It was another day packed full of big numbers of commoner migrants, most of which flew over the island. 732 Swallows, 408 House Martins and 318 Meadow Pipits made up the bulk of the overhead passage, along with 33 Grey Wagtails, 12 Tree Pipits and eight flava Wagtails. Two Ospreys which flew low over the mountain were a bit of a highlight for those lucky enough to be stood under their flight path, and a Merlin was seen briefly on the North End. An Atlantic Bluefin Tuna was once again seen off Pen Cristin where it spent the evening hassling Mackerel. This time Ben was on hand to get a fantastic action photo of this exotic visitor.

Other sightings today included seven Fulmars, 5330 Manx Shearwaters, 39 Gannets, two Grey Herons, two Sparrowhawks, nine Kestrels, two Peregrines, 16 Ringed Plovers, three Dunlins, seven Redshanks, a Common Sandpiper, three Turnstones, two Arctic Skuas, two Mediterranean Gulls, 38 Black-headed Gulls, 26 Common Gulls, 524 Kittiwakes, 146 Sandwich Terns, a Guillemot, two Razorbill, a Little Owl, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Skylarks, three Sand Martins, 79 White Wagtails, 22 Robins, two Whinchats, 18 Stonechats, eight Wheatears, a Song Thrushes, a Grasshopper Warblers, two Whitethroats, a Garden Warblers, two Blackcap, 12 Chiffchaffs, eight Willow Warblers, three Goldcrests, three Spotted Flycatchers, six Chaffinches and 143 Linnets.

The two juvenile Ospreys took a low flight path straight over the Observatory, staring us down as they passed.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna has become a more and more regular sight off the coast of Cornwall in recent years. With sea temperatures fluctuating and slowly increasing, perhaps we'll start to see more of these huge fish in Cardigan Bay. © Ben Porter

It was a scorcher of a day that saw the winds finally start to swing around to a more preferable direction for migrants. 73 White Wagtails dropped down onto the Narrows first thing and another 65 'alba' Wagtails flew south with 16 Grey Wagtails. The first Osprey of the autumn drifted low over Solfach and departed off the South End, and a little while later a distant Marsh Harrier was picked up heading over Bardsey Sound towards the mainland. On the land, a Wood Warbler was ringed at Nant, a Pied Flycatcher was in the Observatory garden and a stunning male Redstart was found in Withies. Peak counts for the autumn so far of 16 Tree Pipits, 585 Swallows and 26 Robins helped to round off an exciting day's birding. Arguably today's best sightings weren't birds at all, but fish! The WDC team watched a Shortfin Mako Shark breach off the North End and Ben had an Atlantic Bluefin Tuna chasing fish off Pen Cristin - two outstanding first records for the island.

Other bird counts today included five Fulmars, 79 Manx Shearwaters, 21 Gannets, five Grey Herons, eight Common Scoters, two Sparrowhawks, two Buzzards, six Kestrels, a Peregrine, a Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, seven Whimbrels, 39 Curlews, six Redshanks, a Greenshank, three Turnstones, a Mediterranean Gulls, nine Black-headed Gulls, 245 Kittiwakes, 28 Sandwich Terns, seven Arctic Terns, a Little Owl, a Skylark, 585 Swallows, 84 House Martins, 20 Stonechats, 20 Wheatears, two Song Thrushes, four Whitethroats, a Blackcap, ten Chiffchaffs, 14 Willow Warblers, two Spotted Flycatchers, four Chaffinches and 75 Linnets.

We've been down in Ty Pellaf reedbed at dusk all this week ringing White Wagtails.

The Autumn Ladies-tresses are having a good flowering season. They've been seen up and down the island, but the majority are still to be found in the Donogoch fields just below Ty Pellaf. 

The island looks a little greener than it did this time last month.

Today took a while to get going, but once the initial murk cleared midway through the morning, it turned into a real stunner. Terns were clearly on the move; streaming down the west coast and flocking in Henllwyn for the majority of the day. The final tallies were impressive. 367 Arctic Terns were counted, and the 678 Sandwich Terns that passed through constitutes a new record day count! Four Little Terns also joined the feeding frenzy in Henllwyn briefly, and a Black Guillemot passed by far off the west coast in the afternoon.

