Today is actually my wife and my wedding anniversary. I won't tell you how many years but some of you will know - you may even have been there. I well remember that we hired a Ford Consul and after the wedding we motored north to Yorkshire to call and see my Grandparents and then on to Ilkley to stay at the Ilkley Hotel on Ilkley Moor bar Tat of course. One posh night in a hotel and then the quality of the accommodation "went down" (in cost anyway). Then up to Grasmere and then on to SW Scotland when birding started taking over e.g. the geese. Then on up to Glasgow, under the tunnel, and on past Lomond and round to the west coast and up to Oban (Divers galore on the sea). Our accommodation had reduced from Hotel to Guest House, to Pub, to Council House B&B by the time we got to Oban and then up to Fort William. Then we turned inland to the Cairngorms where we stayed a night and got stuck in the snow I remember trying to get round the east side of the Cairngorms but couldn't make it and had to return back (Diane finding me Golden Eagle on the way near the Devil's Elbow). Our last day was spent motoring down to the Forth and on the ferry across to Edinburgh we lost all the oil out of our gearbox and only just made it off the ferry and into a Ford agents. Our last night B&B in Edinburgh was the worst accommodation of the week. I keep telling my wife, we must do it all again. Maybe we will set off this afternoon :-)) ?? years later.
Bardsey News! - just phoned the island but no reply. I guess they are busy meeting the boat (last Saturdays delayed) so no news is good news. I will carry on with this when they phone me back.
Bev and Jim arrived on the boat but weren't met by the Warden and his staff - for the simple reason, there had been a fall of migrants and they were busy catching and ringing. Bev phoned towards 6pm to say they had caught and ringed 300 birds today, mostly Goldcrests, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs. There were 5 Firecrests on the island and also recorded today were Black Redstart, 2 Ring Ouzels and Swallows. The other good news is that Jim and Bev have already managed to get the new large generator up to the shed, using the Tirfor that they took with them. Tomorrow they will be starting on getting the old one out and putting the new one in. Weather good and forecast ok so cross fingers, everything running to schedule at the moment. Bev is now on cooking duties I expect.
This Bev and his wife are off early tomorrow birding elsewhere - if I find an internet cafe I will let you know what we get. I might even skype Steve to get the latest island news.
31 March 2008
21 March 2008
March winds do Blow - will we get snow?
Our Warden Steve, Emma (his wife), and their son Connor plus two Richards (Richard Brown, the Assistant Warden, and Richard Else, Shearwater project officer) managed to get over to Bardsey a week ago, on Friday, 14 March. Thank goodness they did as the weather has since deteriorated and as I type this gales are blowing not only in the Irish Sea but also throughout much of the UK, with sleet and hailstones, and snow on the way.
I had a chat with Emma on the phone and everyone is busy decorating and cleaning up the Observatory after four months being empty. But, according to Emma, they are all tackling it with gusto and good humour but will be having a day off tomorrow when they all celebrate Easter with their neighbours at the farm. And, would you believe it, there was one turkey left on the island after Xmas which will be the subject of the main course tomorrow.
Even though the weather at the moment is cold, wet and windy, spring has arrived and their are lambs on Bardsey and the spring bird visitors are arriving on time. Swallows, Sand Martins, Chiffchaff and Wheatears have all been recorded over the last week. There was a Great Tit today and Dunlin, Purple Sandpipers, Jack and Common Snipe (caught and ringed) have been seen. Steve is particularly upset that a Mute Swan was recorded on the island whilst they were absent. (It seems it would have been a new bird for the island for him:-))
So everything is underway to get the Observatory into full running order for visiting birdwatchers so I hope you are booking your weeks with the Booking Secretary.
I had a chat with Emma on the phone and everyone is busy decorating and cleaning up the Observatory after four months being empty. But, according to Emma, they are all tackling it with gusto and good humour but will be having a day off tomorrow when they all celebrate Easter with their neighbours at the farm. And, would you believe it, there was one turkey left on the island after Xmas which will be the subject of the main course tomorrow.
Even though the weather at the moment is cold, wet and windy, spring has arrived and their are lambs on Bardsey and the spring bird visitors are arriving on time. Swallows, Sand Martins, Chiffchaff and Wheatears have all been recorded over the last week. There was a Great Tit today and Dunlin, Purple Sandpipers, Jack and Common Snipe (caught and ringed) have been seen. Steve is particularly upset that a Mute Swan was recorded on the island whilst they were absent. (It seems it would have been a new bird for the island for him:-))
So everything is underway to get the Observatory into full running order for visiting birdwatchers so I hope you are booking your weeks with the Booking Secretary.
12 March 2008
79mph winds at Aberdaron - Steve and family still marooned - but in England!
Steve, Emma and Connor are still in Lancashire, watching the weather forecast to see when the gales abate and they can be carried back to the island by boat. Storm Kirsten is approaching the UK and if you want to watch the progress have a look at bbfo.org.uk and at the bottom of the first page you will find the weather forecast for seven days ahead.
Logging on to: http://meteonet.nl/aktueel/brackall.htm will show you the Atlantic Chart and the depressions and wind strengths and directions.
Why are the British so interested in the weather, I wonder? I hear you reply "because we are surrounded by water and our weather is ever changing", particularly in the Irish Sea.
Frogs have spawned in my garden pond and the first male smooth newt is around.
Logging on to: http://meteonet.nl/aktueel/brackall.htm will show you the Atlantic Chart and the depressions and wind strengths and directions.
Why are the British so interested in the weather, I wonder? I hear you reply "because we are surrounded by water and our weather is ever changing", particularly in the Irish Sea.
Frogs have spawned in my garden pond and the first male smooth newt is around.
3 March 2008
Storms delay return of Wardens to Island
3 March - Steve, Emma and their son Connor have been unable to return yet to the island which they left in November. They were hoping to be able to go back after the Council and AGM meetings at Criccieth a week ago but high seas and strong winds have prevented the boat from going over. So they are back in Lancashire waiting for the break which will let them get back over to their home.
Thankfully, our new friends and neighbours, the Porter family at Ty Pellaf, the farm, are popping in and putting the central heating on regularly to keep the buildings relatively warm and dry as there is nothing worse than returning in the spring to find everything damp and wet. We are very lucky to have such good neighbours but we all help each out on the island - its the only way to survive. When the farm needs help rounding up sheep for shearing, or to send a load or two off the island in late summer, then its a call out to all islanders to give a hand. Co-operation and caring is the only way to live when you are in isolated communities.
If you scroll down the first page of the Bardsey website, you will find the current weather forecast situation for the Aberdaron area. See if you can forecast when the first boat will be going over.
I'll be back soon.
Thankfully, our new friends and neighbours, the Porter family at Ty Pellaf, the farm, are popping in and putting the central heating on regularly to keep the buildings relatively warm and dry as there is nothing worse than returning in the spring to find everything damp and wet. We are very lucky to have such good neighbours but we all help each out on the island - its the only way to survive. When the farm needs help rounding up sheep for shearing, or to send a load or two off the island in late summer, then its a call out to all islanders to give a hand. Co-operation and caring is the only way to live when you are in isolated communities.
If you scroll down the first page of the Bardsey website, you will find the current weather forecast situation for the Aberdaron area. See if you can forecast when the first boat will be going over.
I'll be back soon.
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