January BIRD news from our man on Bardsey, finishing with a good one!

Our man on Bardsey - Ben Porter - reports as follows:-

Brambling reported by Ben on his bird table at Ty Pellaf early in the month.
Wigeon in early January.
One or two Coal Tits.

Lots (up to 200 which are record numbers) Golden Plovers early in the month together with up to 40 Lapwings

AND ON THE 26TH JANUARY - 1 LITTLE EGRET
AND FINALLY, TODAY, the 30th, in Henllyn - A GREY PHALAROPE.

Bevan

George and Simon - Memories.

Don't forget to check the comments that are being submitted. Simon Hughes has reminded us that George and his family stayed on the island for the 1970 season and Sheamus has reminded us of Simon and Gwydion's (and Kim's) friendly brewing competitions and his generosity to visiting birders to the Obs. Simon also draws our attention to George's copperplate log entries. (Can our current warden, Steve, perhaps arrange for a page to be scanned for the web please).

Please keep reminding us all of any memories of either of them that you may have.

Bevan

Goodbye Simon - we won't forget you

I journeyed down to Bromyard last Saturday to attend the Funeral Service of Simon Walker in St. Peters Church. The church was full with his family, his friends and his colleagues. They came from all over the UK as during his 52 years life he had travelled far and collected many friends and colleagues on the way.

His colleagues from English Nature (now Natural England) were there, his colleagues from the old days at Severn Trent were there, his BTO ringing friends from the midlands, his friends from the Worcestershire Trust, his friends who had accompanied him on his regular trips over the years to ring the seabirds of the Treshnish Isles off Mull, and of course the Bardsey Observatory and Trust and the island were represented by myself, Dick Loxton, and Gwydion Morley and Kim Atkinson (who have remained his good friends since they both left the island some years ago).

I think all people present learned a lot more about Simon and his devotion to wildlife conservation, as they listened to his brother and his colleagues talk of his skills, committment and humour that we all knew he possessed.

Jan, his wife, appealed to us all to keep in touch and to relate to Angus, their son, any memories we have of his father so that he will have these in the future to remind him of his wonderful dad.
I am sure those of you who had the pleasure and privilige of meeting, working and just being around Simon will do that small thing for them.

Jan and the family gave Simon a private Green Funeral in the morning - he was put in the ground in a wicker coffin, decorated by Jan, as he requested - a conservationist to the end.

I certainly am proud to have known him - you are invited to please post any memories you have of Simon on this BLOG.

Bevan

Simon Walker - Funeral Arrangements

Simon's wife Jan has given me the following information.

There will be a private green burial service for Simon on the morning of Saturday, 17th January. On the same day, in the afternoon at 2pm, at St. Peters Church, Bromyard, there will be a service to celebrate and give thanks for the life of Simon, to which everyone who would like to attend is invited.

Funeral directors dealing with Simon's funeral are: Victoria Allen Funeral Services, Church View, 8 Charlton Rise, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 1ND - Tel: 01584 879035. No flowers please but if you are wanting to make a donation in lieu of flowers, their chosen charity would be Noah's Ark, a local Herefordshire charity which works and supports children who have been bereaved. Details from the funeral directors.

George Evans - Observatory Warden 1964-69

We have only just heard this news, but another past warden of the Observatory, George Evans, died last June. The records show that George was our warden from 1964-69. He was probably there in 1970 too as we were closed for the next three years. The systematic list shows his records but there is no mention of whether we had a warden for those next three years.

Midland birdwatchers of my era will remember George as a meticulous Bird Recorder and extremely competent ornithologist who was well respected by all his colleagues and friends. It is indeed sad to hear of his death. I was hoping to see him in September last when 6 of his friends had a 50th re-union at Cley. Unfortunately, one of the 8 had already died, but we hadn't been able to contact George - little knowing that he was then no longer with us.

Bevan

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb.

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb. A Happy New Year to you all.

Bevan
Bardsey Crier & Webmaster

SIMON WALKER - OUR WARDEN IN 1990 AND 1991

It is with great sadness that I have to report this Xmas, the death of one of our Wardens, Simon Walker. His wife, Jan, tells me that he was diagnosed back in the early summer with cancer but that chemotherapy was unsuccessful. He died just after Xmas, on the 28 December. He was only 52 years old.

I have tried to contact all the people who I think were around on Council when Simon and Jan were on the island but let me know if you know of someone who would want to know and may wish to write to his wife Jan, or even attend the funeral. (No date yet arranged).

I am sure all our thoughts are with Jan and their young son Angus.

Bevan

Pumpkin Soup

Celebrating Hallowe'en on Bardsey? Yes, just because we are three miles off the coast of Wales, we aren't completely out of touch with the rest of the world - and the Wardens were given (we should have grown them on the island!) several pumpkins by the last visitors of the season. Hence the whole island was treated to Pumpkin Soup - a great way to get together - and the soup was delicious.