The day ended with a goodbye gathering down on Solfach for the Porter family who are retiring as the island's tenant farmers this week. They've been an integral part of the island community over the past ten years, ensuring its smooth running and delivering our guests' luggage up to Cristin every Saturday changeover. Ben in particular has put in countless volunteering hours at the observatory, and we wish them all the best for the next chapter of their lives.

Other birds today included 11 Fulmars, 2122 Manx Shearwaters, 50 Gannets, two Grey Herons, 25 Common Scoters, two Sparrowhawks, a Buzzard, seven Kestrels, a Water Rail, a Grey Plover, three Whimbrels, 27 Curlews, three Redshanks, 47 Turnstones, a Great Skua, two Mediterranean Gulls, five Black-headed Gulls, six Common Gulls, 20 Common Terns, six 'Commic' Terns, nine Guillemots, nine Razorbills, a Little Owl, 77 Swallows, 22 House Martins, three Robins, a Stonechat, eight Wheatears, a Sedge Warbler, seven Chiffchaffs, three Willow Warblers, four Goldcrests, a Spotted Flycatcher, four Chaffinches, six Siskins and 32 Linnets.

Our three fantastic volunteers George, Nathan and Kevin have been busy over the past couple of days reconstructing the portable Heligoland trap that will be placed down on the beach with the aim of colour-ringing Rock Pipits. It involved hours of meticulous filing and sanding to get one pole to fit into another, but the hard work eventually paid off today when the trap was erected on Solfach - it looks almost looks as good as new!

Strong north-westerly winds provided favourable conditions for seawatching, and an impressive total of 297 Sandwich Terns were clocked moving off the west coast during the day. On the land, a Reed Warbler ringed in Cristin Withy was the first of the autumn.

Other birds logged today included seven Fulmars, 315 Manx Shearwaters, 240 Gannets, 21 Cormorants (including an impressive flock of 19 that flew south), four Grey Herons, seven Common Scoters, a Sparrowhawk, five Kestrels, two Peregrines, a Ringed Plovers, a Snipe, ten Whimbrels, 38 Curlews, five Redshanks, a Common Sandpipers, 24 Turnstones, an Arctic Skua, a Great Skua, seven Black-headed Gulls, 112 Kittiwakes, 30 Arctic Terns, seven Guillemots, a Razorbill, a Little Owl, a Sand Martin, 28 Swallows, three House Martins, 13 White Wagtails, four Robins, six Stonechats, five Wheatears, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Warbler, a Whitethroat, six Chiffchaffs, six Willow Warblers, two Goldcrests, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Chaffinch and 37 Linnets.

The portable Heligoland trap on Solfach should allow us to continue with the  island's Rock Pipit colour-ring project.

It was a dry day for the most part, but the continued strong westerly winds made it tricky to pick out small birds amongst the rustling leaves on the trees. A bit of overhead passage in the morning included a Greenfinch, a Siskin and a Tree Pipit, but the main highlight of the day came from the sea with a steady movement of Arctic Terns heading south of the west coast as well as a Little Tern.

Other birds logged included 31 Fulmars, 734 Manx Shearwaters, 106 Gannets, two Grey Herons, four Common Scoters, a Sparrowhawk, four Kestrels, two Peregrines, four Dunlins, ten Whimbrels, 37 Curlews, four Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, six Turnstones, six Arctic Skuas, seven Black-headed Gulls, a Common Gull, 226 Kittiwakes, 38 Sandwich Terns, 216 Arctic Terns, a 'Commic' Tern, a Guillemot, a Razorbill, two Little Owls, 50 Swallows, a House Martin, a Tree Pipit, six White Wagtails, eight Robins, nine Stonechats, 11 Wheatears, four Chiffchaffs, seven Willow Warblers, two Goldcrests, a Spotted Flycatcher, four Chaffinches, a Greenfinch, a Siskin and 58 Linnets.

Mushrooms are popping up all over the place. Field Mushrooms are by far the most conspicuous at the moment in the fields below Cristin, but pull back the turf a little and you'll find all kinds of smaller (and trickier!) species.

Agriphila tristella is a very common late-summer day-flying micro moth, easily disturbed by day from patches of long grass all across the island.

The distinctive moss Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus grows in large carpets amongst the heather on top of the mountain. It's up there all year around, but looks best after a bit of damp weather when it becomes rehydrated.

Despite a good amount of birding coverage today, it was a quiet one for migrants. Quieter days like this do allow us to get on with office paperwork without worrying too much about what we might be missing outside, so that's how the majority of today was spent. Notable sightings today came from the sea, with two Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua passing off the West Coast.

