scoters, 13 Teals, 96 Razorbills, 17 Kittiwakes, four Manx Shearwaters and one Fulmar. Records from around the coasts included 18 Purple Sandpipers, 16 Curlews, nine Whimbrels, nine Turnstones, five Dunlins, two Redshanks, and two Snipe one Little Egret, 150 Herring Gulls, 18 Great Black-backed Gulls, 11 Black-headed Gulls, six Common Gulls, ten Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and a Yellow-legged Gull. Raptors sightings featured two Sparrowhawks, two Merlins, and two Peregrines.

Merlin on the South End (c) Ezra Sherwell

Passerine counts included one Whinchat, 73 Robins, one Lesser Whitethroat, three Blackcaps, a Yellow-browed Warbler, 11 Chiffchaffs, seven Goldcrests, a Spotted Flycatcher, 27 Rock Pipits, 22 Meadow Pipits, 16 Skylarks, ten Starlings, four Song Thrushes, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, one Flava Wagtail, three Grey Wagtails, two Chaffinches, one Goldfinch one Linnet and five Reed Buntings.

Marine mammal monitoring offshore recorded two Common Dolphins, while seal haul-outs tallied 93 Grey Seals and nine pups. Invertebrate and mammal records included three Red Admirals, two Silver Ys, one Rush Veneer, one Turnip, one White-shouldered House Moth, and a Wood Mouse.

2026-10-11T13:26:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather conditions presented calm and clear conditions with a gentle South-East wind blowing at Force 4, very good visibility, and a smooth sea state of one with no precipitation. Temperatures reached a mild 14°C.

Seabird movement and coastal counts included 12 Gannets, 26 Shags, seven Cormorants, 11 Kittiwakes, five Common Scoters, 22 Razorbills, nine Common Gulls, three Black-headed Gulls, and a Mediterranean Gull. Waders and coastal species were represented by 24 Curlews, three Whimbrels, three Turnstones, a Purple Sandpiper, one Ringed Plover, two Snipes and a Redshank. Raptors numbers featured two Peregrines, a Buzzard, a Merlin, and a Sparrowhawk.

Passage counts of passerines produced 119 Meadow Pipits, 32 Skylarks, 24 Alba Wagtails, 19 Rock Pipits, seven White Wagtails, four Grey Wagtails, two Pied Wagtails, 34 Chaffinches, 29 Goldfinches, 29 Linnets, 23 Siskins, five Lesser Redpolls, four Reed Buntings, one Swallow, 40 Carrion Crows, 46 Choughs, 21 Rooks and ten Jackdaws.

Other passerine counts on the island included two Greenfinches, 31 Robins, four Blackcaps, nine Chiffchaffs, seven Goldcrests, a Yellow-browed Warbler at Cristin, a Firecrest at Nant, three Song Thrushes, and a presumed freshly arrived Great Spotted Woodpecker first spotted on the mountain above Nant before dropping onto a fencepost on the Narrows and working its way up the Island via the Withies, Cristin and Ty Bach.

Yellow-browed Warbler caught and ringed at Cristin (c) Steven Stansfield

Marine mammal monitoring offshore recorded seven Common Dolphins off the South End. Grey seal counts around the island haul-outs tallied 51 at Henllwyn, ten at Solfach, and ten elsewhere at the South End, alongside seven pups. Invertebrate sightings included one Red Admiral.

2026-10-10T12:21:00.000+01:00

Today’s weather conditions presented a moderate-to-fresh West wind blowing at Force 6, paired with moderate visibility and a choppy sea state of five. Temperatures reached a mild 13°C. The Northern Lights were briefly visable looking North from the Observatory.

Northern Lights looking North from the Observatory (c) Steven Stansfield

Seabird movement and coastal counts included one Arctic Skua, 2050 Razorbills and 111 Guillemots, 166 Gannets, 168 Kittiwakes, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 15 Shags, one Cormorant, seven Common Scoters, 156 Herring Gulls, 11 Great Black-backed Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three Mediterranean Gulls and one Common Gull with ten Curlews, five Whimbrels, four Turnstones, three Redshanks, one Ringed Plover, and one Snipe on coastal and wetland areas around the island. One Merlin at Withies and one Peregrine were also noted.

