Poetry and Writing and FUN Week on Enlli

For the writing week, 20th to 26th June, eight of us journeyed across the sound to arrive on Enlli. Five of us were returning from last year and three new people joined us for the first time. For two of them it was their first trip to the island and they were entranced of course. Christine Evans helped us to get going with some poetic-juice stimulating exercises and she was joined later in the week by Chris Kinsey, BBC Wildlife Poet 2008.

We met every morning for a couple of hours to have some starter exercises, and then the days were ours to enjoy and absorb the island, and write Enlli inspired verse. Not only did we write, but we also visited Carole Shearman in Llofft Nant for art and craft sessions. We all made small books on which we could write our poems. An anthology inspired by the 2008 week and prepared for this year is in the library in Cristin.

A "round the island sunset cruise" with Colin on Tuesday provided the stimulus for a group poem and we hope that this can be submitted to the website before too long.

Our week culminated in a reading evening on Friday when we were joined by Carole, BBFO staff and some Trust visitors. We read our favourite pieces, including the group poem and displayed our art and craft materials.

We all had a fantastic time; our laughter could be heard across the island.
Many thanks to Steve, Emma, Connor, Rich B, Rich E, Gwyn, Christine, Chris and Carole for helping it be such a special week.

Next year is booked already and vistors to the BBFO website can look forward to new poems appearing soon.

Caring and Maintaining the Observatory

Richard Brown, our Assistant Warden, has been painting the fascia boards and preparing the Obs to take the new guttering that has just arrived

Bog for the Blog - A new loo for the Gents!

Richard Brown has created a stunning new loo for the Gents. We now have parties and social events in the gents loo, usually looking at the rare wall, when up to six people have managed to squeeze in! The rare wall is a board that has been attached to the east wall of the gents, and if you find a rare bird on the island you are required to paint an image of the aforementioned rarity on the wall. We have some nice pictures there already and many more will be added soon we hope. We are accepting historical records - Tony John has just done an excellent Quail - one he found several years ago.

There are many historical rarities to be added and you don't have to be Johnson or Mullarney to get out the paints and brush! So on your next visit to the island don't be surprised if you are locked in the gents with a brush and a field guide!

A'white at the front and A'wite at the sides!!!

Over the past week or so, the outside of Cristin has had its periodic "facelift", thanks to the hard work of Dan Dawson who has spent three weeks giving the outside and the windows the TLC they deserve. Cristin now looks in tip-top shape and the south facing wall has been painted with rubberised lighthouse paint and the other walls with an oil-based masonry paint.

As well as the walls being painted, Dan set to on the windows - who of you can remember the wash-room window or boot-room window opening? Mmmmm... it has been a long time but with a blow torch and several hours on each window, decorating guru Dan now has them opening, sanded down and painted - they look excellent!

And then there is the GWOBR!! What is a GWOBR I hear you ask? Well, it simply means AWARD in Welsh (as all our Welsh speaking/reading viewers will know). Anyway, the GWOBR/AWARD has hung on the south wall of Cristin since 1977, when it was presented to the Observatory by HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, for the efforts of the Observatory and its members, made towards the protection of the island and the creation of refuges for birds.

The guttering and rain tanks are all being moved and renewed too. As you can see, some of the unsightly tanks that were around the building have been moved to a new platform constructed by Rich B at the back of the building , and he and I will be replacing all the guttering soon so all the rain from the building is collected in one place.

To see how good the place looks now, get booking your next visit with Alicia

Steve Stansfield
Warden

Shearwaters in colour on Springwatch

At last they made it tonight when the cameras recorded Shearwaters flying, landing and entering their burrows - looking very unlike a Manxie as they were photographed using heat imaging which showed reds and yellows rather than black and white. The Bardsey Island Trust were thanked for their help but Steve, our Warden, did manage to be listed in the credits at the end. Staying visitors on the island during the breeding season can be shown this spectacle by our wardens on a dark night during the summer. The calls of the birds are heard all over the island at night and it will be a night to remember if you pay us a visit.