Other sightings included 12 Fulmars, 692 Manx Shearwaters, 107 Gannets, two Grey Herons, four Mallards, three Common Scoters, a Sparrowhawk, two Buzzards, four Kestrels, two Peregrines, a Ringed Plover, three Dunlins, 44 Whimbrels, 20 Curlews, 12 Redshanks, a Greenshank, 28 Turnstones, two Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, eight Black-headed Gulls, 85 Kittiwakes, 25 Sandwich Terns, nine Arctic Terns, a 'Commic' Tern, a Guillemot, a Little Owl, 22 Swallows, 13 House Martins, eight White Wagtails, three Robins, six Stonechats, 15 Wheatears, two Chiffchaffs, five Willow Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher, three Chaffinches and 24 Linnets.

As the seabird season has all but ended, our trips around the east side of the island become more spaced apart. It's still looking as spectacular as ever, just without the thousands of Razorbills whirling around below. 

Today boasted the same hot and sunny weather we became accustomed to throughout May, June and most of July, and the fact that it was a Saturday meant we could introduce this week's guests to the island in the best possible way. Unfortunately, today's wildlife highlight didn't quite follow suit. A Minke Whale surfaced off the North End several times for one lucky observer viewing from the observatory, but frustratingly it didn't surface again in time for anyone else to see it. A scattering of common migrants across the island included a Whinchat in the north-west fields, a Pied Flycatcher at Nant, a Blackcap at Cristin and six Sand Martins over the South End.

Other birds logged today included 13 Fulmars, 445 Manx Shearwaters, 41 Gannets, three Grey Herons, two Common Scoters, a Sparrowhawk, two Buzzards, seven Kestrels, a Peregrine, three Ringed Plovers, four Dunlins, two Snipes, three Whimbrels, seven Curlews, three Redshanks, two Greenshanks, eight Turnstones, 624 Kittiwakes, 43 Sandwich Terns, five Arctic Terns, two Razorbills, two Little Owls, six Sand Martins, 109 Swallows, 38 House Martins, 14 White Wagtails, three Robins, a Whinchat, a Stonechat, 14 Wheatears, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, a Chiffchaff, 35 Willow Warblers, a Goldcrest, four Spotted Flycatchers, six Chaffinches and 69 Linnets.

Sandwich Terns are a constant feature off the coast at the moment, and if the wind blows in the right direction their calls can be carried right across the island. Most of the adults have now moulted into winter plumage, developing a white forehead to replace the jet-black cap. 

The first Hummingbird Hawk-moth for a week was nectaring on Fuchsia flowers in the observatory garden. Fuchsia plants have been invaluable on the island this summer, providing a continual supply of nectar-rich flowers throughout the drought when many other plants wilted. 

A day for getting on with various tasks and chores before tomorrow's changeover of guests. Finishing touches were made to the boardwalk down in Cristin Withy and a long overdue rarity-finding bench was built at the top of the garden. Late in the afternoon a heavy thunderstorm swept in from the north, leaving a scattering of migrants in its wake, but unfortunately without any particularly impressive numbers.

Birds logged today included 44 Fulmars, a Sooty Shearwater, 775 Manx Shearwaters, 184 Gannets, three Cormorants, two Grey Herons, a Teal, four Common Scoters, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, two Kestrels, a Peregrine, a Ringed Plover, four Dunlins, a Whimbrel, 27 Curlews, a Redshank, 21 Turnstones, two Great Skuas, 18 Black-headed Gulls, seven Sandwich Terns, a Common Tern, two 'Commic' Terns, a Guillemot, three Razorbills, 38 Swallows, four House Martins, six Robins, five Stonechats, five Wheatears, a Sedge Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, 13 Willow Warblers, two Spotted Flycatchers, three Chaffinches and 54 Linnets.

The moth trap in Ty Pellaf reedbed is still producing the goods. Oblique Carpet is very much a species of specialist habitat, never caught away from the boggier areas of the Wetlands. 

The vegetation around Nant has attracted some fantastically rare species over the years, but with the bracken at shoulder height and dense foliage still on the trees, passerines are easily concealed and can be extra skulky. 

There was a noticeable movement of Tree Pipits overhead this morning, including a flock of six over Cristin. It was enough to tempt George to open up the mist nets in the garden and midway through the morning he found himself extracting the first Tree Pipit to be ringed on the island since 3rd September 2013! It was a quiet day otherwise, with a Sooty Shearwater and both Arctic and Great Skua passing out off the west coast.