Landbird migration and grounded passerines brought a mix of autumn migrants, including one Yellow-browed Warbler at the Observatory, one Blackcap, seven Chiffchaffs, seven Goldcrests, 28 Rock Pipits, seven Meadow Pipits, two Alba Wagtails, nine Goldfinches, one Siskin, and two Chaffinches, 16 Robins, one Redwing at the Observatory, one Wheatear, one Great Spotted Woodpecker at Nant, and one Skylark at the Narrows.

Marine mammal and seal monitoring recorded a total of 194 Grey Seals hauled out across the island, alongside 25 pups. Invertebrate and mammal records included two Red Admirals, one Painted Lady, and one Common Shrew found in the solar room.

2026-10-09T12:16:00.000+01:00

The weather today brought fresh and breezy conditions, featuring a West wind blowing at Force 6 with a rough sea state of seven and moderate visibility. A brief shower midmorning was the only precipitation recorded, while temperatures reached a mild 16°C.

Coastal view over the West Coast from the Narrows (c) Ezra Sherwell

Seawatching efforts recorded some strong movement throughout the day featuring 117 Gannets, 864 Kittiwakes, 26 Manx Shearwaters, two Common Scoters, two Great Skuas, one Arctic Skua, one Arctic Tern, 1993 Razorbills, 148 Guillemots, four Black-headed Gulls, three Mediterranean Gulls, and two Common Gulls all moving south along the west coast. Other seabird and coastal counts included 21 Shags, five Cormorants, 140 Herring Gulls, 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 13 Great Black-backed Gulls, 34 Curlews on Henllwyn, 10 Turnstones, four Whimbrels and three Redshanks. Raptors noted included 2 Merlins and a Peregrine at the North End.

Landbird migration and grounded passerines featured 33 Rock Pipits, 14 Meadow Pipits, one Pied Wagtail at Solfach, 13 Goldfinches, two Linnets, 19 Robins, nine Chiffchaffs, six Goldcrests, one Great Spotted Woodpecker at the Observatory and a Wheatear at the South End.

Marine mammal monitoring offshore recorded a Risso's Dolphin off the west coast. Insects noted were 4 Lunar Underwings at the Observatory, 2 Humming-bird Hawk-moths at the Observatory (including one in Joel's bedroom), and a Red Admiral at the Observatory.

2026-10-08T10:52:00.000+01:00

Conditions today brought a South-Westerly wind blowing at Force 4, moderate visibility, and a sea state of 4, with rain setting in by the evening as temperatures reached a mild 14°C.

Passerines counts on the island included notable records of one Red-breasted Flycatcher found in Cristin Withy which was later caught, and one Yellow-browed Warbler at Cristin. Other species included a Reed Bunting on the South End, 39 Robins, 12 Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, 10 Goldcrests, 32 Rock Pipits, two Song Thrushes, one Mistle Thrush near the School House, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Visual migration counts produced some small movement with 54 Skylarks, 56 Meadow Pipits, 25 Linnets, 12 Goldfinches, 3 Siskins, one Redpoll, 20 Rooks and two Jackdaws. A variety of reptors were also observed including 2 Merlins on the South End, one Buzzard over Cristin, one Peregrine and one Sparrowhawk.

Red-Breasted Flycatcher (c) Steven Stansfield

Some modest seabird movement occured throughout the morning with 467 Razorbills, one Guillemot, 37 Kittiwakes, 28 Gannets passing south, three Mediterranean Gulls, four Black-headed Gulls and 17 Common Gulls off both the South and North ends. A selection of wildfowl and waders were also recorded passing the island and on the coasts, including a flock of five Whooper Swans recorded passing north along the west coast, 22 Common Scoters, three Teals moving south, 40 Curlews on Carreg yr Howny, 2 Whimbrels, 4 Redshanks, 2 Lapwings roosting on the Black Rocks, 14 Turnstones, 2 Purple Sandpipers, one Ringed Plover at Solfach and 2 Snipes.