Gwyn Tracey took these photos of us all - who the bloke with the camera is I have no idea! Must be the ghost of Cristin!

Newyddion Ynys Enlli

I am going to attempt to bring you some news in Welsh - but hasten to add that I do not write or speak Welsh. However, I will have the help of other Ynys Enlli followers who will hopefully feed me with information and translate a few articles. It was Ann Own Vaughan who suggested we start with an article written by Emyr Roberts, who regular visitors to the island will know, as he is the Trust Warden who lives at Nant at the north end of the island. It is about his job on the island now and his previous travels before coming to the island four years ago. I will try to give a short summary after the article in English for non-Welsh speaking readers. Emyr is pictured above ringing the Chapel bell at Steve and Emma's wedding.

I would welcome other contributions in Welsh about the Island, its residents and its wildlife - together with short English summaries. During the next three months, of course, as the Observatory is not occupied, news direct from the island will be minimal (but hopefully some from Ben Porter), so it would be nice to get a few Welsh contributions. Please comment on the Blog too - in English or Welsh.

Emyr's article first appeared in Llanw Llyn in November

Cefais fy ngeni a’m magu yng Nghwpennaner gerllaw Cerrigydrudion. Cychwynais fy ngyrfa mewn Meithrinfa Tŷ Gwydr ar y Wirral.

Ymunais â Gwasanaeth Gwirfoddol Dramor (VSO) yn 1971 a threulio 2 flynedd fel rheolwr ar Gynllun Peilot Dyfrhau Tir yn Zambia ble ddatblygais ddiddordeb mewn planhigion trofanol a choed.

Treuliais y rhan fwyaf o 25 mlynedd cyn dod i Ynys Enlli yn gweithio ar wahanol gynlluniau tirlun yn Saudi Arabia. Roedd y rhain yn cynnwys dinas ddiwydiannol newydd yn yr anialwch, ac yna ar ysbyty milwrol. Am y 15eg mlynedd olaf gweithiais i’r Awdurdod Awyrlu Gwladol Saudi mewn gofal o gynllunio a chynnal y tirlun a’r cynlluniau dyfrhau oedd a’u pencadlys yn Jeddah.Yn ogystal a’r 25 maes awyr cartref(domestic) ym mhob cwr o’r wlad. Roeddwn yn arfer hedfan ac archwilio y gwahanol feysydd awyr yn wythnosol.

Y tro cyntaf i mi ymweld ac Ynys Enlli oedd ar ddiwrnod sych,tawel ac oer ym mis Ionawr 2005 i gael golwg ar yr ynys cyn derbyn y swydd o fod yn warden gydag Ymddiriedolaeth Ynys Enlli. Er fy mod wedi derbyn y swydd yn syth cymerodd tan fis Ebrill i mi fedru cyrraedd yr Ynys wedyn a dechrau gweithio oherwydd y tywydd garw!

Mae fy amser ar yr ynys yn cael ei rannu’n ddwy ran dymhorol amlwg. Yn ystod tymor y gaeaf (Tachwedd i Ebrill)

Rwyf yn cario ymlaen i drwsio, cynnal ac atgyweirio y saith tŷ sydd yn cael eu gosod gan yr Ymddiriedolaeth fel tai gwyliau, y Capel, Ysgol a’r Abaty ac yn gwneud yn siwr fod y tai i gyd wedi eu paratoi ac yn barod ar gyfer yr ymwelwyr.

Mae’r tymor gwyliau yn cael ei ymestyn o tua ganol Mai yn hwyr i’r Hydref. Fel arfer mae’r Sadyrnau yn brysur dros ben. Dyma’r diwrnod pan fo’r ymwelwyr yn cyrraedd a gadael. Rhaid gofalu fod y bobl iawn (a’u bagiau dillad bwyd a.y.y.b.)yn mynd ar y cwch iawn ar yr amser iawn.Yn ogystal rhaid llnau’r tai ac ail lenwi’r nwyddau e.e nwy, cyn i’r ymwelwyr nesaf gyrraedd.Y rhan fwyaf o’r amser rydym yn ei gael yn iawn ond ambell waith mae pethau yn mynd o chwith!

Mae gweddill fy amser yn ystod y tymor yn cael ei dreulio yn atgyweirio,cynnal a chadw mân bethau, gan ofalu am y gerddi a’r tir oddi amgylch y tai a’r adeiladau, hefyd gofalu fod yr ymwelwyr i gyd yn gyffyrddus ac wedi setlo i mewn. Does dim dau ddiwrnod byth yr un fath.