Other birds logged today included five Fulmars, a Sooty Shearwater, 49 Manx Shearwaters, 34 Gannets, two Common Scoters, a Buzzard, three Kestrels, 17 Curlews, an Arctic Skua, a Great Skua, five Sandwich Terns, 16 Swallows, 11 Tree Pipits, two Grey Wagtail, three Robins, three Stonechats, two Sedge Warblers, nine Willow Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Chaffinch and 48 Linnets.

Tree Pipits are regularly seen here on passage but most often just as fly-overs. They don't often touch down on the island, and rarely turn up in the mist nets © George Dunbar.

Mark and Icky Steve's excellent handiwork means that there are now two sturdy new boardwalks leading through the Withies. 

As we creep ever closer to September, we begin to fall into the trap of judging ever day based on how 'rare' it feels. Today felt rare again, and a procession of heavy showers late in the afternoon seemed guaranteed to have dropped in a Wryneck but alas we couldn't find it. To be fair, we didn't have quite as much 'coverage power' today as two of the island's top rarity finders, Icky Steve and Mark, were busy constructing new boardwalks in Cristin and Plas Withy to replace the treacherous old planks of wood that cross some notoriously muddy ditches. Birdwise, a presumably new Pied Flycatcher was at Ty Pellaf and a Tree Pipit flew over the Plantation.

Other sightings included nine Fulmars, 490 Manx Shearwaters, 77 Gannets, a Grey Heron, 12 Common Scoters, four Kestrels, a Peregrine, four Ringed Plovers, six Dunlins, two Whimbrels, 35 Turnstones, an Arctic Skua, a Mediterranean Gull, five Black-headed Gulls, 35 Kittiwakes, 18 Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Tern, three Guillemots, a Puffin, two Little Owls, 34 Swallows, two House Martins, a Tree Pipit, two Robins, five Stonechats, six Wheatears, three Whitethroats, a Blackcap, 35 Willow Warblers, six Spotted Flycatchers, a Pied Flycatcher and 46 Linnets.

Relieved faces as the hardest part of the boardwalk is completed - hammering in the uprights! 

 Rock Sea-lavender

Even this late in the summer there are still some botanical gems to be found around the island if you know where to look. Autumn Ladies-tresses are flowering in profusion in the fields below Ty Pellaf and the last few flowers of Rock Sea-lavender are clinging onto the steep cliffs around Pen Cristin. Both photos © Ben Porter

Today was a day full of might-have-beens. A distant dainty, pale-looking tern tagging along with a group of Arctic Terns off the west coast looked very much like a Roseate Tern, and a stocky bunting-type bird that flushed silently from the side of the mountain late in the morning got the observer's mind racing but unfortunately wasn't relocated.

Even though the 'big one' didn't materialise, today's actual birds more than kept us entertained. Willow Warbler numbers picked up to 95, and 14 Tree Pipits that moved through during the day was the highest count of the autumn so far. A Pied Flycatcher remained around Nant for its second day, whilst the 19 Wheatears seen today undoubtedly included some new arrivals from further afield. Out at sea, the 10th Sooty Shearwater of the year passed by with a fine-looking Pomarine Skua and seven Great Skuas.

Other tallies included 12 Fulmars, 43 Gannets, four Grey Herons, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard, two Kestrels, five Ringed Plovers, nine Dunlins, a Snipe, a Whimbrel, 39 Turnstones, three Mediterranean Gulls, 30 Black-headed Gulls, 80 Kittiwakes, 53 Sandwich Terns, 56 Arctic Terns, a Collared Dove, a Little Owl, a Sand Martin, 80 Swallows, seven House Martins, four Robins, a Whinchat, nine Stonechats, a Grasshopper Warbler, four Whitethroat, a Blackcap, two Chiffchaffs, 18 Spotted Flycatchers, two Chaffinches and 78 Linnets.

Spotted Flycatcher up close.

The pumpkins in the front border are ripening, seen here through a dewy spider's web in the front gate.

Today saw the biggest 'fall' of the autumn, with a really nice scattering of common migrants dotted around the island. It started quietly, but following an early morning rain shower a wave of birds dropped in, with two Grasshopper Warblers (including one scurrying around the cliff tops at the seawatching hide!) and a Whinchat on the South End and a Wood Warbler caught at Cristin a little while later. News from Nant was that it was equally birdy, with several Spotted Flycatchers, numerous Willow Warblers and the first returning Pied Flycatcher of the autumn.