Whooper Swans (c) Joel Tragen

Coastal and marine monitoring recorded a total of 197 Grey Seals, alongside 35 pups. Insects and other wildlife noted included 5 Lunar Underwings at the Observatory, 5 Red Admirals, a Humming-bird Hawk-moth at the Observatory, a Devil's Coach Horse at the Observatory, and 2 Wood Mice.

2026-10-07T17:43:00.000+01:00

The weather today featured a north-west wind blowing at force 5, good visibility, and brief afternoon showers. Temperatures reached a mild 13°C, while the sea state settled at five.

Coastal and marine movements included 125 Kittiwakes, 33 Gannets, 312 Razorbill along the west coast, 19 Common Scoters, 15 Guillemots, 11 Shags, eight Mediterranean Gulls, four Arctic Skuas, four Black-headed Gulls, three Cormorants, three Great Black-backed Gulls, two Manx Shearwaters, and one Red-throated Diver. Wader movement included 15 Golden Plovers, 12 Ringed Plovers, four Whimbrels, four Redshanks, two Turnstones, and one Curlew.

Passerine counts across the island produced 26 Goldfinches, 12 Linnets, 24 Rock Pipits, one Grey Wagtail, four White Wagtails, 23 Skylarks, two Wheatears, 11 Robins, two Blackcaps, seven Chiffchaffs, seven Goldcrests, one Song Thrush, one Chaffinch, and one Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Chiffchaff ringed at Cristin (c) Joel Tragen

Insects and day-flying invertebrates included four Lunar Underwings, two Red Admirals, and one White-shouldered House Moth.

2026-10-06T19:23:00.000+01:00

South-westerly force 3 winds brought relatively calm seas at sea State 2, although there was poor visibility and mizzle on and off throughout the day, with temperatures reaching 15°C.

Today’s highlights include a Hawfinch at Nant, while a Yellow-browed Warbler at the Observatory was seen before being trapped and ringed. A Pied Flycatcher was also found at Nant, whilst other passerines included 10 Blackcap, 15 Chiffchaff, 14 Goldcrest, two Song Thrush, three Wheatear and two Great Spotted Woodpecker, as well as the first three Starling of the autumn.

Yellow-browed Warbler (C) Ezra Sherwell

There was good passage of finches and pipits today, with 208 Linnet recorded across the island, alongside 174 Goldfinch, 96 Meadow Pipit, 23 Skylark and five Siskin.

Wader numbers included 36 Curlew, nine Ringed Plover, four Whimbrel, four Snipe, a Dunlin and a Golden Plover which was mobile around the island.

Aside from birds, other wildlife included five Humming-bird Hawk-moth, two Red Admiral, a single Rush Veneer and a Migrant Hawker at the Observatory.

2026-10-05T14:06:00.000+01:00

The weather today set in with a persistent mizzle lingering throughout, accompanied by a moderate-to-fresh South-West wind blowing at Force 6. Visibility was poor across the island, and the sea state was recorded at a choppy 4, with temperatures hovering around a mild 17°C.

The Observatory standing out in the evening mist (c) Ezra Sherwell

Despite the murky conditions, some seabird movement was noted with 272 Razorbills recorded from the North End, alongside 27 Kittiwakes, 21 Gannets, seven Common Scoters, and 11 Guillemots. A lone Manx Shearwater was also noted at the north end. Waders counts included 25 Curlews, 16 Turnstones, 10 Ringed Plovers, two Snipes, one Whimbrel, one Golden Plover, and two Dunlins. Two Teals were also recorded on Pwll Gareth.

Passerine counts across the island featured 41 Meadow Pipits, 33 Rock Pipits, one Skylark, one Wheatear, six Swallows, 36 Robins, 10 Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, four Goldcrests, one Spotted Flycatcher and one Pied Flycatcher at Nant, seven Goldfinches, 1 Song Thrush, a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Invertebrate observations yielded a nice assortment of late-season lepidoptera, including 3 Red Admirals, 2 Rush Veneers, 2 Humming-bird Hawkmoths, a Square-spot Rustic, a Lunar Underwing, and a Turnip Moth.