Roedd y tai (a’r adeiladau fferm) i gyd wedi cael eu adeiladu gan Iarll Newborough ( neu o leiaf ei weithwyr) yn y 1870au. Mae’r tai i gyd erbyn hyn wedi cael eu cofrestru fel adeiladau gradd 2 ac ychydig o iawn sydd wedi cael ei wneud i’w newid. Mae gan bob un doiled compost, dŵr ffynnon ar dap, stôf nwy ac oergell ond nid oes gan yr un ohonynt drydan na theledu.

Mae llawer iawn o’r ymwelwyr yn dod yn rheolaidd blwyddyn ar ôl blwyddyn i fwyhau y tawelwch ac yn bell o sŵn ceir a bywyd prysur bob dydd. Mae’n braf cael mynd yn ôl mewn amser i fywyd syml fel roedd yn y gorffennol.

Fel arfer ryw hanner hanner o Gymru a Saeson sydd yn dod i aros. Rydym yn cael cefnogaeth dda iawn gan bobl Sir Fôn ond ychydig iawn o drigilion Pen Llŷn rydym yn ei weld er fod llawer ohonynt gyda chysylltiadau teuluol â’r Ynys.Buasem yn hoffi clywed gennych ac fe fydd croeso yn eich aros yma.

Emyr Roberts

Mae Emyr hefyd yn artist yn tynnu lluniau bendigedig o flodau ac mae yn gwerthu ei gardiau draw ar yr ynys.Maent yn werth eu gweld ac os cewch gyfle ewch i weld ei ardd yn llawn llysiau a blodau

===============
Summary:

The above article was written by Emyr Roberts, Bardsey Island Trust Warden and describes his background before he came to the island and his work for the Trust.

He was born in a small village near Cerrigydruidion in North Wales. He trained on a nusery on the Wirral and then went out to Zambia working on an irrigation project for VSO. He then spent 25 years out in Saudi Arabia working on grounds and landscaping around a military hospital and a regional airport.

He first visited Ynys Enlli in January 2005 before starting work the following month. He describes his work preparing and maintaining the houses and maintaining the chapel, the schoolroom and the abbey. He talks about his love for the peace and tranquility of the island and of the visitors, many of whom return year on year to the beauty of the island.

A postscript adds information about his love of both vegetable and flower gardening and his skills as an artist drawing flowers.

The photo was taken back in 1978 - 30 years ago.

Yes, it does include my wife, Diane, on the left - and our young son Adam. Denise Healey (our Sales Co-ordinator) is front right in sunglasses. The two ladies are Jean Bellamy and Alicia Normand. So, yes you've guessed it, the pirate is non other than a young, slim Bob Normand - who of course denies he ever looked like that. A party of 13 of us from the Midlands spent two weeks on the island doing Voluntary Conservation Work.

Today we have had a Meeting at Penkridge in Staffordshire of the Observatory Council with members attending from the south coast, south Wales, Anglesey and North Wales, Manchester, London and Birmingham and the Midlands. Steve, our Warden and Emma, and the Chairman, came down from Lancashire. It was a long meeting but we covered a lot of ground, attempting to solve problems and make plans for the future running of the Observatory next year and years to come. You will be pleased to hear that Steve and Richard will be continuing as our Warden and Assistant in 2009.

The Observatory is now empty for the next 3 months but our friends Steve Porter and his family at the farm will be keeping an eye on our property to make sure everything is kept dry and in working order for our return in the spring.

We hope to get news of any birds than their son Ben records on the island as he has volunteered to take on again the task of being our bird recorder for the three winter months. Thank you Ben. I look forward to hearing your news and seeing any photos you take.

Bevan

Steve back on the Mainland

A quick phone call from Steve yesterday to say they were now in England - home for Xmas.

And a quick trip back to the past in the photo above - what year was this picture taken? And do you know anyone on the boat? If no one can name any of them, then I suppose I will have to let the cat out of the bag - well I did take the photo - it was a transparency - and I have just scanned it digitally.

Bevan

Thursday 19th November

Richard Else has now left the island and is back in Bolton. "Still dreaming of Shearwaters Richard?". Richard Brown, our Assistant Warden, is staying with Steve for a little longer when they will be coming off at the end of the month.

On Wednesday 18 November another Yellow-browed Warbler was found. More thrushes were arriving but the weather is rough at the moment and with cold northerly winds and heavy snow falls forecast this coming weekend in England, there could be more birds moving west to try and get away from it. Bardsey could get some hard weather movement in the next few days.

Visitors all gone and weather atrocious

The Warden, Steve, phoned today with the latest news.
On the bird front, there are still some of last week's birds still around such as Bullfinch, Coal Tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Long-tailed Tits.

The Engineer managed to get over late last week and check our generator which had been playing up and was only firing on one cylinder. In about three hours he managed to get it repaired and it is now working ok again.