Final tallies from an enjoyable day included three Fulmars, 14 Gannets, five Cormorants, 14 Shags, two Grey Herons, seven Mallards, a Sparrowhawk, two Kestrels, two Peregrines, five Ringed Plovers, five Dunlins, three Whimbrels, 17 Curlews, two Common Sandpipers, 28 Turnstones, four Black-headed Gulls, 29 Kittiwakes, 12 Sandwich Terns, a Guillemot, 100 Swallows, 43 House Martins, nine Robins, a Whinchat, 11 Stonechats, six Wheatears, two Grasshopper Warblers, six Sedge Warblers, four Whitethroats, three Blackcaps, a Wood Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, 115 Willow Warblers, 20 Spotted Flycatchers, a Pied Flycatcher, three Chaffinches and 49 Linnets.

Phwoar! Today's star bird was this beautiful Wood Warbler ringed at the observatory midway through the morning. 

It was another breezy morning and a riled up sea. The impressive white horses forming off the west coast didn't make conditions ideal for spotting dolphin fins, but it did mean we got some more exciting sea passage. The impressive run of scarce shearwaters continued with the fourth Great Shearwater of the year passing by off the South End along with two Balearic Shearwaters and two Sooty Shearwaters. Two Arctic Skuas (one pale, one dark) and 30 Arctic Terns spiced things up, and a Greenshank flew along the west coast early in the morning. On the land, Robin numbers increased to seven - the highest count of the year so far.

The sea did flatten out towards the end of the day, and the WDC team were eventually treated to prolonged views of Risso's Dolphins far out into the Irish Sea, as the sun dropped below the Wicklow Mountains far away in the distance.

Other birds today included 34 Fulmars, 2485 Manx Shearwaters, 101 Gannets, two Cormorants, 23 Shags, a Grey Heron, two Common Scoters, a Kestrel, a Peregrine, seven Ringed Plovers, two Sanderlings, 12 Dunlins, seven Whimbrels, 18 Curlews, a Greenshank, 35 Turnstones, two Mediterranean Gulls, 25 Black-headed Gulls, a Common Gull, four Common Terns, four Guillemots, 132 Swallows, 45 House Martins, a White Wagtail, four Stonechats, five Wheatears, six Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat, 20 Willow Warblers, two Spotted Flycatchers, two Chaffinches and 53 Linnets.

 Common Blues can struggle in some years on Bardsey, but in 2018 they seem to have emerged in fantastic numbers over a prolonged flight season. The second generation is still flying at the moment, with Nant Valley being one of the patches of grassland to find them. 

It was another 'classic' Bardsey sunset, with the Wicklow Mountains just visible in silhouette across the water.

It was a bleary-eyed Saturday changeover this morning, with bags out at 06:15 for our departing guests and an arrival time of 08:00 for our newcomers. There was method to the madness though. The sea state and general weather conditions quickly deteriorated by mid-morning, and Colin did a fine job ensuring all of this week's guests for both the observatory and the Trust made it on before it got too choppy.

We welcomed on a full house of guests this week including a team from Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) who are stationed on the island for the next couple of weeks to monitor cetacean movement through the Sound and off the west coast. If the weather allows, they'll be keen to get out on the water to identify the individual Risso's Dolphins that spend the summer off our coastline, so fingers crossed for some settled weather this week. Birdwise, there's no getting around the fact that it was quiet on the land. Robins have been extremely thin on the ground this year, but their distinctive 'ticking' calls are becoming have become an increasingly common sound across the island in recent days suggesting that migrants birds are starting to arrive. Willow Warblers increased to 24, but we're still waiting for the big arrival.

Other birds logged today included a Fulmar, 2660 Manx Shearwaters, 334 Gannets, a Cormorant, 12 Shags, two Grey Herons, two Peregrines, nine Ringed Plovers, two Sanderlings, 17 Dunlins, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Bar-tailed Godwit, five Whimbrels, 18 Curlews, 31 Turnstones, six Black-headed Gulls, 68 Kittiwakes, two Sandwich Terns, two Common Terns, six Arctic Terns, 11 Guillemots, 30 Swallows, five House Martins, four Robins, three Stonechats, 11 Wheatears, a Sedge Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, two Spotted Flycatchers, five Chaffinches and 17 Linnets.