2026-10-04T14:05:00.000+01:00

Poor visibility in the morning with mizzle arriving mid-morning restricted ringing and birding efforts. Temperatures were mild however, reaching 16°C despite a fresh south-westerly Force 5 wind.

Seawatching and coastal counts produced six Razorbills, two Common Scoters off the south West Coast, 39 Curlews at Carreg yr Howny, 13 Ringed Plovers, a Snipe passing North over the Observatory and Nant, and one Redshank.

Landbird counts featured 61 Meadow Pipits, 24 Skylarks, 27 Linnet counts, 20 Rock Pipit, eight Goldfinches, six Siskins between Nant and the Observatory, one Chaffinch, 24 Robins, 10 Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, six Goldcrests, three Song Thrushes, two Wheatears at the Narrows, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers, two Woodpigeons, and five Alba Wagtails.

2026-10-03T13:52:00.000+01:00

Calm north-westerly Force 2 winds brought calm seas (Sea State 2) and good visibility with dry, mild conditions, and temperatures reaching 16°C.

Seawatching and coastal counts featured 102 Razorbills along the West Coast, 18 Kittiwakes, 25 Ringed Plovers, three Dunlins, two Golden Plovers, two Redshanks, two Curlews, a Whimbrel, one Turnstone and one Black-headed Gull at Solfach. Other waterfowl and raptor sightings included a Water Rail in the Wetlands, two Sparrowhawks, a Buzzard at the Observatory and one Peregrine.

Migrant and passage passerine counts today produced the first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year at Nant as well as two Firecrests and an early Redwing heard flying over South End overnight. Clear finch and pipit movement went on throughout the day led by 128 Linnets, 156 Meadow Pipits, 47 Skylarks, 32 Chaffinches (including eight ringed at the Observatory), 23 Goldfinches, and 21 Siskins. Additional passerines and migrants logged included 47 Robins, 20 Stonechats, 17 Swallows, two Pied Wagtails, one Grey Wagtail, 12 White Wagtails, 16 "alba" Wagtails, three Willow Warblers, two Blackcaps, 17 Chiffchaffs, 13 Goldcrests, three Spotted Flycatchers, two Pied Flycatchers, two Wheatears at South End, one Song Thrush, a House Martin in the Wetlands, and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers.

One of the Chaffinch ringed at Cristin

Grey Seal counts recorded 126 adults across island and 33 pups. Insects noted were nine Humming-bird Hawk-moths, seven Red Admirals, three Painted Ladies, two Small Coppers, a Peacock at the Observatory, a Rush Veneer at North End, a Silver Y.

2026-10-02T12:25:00.000+01:00

Strong southerly Force 7 winds brought rough conditions (Sea State 5) and moderate visibility today, accompanied by some heavy showers, with temperatures reaching 17°C.

Seawatching and coastal counts were strangely quiet considering the weather with just 44 Kittiwakes, 18 Razorbills, 12 Gannets, two Manx Shearwaters and a Common Scoter passing. Wader numbers were a bit higher with 35 Curlews on Carreg yr Honwy, 14 Ringed Plovers, four Dunlins, three Turnstones, two Whimbrels and a Sanderling on Solfach.

Passerine records were harder to come across with the weather, however nine Swallows, 12 Meadow Pipits, eight Rock Pipits, three White Wagtails, six Robins, a Wheatear at North End, a Skylark at Lowland, three Woodpigeons, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a male Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, a Goldcrest, and singles of both Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher at Nant.

Pied Flycatcher at Nant (c) Steven Stansfield

2026-10-01T17:27:00.000+01:00

Moderate southwesterly Force 5 winds brought moderate seas (Sea State 4) and good visibility, with scattered showers throughout the day and mild temperatures peaking at 17°C.

