17 March 2009

Island Alive Again - population doubled

After a couple of delays due to strong winds, Steve, Emma, and their son Connor, plus the two Richards and Liz James arrived on the Island and walked back up to the Observatory last Sunday. In fact, these six have taken the island population to 11 which has more than doubled it. The other five are Emyr at Nant and Steve and his family at the farm.

Our gang are all working hard to get the Observatory ready for our first visitors in about 3 weeks time. Lots to do - mainly cleaning and decorating and hoping for sun and warmth to help dry everything out. It has helped enormously having Steve Porter and his family checking up on the Obs over the winter and putting the generator on occasionally to try and keep the Obs dry. But we do have one or two wet walls that need attention from our landlord which we hope is in hand.

The lads have been popping out birding and report the following today:

4 BLACK REDSTARTS - 6 WHEATEARS - THE FIRST SAND MARTIN OF THE YEAR - 1 WHITE WAGTAIL - c300 MEADOW PIPITS - 1 MISTLE THRUSH - 6 CHIFFCHAFFS.
Oh! and Steve turned his trousers into shorts on Solfach today I am told - a site for sore eyes! Next we'll hear he's donning a pair of swim trunks.

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