Brown-veined Wainscot

Moth trapping in the observatory garden hasn't been too productive recently, but a small battery operated moth trap situated in Ty Pellaf reedbed has been achieving some high counts, with several Brown-veined Wainscots being the stand-out highlight. Silver Ys can be flushed from the island's grassland during the day at the moment. © Ben Porter

After yesterday's seawatching excitement plenty of effort was again directed at counting seabirds off the west coast, but with calmer winds movement was significantly reduced. A total of 3398 Manx Shearwaters passed by along with two Sooty Shearwaters and a probable Pomarine Skua. Three Tree Pipits over the observatory during the course of the day made up the majority of today's passerine movement. With the breeding bird season coming to a close we can start to take a look at how some of our passerines have fared in this year of extreme weather (both hot and cold!). A perishingly cold start to March is probably to blame for a decline in Meadow Pipits of 23.5% between 2017 and 2018, from 106 territories to 81, whilst Rock Pipits are down too, from 51 territories in 2017 to 40 territories in 2018.

Other sightings today included 12 Fulmars, two Sooty Shearwaters, 3398 Manx Shearwaters, 119 Gannets, three Grey Herons, six Common Scoters, a Peregrine, two Ringed Plovers, six Dunlins, three Whimbrels, 25 Curlews, eight Turnstones, a Black-headed Gull, four Sandwich Terns, 17 Swallows, three Tree Pipits, three Robins, six Stonechats, five Wheatears, a Sedge Warbler, a Chiffchaff, 14 Willow Warblers, two Spotted Flycatchers, two Chaffinches and 25 Linnets.

This pristine Blood-vein was caught a few nights ago - it is likely to be a completely new species addition for the island! 

In contrast to yesterday's wash out, today dawned bright and sunny and remained that way for the majority of the day. The winds were still gusting from the south-west which whipped another wild swell off the west coast, and once again that's were the majority of the day's spectacular seawatching counts were made. It started early with a Sooty Shearwater moving south just offshore, conveniently associating with a very obvious flock of Common Scoters to act as a point of reference for various observers across the island. At 09:30am, with Manx Shearwaters streaming past, the radio call went out "there's a large shearwater heading south!", quickly corrected to "it's a Great Shearwater!". The bird moved past at pace, but prolonged views were enjoyed by the lucky observers - Warden Steve, Icky Steve and Ephraim - watching from up at the observatory. Billy was collecting a moth trap from within Ty Pellaf reedbed when the news broke, and despite sprinting over to Solfach, had missed it. He returned to the observatory to empty the moth trap with a couple of guests and before he could lift out the first egg box a second Great Shearwater was picked up. Views of this individual were more prolonged as it flew low over the waves several 100 metres offshore, banking often to reveal grey-brown upperparts and a white collar and dark cap that were distinctly visible even at distance. 20 minutes later things got ridiculous when another (!) individual passed by. These three birds represent the eighth, ninth and tenth records for Bardsey, following on from single confirmed records in 2016 and 2017.

The morning flurry of Great Shearwater induced excitement ensured that the sea was well watched for the rest of the day, and the supporting cast was nothing to turn your nose up to. Another Sooty and two Balearic Shearwaters moved through with 29868 Manx Shearwaters, as well as a Storm Petrel, 20 Golden Plovers, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Great Skua, and impressive numbers of 1769 Kittiwakes and 247 Arctic Terns.

Other birds logged today included 41 Fulmars, three Grey Herons, 16 Common Scoters, a Kestrel, a Peregrine, seven Ringed Plovers, two Sanderlings, six Dunlins, three Turnstones, 12 Mediterranean Gulls, 48 Black-headed Gulls, 1769 Kittiwakes, nine Sandwich Terns, a Common Tern, 78 'Commic' Terns, three Guillemots, four Razorbills, a Puffin, 34 Swallows, 42 House Martins, a Robin, two Stonechats, ten Wheatears, two Sedge Warblers, a Blackcap, four Chiffchaffs, 31 Willow Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher, three Chaffinches and 65 Linnets.

Ephraim's field notes for the first Great Shearwater.

The balcony out front of the obs is perfect for prolonged viewing of seabirds moving past the west coast. Fuel these guys with a couple of mugs of coffee and the promise of an interesting Shearwater (and the spare time!), and they'll happily stare out to sea all day.