The Spotted Sandpiper was once again spotted on the North End of the island but proved elusive, keeping largely to the cover of the rocks around the pool. Other wader sightings included 17 Ringed Plovers, 11 Turnstones on the Narrows, seven Redshanks along the West Coast, four Whimbrels, two Dunlins and one Snipe. Seabird movement was generally quite low with one Artic Skua observed off the North End, 91 Kittiwakes, 71 Razorbills and 13 Black-headed Gulls and two Mediterranean Gulls.

Juvenile Kittiwake (c) Steven Stansfield

Landbird counts brought a mix of migrants, including three Pied Flycatchers at Nant, three Spotted Flycatchers, five Chiffchaffs, four Goldcrests, 23 Robins, one Great Spotted Woodpecker, one Wheatear, 14 Swallows, 21 Skylarks, 56 Meadow Pipits, 40 Rock Pipits, five Grey Wagtails, nine White Wagtails and 22 Linnets.

Pied Flycatcher at Nant (c) Steven Stansfield

Insects noted were three Humming-bird Hawk-moths, a Clouded Yellow at North End, a Migrant Hawker at Nant, and the second ever Brown Hawker for the island seen in the rushy fields below Ty Nessaf. The first record for the island was last year at Plas With.

2026-09-30T10:15:00.000+01:00

The highlight of the day came in the form of a juvenile Spotted Sandpiper discovered in the afternoon around some freshwater pools above the rocky shoreline on the North End. Initial views were brief before it wandered back behind some rocks but were sufficient to show bright yellow legs and a relatively clean back. The bird was refound a few minutes later providing better and slightly longer views of other key features. Not long after, the Sandpiper flew straight out to sea heading Northwest providing some brief biews of the upperwing before turning around about 300-400m out and heading back towards the hide at the Northwest corner of the Island. The bird was refound about 30 minutes later and provided a couple more fleeting views near the rocky pools around the hide before the rain came pelting down forcing searches to cease. The bird was not seen again after this point. This is only the second record for the island following one attracted to the lighthouse and trapped on 16 September 1977!

Spotted Sandpiper (c) Ezra Sherwell

Some seabird movement and coastal passage was also evident today with fresh south-southwesterly Force 5 to 6 winds and rough seas (Sea State 6). Despite only moderate visibility the morning seawatch from the Observatory produced three Arctic Skuas, one Sooty Shearwater, five Manx Shearwaters, 27 Arctic Terns, 14 Common Terns, eight Commic Terns, five Sandwich Terns, 565 Kittiwakes, 10 Black-headed Gulls, one Common Gull, 176 Gannets, 12 Common Scoters, 189 Razorbills, three Guillemots, two Grey Plover and 11 Ringed Plover. Temperatures peaked at 17°C and some heavy showers were present in the evening. Other shorebird counts from the Narrows produced 37 Curlews on Carreg yr Honwy, five Whimbrels, and an additional 11 Ringed Plovers and 14 Turnstones on Solfach.

Sightings on the island included a notable influx of Pied Flycatchers at Nant with a final total of eight, alongside two Spotted Flycatchers. Other records included two Blackcaps, four Chiffchaffs, two Great Spotted Woodpeckers and one Firecrest at Nant, as well as three Goldcrests, five Robins, two Skylarks, 26 Meadow Pipits, 14 Rock Pipits, two Alba Wagtails, two Chaffinches two Goldfinches and two Linnets.

Grey Seal counts recorded 146 adults across island haul-outs alongside 35 pups which included five new arrivals.

2026-09-29T18:18:00.000+01:00

A mild day reaching highs of 19°C, with overall good visibility and only a small amount of rain in the evening. The sea was at sea state 3 and there were force 5 south-easterly winds throughout the day.

Plenty of gulls were found around the island or moving through, with a total of five Mediterranean Gull comprised of four juveniles from the north end, and an adult going north along the west coast. Seven Great Black-backed Gull, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 13 Black-headed Gull, 11 Common Gull, and 19 Kittiwake were also seen.

Other birds over the sea were six Gannet, six Cormorant, 12 Shag, two Common Scoter, two Razorbill along the west coast, and a single Guillemot from the north end.

