29 September 2008

Sooty Shearwater and a Mediterranean Gull

A seawatch produced a Sooty Shearwater and a Med. Gull.

28 September 2008

Quiet week but lively today

The staff have been working hard to find birds this week without much success. However, today is a little different.

2 Yellow-browed Warblers trapped and ringed.
1 ORTOLAN BUNTING
1 LAPLAND BUNTING
c150 Goldcrests
1 Black Redstart
3 Ring Ouzels
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Red-breasted Merganser

19 September 2008

Osprey day!

3 Ospreys visited the island today - birds of the year.
The Melodious Warbler and Nuthatch were still on the island and a NEW Great Spotted Woodpecker was trapped and ringed.
At sea 10 Arctic Skuas, 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Pomarine Skua and 3 Bonxies.
2 Whinchat, 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts.
2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels and 2 Teal.

18 September 2008

Red-throated Pipit and Barred Warbler and the Observatory dined on Sea Bass

Today, 18 September, a warm, sunny clear day with easterlies, has produced:

1 Red-throated Pipit - flew south.
1 Barred Warbler - at Nant
The Firecrest ringed yesterday is still here, as is the Nuthatch that was ringed a few days ago.
2 Brent Geese
4 Common Sandpipers
7 Black-tailed Godwits
20 Grey Wagtails
2 Yellow Wagtails
70 White Wagtails
3 Pied Flycatchers
1 Redstart
Several Whinchats

SEA BASS? Yes, the Observatory dined well tonight on 10 Sea Bass caught by our fisherman friends who come twice a year to fish the seas around Bardsey. They actually caught 42 but only landed 10 on the island to be consumed by the Staff and visitors. Loverly grub!!!!

Wednesday 17 September

Marsh Harrier, Osprey, Black Redstart and 1 Firecrest (trapped and ringed)

16 September 2008

Big fall of Warblers and Melodious trapped and ringed

These easterlies have brought in the following:
Melodious Warbler - trapped and ringed
1 WRYNECK; c.10 Pied Flycatchers; 20 Spotted Flycatchers;
200 Chiffchaff; 75 Willow Warblers; 100 Whitethroat; 10 Sedge Warblers;
6 Grasshopper Warblers; 400 Goldcrests; 6 Blackcaps; 6 Redstarts;
2+ Reed Warblers AND
1 Nuthatch (a ringing tick for Steve, the Warden)
Also 2 Brent Geese and 1 Bonxie.

15 September 2008

Osprey and Melodious Warbler Day

Monday 15th - today Steve phoned with news of an Osprey and a Melodious Warbler plus 2 Spotted Flycatchers and 2 Pied Flycatchers.

Three of our regular fisherman friends are staying at the Observatory this week. They have their own boat and go out each day fishing around the island. Steve tells me they caught several big Tope yesterday.

And one of the other visitors is a past Assistant Warden from 1997, Paul Massey. He has returned with his wife. It would be good to hear his comparisons of "then and now". Has it changed Paul? And is it for the better?

Sunday 14 September - a Goose and Heron day

This day brought 11 BRENT GEESE to the island - a record number. Also seen were 12 Grey Herons, 3 Pied Flycatchers, 3 Spotted Flycatchers and a Balearic Shearwater.

Vice President pays a visit and brings two good birds

Saturday 13 September - Tony Bianci, one of our long-serving and generous Vice Presidents, nipped over with Colin for the day.

And amongst the birds found on the island that day was a CORNCRAKE, a RED-BACKED SHRIKE and two Reed Warblers.

12 September 2008

Friday 12 September - ALL THE SKUAS!

Weather looks set to be ok for boat crossings tomorrow.

Seawatching today produced - 6 Arctic Skuas, 1 Bonxie, 1 Adult Pomarine Skua and 1 Long-tailed Skua. All the skua species one would expect around the UK in a few hours sea watch off Bardsey. Not bad eh!

And besides, a couple of Risso's Dolphins were seen. Landbirds - very little movement. a Great Spotted Woodpecker (first seen in June) was seen again today.

11 September 2008

2nd to 4th good sea passage, then quiet and picking up now

2nd September - Balearic Shearwater, Bonxie and an Arctic Skua.
3rd - 3 Balearics, 2 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Black Tern, Grey Phalarope
4th - a long seawatch produced: 69 Sandwich Terns, 627 Common Terns, 182 Arctic Terns, 204 Comic Terns, 1 Black Tern, 1 ROSEATE TERN, 13 Arctic Skuas, 6 Bonxies, 7,000 Kittiwakes, 6,000 Manxies, 44 Fulmars, 300 Gannets. (wind SW light)

10th September - Whinchat and Black Redstart.
11th September - 96 Common Terns, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 4 Arctic Skuas, 2 Whinchat.

It was Richard Brown, our Assistant Warden's birthday yesterday, 10 September. Haven't yet found out how old he was (is he under or over 21 do you think? :-)) Anyway, a cake was baked for him but not sure how many candles were on the top!

Two of the visitors there at the moment are Mike Archer inputting data to our computer records and Mike Armitage, our Beacon Editor.

Yours sincerely has just returned from a 50th anniversary trip to the north Norfolk coast with 5 friends. 8 of us made the journey in 1958, travelling in a van and camping out on Walsey Hills. One of the party, unfortunately, is no longer with us, but one other (who couldn't get down to join us last week), was George Evans, who of course was one of our early Wardens on Bardsey. A better birdwatcher it would be hard to find. Oh! - we did get the White-rumped Sandpiper at Titchwell and 2 Monty Harriers nearby.

1 September 2008

August quiet but September is starting with a Bang!

August is usually a quiet time on the island and this year was no exception. A few skuas moving at sea but little arriving on the island. Its the time when our staff can perhaps escape for a short break - Steve has just returned to the island.

On the 29th August 200 Willow Warblers arrived on the island. On the last day of August (31st), there were 2 Pied Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, a Wood Warbler, Reed Warbler and an Emperor Dragonfly.

Today, 1 September, 2 Bonxies, 2 Arctic Skuas, a Little Gull, Pied Flycatcher, 2 Ruff and a WRYNECK.