We haven't really had to say it too often this season, but today was a complete wash out. The winds picked up from the south-west, frequently gusted 40mph, and the torrential rain set in to ensure that anyone caught away from shelter was in for a miserable time. It's on rough weather days like this in late summer that the cosy (and mostly dry) seawatching hides start to get their fair share of usage, and a combined six hours of seawatching by the team resulted in some decent tallies of seabirds passing off the west coast including the first two Little Gulls and the fourth Balearic Shearwater of the autumn. Manx Shearwaters were a constant feature throughout the day, with no less than 8680 counted gliding up and down over the swell almost as if they were enjoying the adrenaline rush. 60 'Commic' Terns (unidentifiable Common/Arctic Terns) that also passed by were most likely all Arctic Terns.

It wasn't a great day for counting landbirds, but other sightings did include 17 Fulmars, 139 Gannets, two Cormorants, three Grey Herons, five Common Scoters, four Ringed Plovers, three Sanderlings, eight Dunlins, six Whimbrels, five Curlews, two Redshanks, 34 Turnstones, three Mediterreanean Gulls, 58 Black-headed Gulls, 278 Kittiwakes, two Sandwich Terns, a Guillemot, 14 Swallows, two House Martins, two Stonechats, six Wheatears, seven Willow Warblers, a Spotted Flycatcher and 11 Linnets.

Balearic Shearwater

Fulmar

George is a keen young birder volunteering with us until the end of August. He's already getting straight into the swing of things with a productive seawatch from the North Hide that included close views of this juvenile Mediterranean Gull and a slightly more distant Balearic Shearwater. All photos © George Dunbar

There's no doubting the avian highlight from today. A Song Thrush has been spotted in several gardens around the island over the past month but it wasn't until today, when a fledgling was caught in the observatory heligoland trap, that it became evident this was more than just a lonesome individual choosing to spend the summer on Bardsey. The bird was still exhibiting pin feathers and couldn't have flown much further than the other end of the observatory garden! The parents did well to raise a brood (are there more fledglings out there?) in almost complete secrecy right under our noses, and its a good thing we clocked them when we did as its the first confirmed breeding record for the island since 1961!

Other birds logged today included three Fulmars, 200 Manx Shearwaters, 23 Gannets, a Cormorant, two Grey Herons, two Kestrels, three Ringed Plovers, ten Sanderlings, 18 Dunlins, three Whimbrels, nine Curlews, a Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 21 Turnstones, ten Mediterranean Gulls, 20 Black-headed Gulls, 15 Kittiwakes, four Sandwich Terns, 51 Swallows, 50 House Martins, a Tree Pipit, a White Wagtail, a Robin, five Stonechats, eight Wheatears, three Sedge Warblers, a Chiffchaff, 52 Willow Warblers, six Chaffinches and 47 Linnets.

Today's Song Thrush was still moulting its juvenile pin feathers and wasn't particularly capable in the air, eliminating any likelihood of a sea crossing.

Today started out much the same as yesterday with a thick drizzly murk hanging low over the island. It wasn't the most pleasant weather for carrying out morning census but it did once again ground the birds. Eight juvenile Mediterranean Gulls joined the regular post-breeding gull flock down on Henllwyn, one of which was sporting a very shiny white colour ring with black letters. After a bit of scrutiny the ring was read, and a speedy email later we had details back from the ringer that revealed it to have been ringed as a chick along the Haringvliet, an inlet of the North Sea in South Holland on 15th June 2018. Another juvenile had a red colour ring on its leg and although its code couldn't be read, it will have originated from a similar colour-ringing scheme in eastern Europe.

Other sightings today included ten Gannets, a Cormorant, four Shags, two Grey Herons, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel, a Peregrine, eight Ringed Plovers, 14 Sanderlings, 19 Dunlins, two Whimbrels, nine Curlews, five Redshanks, 40 Turnstones, 44 Black-headed Gulls, a Common Gull, 25 Kittiwakes, 20 Sandwich Terns, 41 Swallows, 26 House Martins, a Stonechat, six Wheatears, five Sedge Warblers, a Garden Warbler, four Chiffchaffs, 13 Willow Warblers, four Spotted Flycatchers, five Chaffinches and 48 Linnets.

We don't usually get such large numbers of juvenile Mediterranean Gulls this early in the autumn, and it seems likely that many of them are dispersing from colonies in mainland Europe.