All the staff will be leaving the island by the end of this month for a break over Xmas, leaving just Emyr at Nant looking after the Trust houses and Steve, the farmer, and his wife and two children. Their son Ben, of course, will be taking over as Honorary Warden and Bird Recorder while our Warden, Steve, is on the mainland. What's the betting he gets some really good birds on the island while on his own - and he will no doubt produce photographs to prove he saw them.

Our next Council Meeting is in Penkridge on Saturday 6 December when they will be deciding on the Observatory Fees for next year. Next year's visitor vacancies are now on the website and bookings can be taken now, subject to the new charges when they are announced next month.

6 November 2008

1 Yellow-browed Warbler recorded.

And then there were 10

Steve phoned today (the ten remaining on the island for the time being are Steve, the warden, his wife Emma and their son Connor; Emyr at Nant; the Porter Family at the farm - Steve, Jo, Rachel and Ben; and Richard B, Assistant Warden, and Richard Else, Shearwater Monitor).

Today birds of note recorded are Barn Owl and Firecrest.

A Rough and exciting October week on Bardsey for last visitors of season

Bev, Bev and Neil were due to sail over on Saturday 25 October but weather conditions prevented us going until Monday 27th. It was a rough crossing but as we approached the island the excitement mounted, especially when the engine cut out! No safety problems, however for the President, Vice President and 7 others who were dingyed ashore - some of us a little wet from the breaking seas and rain that lashed us as we sailed from Pwhelli to Bardsey in approx. 2 and a half hours.

However, for the 10 people waiting on the slipway to return to the mainland it was a tense half hour while we ferried people back to the boat, with the tide falling, the seas getting rougher, the anchor dragging and the lifeboat racing out from Pwhelli to tow the boat back to the mainland. In the end, only half the party were able to return that day, five having to stay on the island for a couple of extra days until Ernest could get over to take them off.

One of the people due to return was our Bookings Secretary Alicia Norman and her husband Bob. Unfortunately, Lis had had a fall on the island during her stay and had extreme difficulty walking along the gabions to get on the boat. Although drugged with painkillers her one leg was giving her extreme pain which she said was a very bad sprain. (In fact, when she eventually returned home, she had to go to the hospital and after xrays it was pronounced that she had a fractured leg - she was nearly an additional member of the YHC and in fact, would have been, if she had complained a little more strongly of the pain).

Whilst on the island, a presentation was made to Ben Porter to commemorate his membership of the YHC (an embroidered helicopter on his Hoodie which he proudly wore for the rest of the week).

Now to the Birds of the week:

27th October - 7 Whitefronts, Black Redstart
28th October - Pale-breasted Brent Goose, Little Auk
30th October - Woodlark, Twite and Snow Bunting, 47 Brambling
31st October - Hen Harrier, 6 Coal Tits, 2,200 Chaffinches

There were a couple of small Lighthouse attractions producing 2 Storm Petrels of note.
Passage during the week was mainly of finches (Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Bramblings and Bullfinch) plus several Woodcock, Goldcrests, Redwings and Fieldfare. Several Med. Gulls also recorded. On the days when it was calm enough to unfurl the nets, lots of chaffinches were ringed and a record number of Long-tailed Tits, 52 in all.

WEDDING DAY FOR OUR BOATMAN

Today at Uwchmynedd at 2pm, our Boatman Colin Evans married Mair. Ann Vaughan was there and sent this photograph of the happy couple.

Sorry, I forgot - there were 1,000 Chaffinches on the island today. Gale Force winds in the Irish Sea - you picked the right day to get married Colin! We all look forward to seeing you next season. MANY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH FROM ALL MEMBERS OF THE OBSERVATORY AND EVERYBODY ELSE WHO HAS TRAVELLED OVER THE SOUND WITH YOU.

A lull before the Storm!

Tomorrow, I was hoping to get over for the last week of the season. However, the forecast is telling us that with winds up to Force 8-9, that we won't be sailing. Monday looks more likely.

Birds this morning - Arctic Skua, Bonxie, a Med. Gull, Arctic Tern and 2 Short-eared Owls.

Our boatman, Colin, is getting married tomorrow and is then on his honeymoon for a week so it will be Dafydd who will be taking us over when the winds drop.

My apologies for being a little behind with the bird news but we have just returned from a week in Scotland (not really birding). I was hoping the hotel would have wireless and I could have taken the laptop and posted news from the island. However, they hadn't yet made wireless available to visitors at the hotel we stayed at so my laptop stayed at home this time. One day, Steve will be able to post the news direct from the island - until then you will have to bear with me.

22nd October - More geese and Whoopers

Today, a further 20 Whitefronts passed over and 2 Whooper Swans

21st October - some good birds

A Grey Phalarope, a Pomarine Skua, 3 Great Northern Divers, 1 Little Gull.

28 White-fronted Geese passed through