There was a good variety of waders today, with one Golden Plover at the south end of note, 17 Ringed Plover, one Dunlin, three Whimbrel, 32 Curlew, seven Redshank, and 16 Turnstone in total.

Golden Plover (C) Ezra Sherwell

The highlight on land was a juvenile Hobby heading north from Solfach, whilst a Peregrine at Nant added to today’s raptors. Passerine numbers were high for some species, with 91 Meadow Pipit, 19 Skylark, 34 Rock Pipit, four Grey Wagtails, 16 Alba Wagtails, three Wheatear, two Chiffchaff, and four Goldcrest. A decent day for finches as well with 55 Linnet, three Chaffinch, and a single Siskin on the narrows.

It was sparse for other wildlife, with two Painted Lady the only recorded butterflies, whilst five Humming-bird Hawk-moth were seen in total.

2026-09-28T12:27:00.000+01:00

Gentle southerly Force 2 winds brought calm conditions (Sea State 2) and very good visibility with no precipitation and mild temperatures reaching 16°C.

Evening view over the South End and Narrows from Pen Cristin (c) Ezra SHerwell

Coastal and seawatching counts featured seven Kittiwakes, four Gannets and two Razorbills along the West Coast, a Teal at Solfach, 39 Curlews at the Narrows, 19 Purple Sandpipers at the Narrows, 16 Turnstones, seven Whimbrels, seven Redshanks moving from the Narrows to Solfach, three Ringed Plovers, and two Golden Plovers. Gull records featured 54 Herring Gulls, one Lesser Black-backed Gull at Solfach four Great Black-backed Gulls, four Mediterranean Gulls, a Black-headed Gull and a Common Gull. One secretive Water Rail was also recorded at Nant.

Landbird sightings delivered some new arrivals on the island, highlighted by two Great Spotted Woodpeckers caught and ringed at Nant and a Crossbill over the Observatory. Other passage counts included 55 Skylarks, 42 Meadow Pipits, 15 Alba Wagtails, seven Grey Wagtails, nine Siskins, seven Goldfinches, 22 Chaffinches and 23 Linnets. Passerine counts around the island featured 29 Robins, seven Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, seven Goldcrests, three Spotted Flycatchers, two Swallows, two Woodpigeons, and a Wheatear along the West Coast.

Grey Seal counts totaled 124 adults across island haul-out, along with 29 pups spread around the coast.

2026-09-27T16:08:00.000+01:00

Strong southerly Force 6 winds accompanied by rain passing through in bands until midday kept the bird activity fairly quiet, especially in the morning, with little movement and most landbirds strictly keeping to sheltered areas and thick undergrowth. As the weather improved into the afternoon with less wind, reachign a maximum of 17°C a few birds started appearing including a Whinchat in the Wetlands and a Lesser Whitethroat at Ty Pellaf. Other passerines observed included 18 Chiffchaffs mostly at Nant, one Blackcap, seven Goldcrests, two Spotted Flycatchers, 40 Robins, 15 Linnets, two Goldfinches, nine Meadow Pipits, five Rock Pipits, and three Swallows.

Lesser Whitethroat at Ty Pellaf (c) Ezra Sherwell

Seawatching and coastal counts featured a steady mix of seabirds, waterfowl, waders, and gulls.This included 12 Gannets, 17 Razorbills, three Kittiwakes, four Black-headed Gulls and two Common Gulls on Solfach, 45 Curlews over the Narrows, 14 Turnstones at Solfach, two Ringed Plovers a Dunlin on Solfach, one Snipe, and a Whimbrel along the West Coast.

Insect activity yielded seven Humming-bird Hawk-moths, 15 Red Admirals, three Painted Ladies, a Clouded Yellow at North Observatory, a Comma at the Observatory and four Bedstraw Hawkmoth caterpillars on the fuchsia at the Observatory.