We set up the whoosh net on Solfach this evening in anticipation of catching waders at high tide.

After yesterday's break in boat service, today's more settled weather meant we had to say goodbye to the remaining young birders. They've been a fantastic bunch that we've really enjoyed having around the observatory. We hope they enjoyed their stay on the island and no doubt we'll be seeing many of them back on the island at some point in the near future.

Birdwise, Solfach was the place to be today. A combination of murky, drizzly weather and a early morning high tide had thrown up a fresh supply of seaweed, attracting several hundred waders (many of which will no doubt be adults fresh off their arctic tunda breeding grounds) down onto the beach. With the likes of 145 Turnstones, 41 Dunlins, 29 Sanderlings and seven Ringed Plovers, it was definitely the highest wader count of the autumn. Elsewhere, a Greenshank called as it flew over the island and a Balearic Shearwater passed by the west coast later in the afternoon.

Other birds seen today included a Fulmar, 1885 Manx Shearwaters, 23 Gannets, five Shags, a Grey Heron, a Kestrel, a Purple Sandpiper, two Whimbrels, seven Curlews, three Redshanks, a Greenshank, four Common Sandpipers, 145 Turnstones, six Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Black-headed Gulls, 14 Kittiwakes, three Sandwich Terns, a Skylark, 22 Swallows, 24 House Martins, three Stonechats, seven Wheatears, a Song Thrush, five Sedge Warblers, a Whitethroat, two Chiffchaffs, 52 Willow Warblers, three Chaffinches and 35 Linnets.

We were treated to some beautiful light in the final hour before sunset.

Another calm night meant it was back out onto Pen Cristin for a combination of Storm Petrel ringing and Perseid meteor appreciation.

I walked back along the track to the Lighthouse last night with the Milky Way extending across the sky above me. Without the hassles of light pollution or cloud cover, the stars looked spectacular, and every now and then a Perseid meteor would whizz overhead. It was a huge contrast to the scenes this morning. A storm rolled in during the early hours of the morning, bringing with it drizzle and brisk winds that set the tone for the rest of the day.

A few hardy souls donned their waterproofs, braved the rain and headed out to the seawatching hides at either ends of the island to count the seabirds passing over the swell off the west coast. They returned with some impressive tallies that included 10700 Manx Shearwaters, 292 Gannets, 15 Mediterranean Gulls and 359 Kittiwakes.

Other sightings today included 19 Fulmars, a Common Scoter, a Kestrel, two Peregrines, nine Ringed Plovers, 12 Sanderlings, 42 Dunlins, four Black-tailed Godwits, three Whimbrels, six Curlews, five Redshanks, three Common Sandpipers, 25 Turnstones, 15 Mediterranean Gulls, 73 Black-headed Gulls, a Common Gull, 359 Kittiwakes, a Sandwich Tern, four Razorbills, two Puffins, a Swift, 15 Swallows, 21 House Martins, four Stonechats, nine Wheatears, a Song Thrush, a Sedge Warbler, a Whitethroat, two Chiffchaffs, 15 Willow Warblers, a Chaffinch and 50 Linnets.

Last night provided perfect conditions for ringing Storm Petrels over on Pen Cristin. 

We said goodbye to the majority of the Young Birders today, with conditions set to worsen over the weekend boats were offered for either Friday or Sunday afternoon. Today in contrast was still brilliantly calm and sunny. Migrants were a little scarcer on the ground today, but there was still a scattering of birds to be seen.

Most of the action was surrounding Solfach again, seven Ringed Plovers, one Sanderling, 17 Dunlins, one Whimbrel, seven Curlews, seven Redshanks, two Common Sandpipers and 39 Turnstones were all logged around the Narrows. A small increase in Kittiwakes saw numbers rise to 270 birds, but we’re still well under the expected numbers we’d usually see at this time of year off the South End or Carreg yr Honwy. A Black Tern and Great Skua were another nice additions to the run of good seabirds seen this week, despite the conditions.

A single Swift was noted overhead, whilst a White Wagtail was seen feeding on Solfach. Warbler numbers were well under those in recent days, just two Sedge Warblers, one Blackcap, two Chiffchaffs and 18 Willow Warblers were recorded.

The fair weather allowed a group of us to visit the East Side today to ring the Storm Petrel chicks we'd found earlier in the season during seabird monitoring ©Alex Starace

Young Birder's Week 2018!