Saturday 16 September 2017

With calmer conditions and a hint of North-east in the wind, it wasn't too much of a surprise to at last get some passage on the land today. Most obvious amongst a good selection of new arrivals were 182 Goldcrests, with a couple seemingly in every tree and gorse bush (and the odd individual even in sea caves around the coast), on the best day for this species this year so far.

There were also 71 Robins, again the largest arrival of this species in 2017 on Bardsey. On the ground, other migrants were represented by 234 Meadow Pipits, 27 Chiffchaffs, four Willow Warblers, nine Blackcaps, nine Wheatears, two Spotted Flycatchers, 21 Goldfinches, a single Collared Dove and, in one of the day's highlights, a fine Wryneck that showed well on the Mountainside between Cristin and Ty Pellaf. Overhead there were 62 Swallows, 30 "Alba" Wagtails, 17 Grey Wagtails, nine Ravens, two Skylarks, two Kestrels and a single Buzzard.

The BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER was still on the South End in the morning, last seen at about 10:45. An attempt to refind it with the incoming guests in the afternoon was unsuccessful, and it is presumed to have migrated onwards; it had already been seen flying strongly out to sea once in the morning before returning. It was also a decent day for wader diversity, with the best species being a single Golden Plover on the South End and a very approachable young Bar-tailed Godwit on the Narrows. Otherwise 65 Oystercatchers, 28 Turnstones, 24 Curlews, nine Redshanks, four Whimbrels and singles of Dunlin and Snipe were noted.


On the sea, very little was moving, a total of 40 Common Scoters being the days most notable sighting. Otherwise there was another adult Little Gull, 34 Black-headed Gulls, two Common Gulls and a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, two Arctic and two Great Skuas, 29 Sandwich and five Arctic Terns and just 33 Manx Shearwaters and 22 Gannets noted. It's also now the time of year when Grey Seal pups are popping out all over the coastline.


No comments:

Post a Comment