2026-09-26T11:37:00.000+01:00

The highlight of the day came from a Red-breasted Flycatcher found down in Cristin Withy mid-morning. The rest of the island was fairly quiet throughout the day, however, some small numbers of passage migrants were evident. This included four Blackcaps, eight Chiffchaffs, eight Goldcrests, seven Skylarks, three Grey Wagtails, three Alba Wagtails, one Siskin and two Goldfinches over the wetlands, 28 Linnets, 26 Robins, 26 Rock Pipits, 23 Meadow Pipits, 30 Swallows, and a Song Thrush.

Red-breasted Flycatcher in the Withies (c) Joel Tragen

Offshore and coastal sightings included 222 Kittiwakes, 126 Razorbills, seven Guillemots, 20 Gannets, three Manx Shearwaters, 35 Curlews, two Whimbrels on Solfach, 16 Turnstones at Solfach, four Purple Sandpipers at the Narrows, three Ringed Plovers at Henllwyn, a Dunlin, a Redshank, one Common Sandpiper and a single Teal at Pwll Gareth.

Despite fairly strong southwesterly Force 5 winds which created moderate sea state 3, the visibility was excellent and the temperatures mild, peaking at 17°C enabling some insect records to be collected. This included 19 Red Admirals (largely at Nant), a Small Copper in the Wetlands, a Common Blue near the Observatory and two Humming-bird Hawk-moths at the Observatory.

2026-09-25T11:34:00.000+01:00

Southerly Force 2 winds produced calm conditions (Sea State 2) and good visibility today, with early morning rain clearing by 08:00 and temperatures hovering around 14°C.

Seawatching and coastal counts included 39 Shags, 34 Kittiwakes, 33 Razorbills, seven Gannets. Waders and waterfowl counts produced 29 Curlews, 17 Turnstones at Solfach, nine Ringed Plovers at Solfach, four Redshanks, and two Whimbrels and a Teal at Solfach. Gull counts included 31 Herring Gulls, 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 10 Great Black-backed Gulls, five Black-headed Gulls, and four Common Gulls.

Landbird and grounded migrant movement saw a small increase with 54 Robins, 35 Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps, three Willow Warblers, 18 Goldcrests, a male Firecrest, and a Spotted Flycatcher and Pied Flycatcher at Nant. Visible migration and passerine activity included 114 Meadow Pipits, 24 Skylarks, 24 Rock Pipits, 20 Linnets, 10 Alba Wagtails, seven Grey Wagtails, four Siskins at Nant, and two Wheatears and a Water Rail down the green lane.

Pied Flycatcher at Nant (c) Joel Tragen

Grey Seal haul-out numbers reached a high total of 189 adults and 33 pups. Insects recorded throughout the day included a Humming-bird Hawk-moth at the Observatory. A single Common Shrew was also observed near the Observatory.

2026-09-24T11:30:00.000+01:00

Conditions started calm and dry with excellent visibility and southwesterly force 4 winds veering northerly, Temperatures reached a maximum of 15°C.

Seawatching and coastal birding produced 16 Common Scoters, one Arctic Skua, nine Kittiwakes, two Black-headed Gulls, five Razorbills, one Guillemot, 30 Gannets, one Golden Plover, six Ringed Plovers, one Dunlin, one Whimbrel, 28 Curlews, one Redshank, 12 Turnstone and one Common Sandpiper over the wetlands.

Vismig and songbird counts were highlighted by strong visible passage of Meadow Pipits totaling 425 individuals, alongside 135 Linnets, 53 Goldfinches, 40 Skylarks, 23 Grey Wagtails, 18 Alba Wagtails, 18 Rock Pipits, 10 Swallows, and five Chaffinches. Grounded migrants and resident landbirds included 24 Robins, 17 Choughs, three Blackcaps, nine Chiffchaffs, a Willow Warbler, a Firecrest at the Observatory, five Goldcrests, five Stonechats, five Wheatears, three Jackdaws, and a Song Thrush.

Firecrest in the Observatory garden (c) Joel Tragen

Insect activity yielded eight Red Admirals, three Painted Ladies, a Clouded Yellow male, a Humming-bird Hawk-moth at the Observatory, an Angle Shades, and an Emperor Dragonfly at the Narrows. Additionally, a bat species was recorded in the evening.