Friday, 11 September 2026

Westerly winds shifting to southerlies at force 3 brought calm sea state 3 conditions, good visibility, and dry weather, with temperatures reaching a pleasant 17°C.

A Whinchat appearance in the late afternoon provided some excitement to a fairly quiet day on the ground and was later trapped and ringed during an attempted Swallow roost catch. Other landbirds on the island included 18 Blackcaps (two trapped and ringed at Nant), a Sedge Warbler at the TÅ· Planwydd reeds, nine Chiffchaffs (five trapped and ringed at Nant), seven Willow Warblers (two trapped and ringed at Nant), six Goldcrests (three trapped and ringed at Nant), 16 Robins (three trapped and ringed at Nant), two Song Thrushes (one retrapped), a Wheatear, 22 Linnets, 19 Rock Pipits and17 Meadow Pipits. Overhead passage included 17 Grey Wagtails (13 at Nant), 17 White Wagtails, 17 unassigned alba wagtails, five Pied Wagtails, 51 Swallows, four House Martins, a Sand Martin, a Skylark, and a late night Tree Pipit calling over the Observatory.

Whinchat (c) Joel Tragen

Passing seabirds off the West Coast included 24 Dunlin (19 heading south), 16 Kittiwakes, eight Gannets, eight Razorbills, two Common Scoters, a Fulmar, and a Manx Shearwater calling past TÅ·n y Ffynnon. Coastal wader counts featured 40 Curlews at South End, nine Turnstones, four Ringed Plovers, four Redshanks, two Whimbrels, and two Common Sandpipers. The two Teal were still present on the wetlands.

Cetaceans featured two Common Dolphins off the West Coast and Grey Seal counts reached 106 individuals, with the pup count now up to sixSunny weather prompted interesting butterfly and insect sightings, including 11 Painted Ladies, six Small Coppers, two Clouded Yellows, a Comma, two Humming-bird Hawk-moths, two Harlequin Ladybirds and three Migrant Hawkers.

Thursday, 10 September 2026

South-to-southwesterly force 6 winds brought sea state 4 conditions, good visibility, and moderate rainfall until late afternoon, with a maximum temperature of 16°C.

Coastal waders and waterbird sightings included 30 Curlews at Tryfan, alongside nine Turnstones, four Whimbrels, four Ringed Plovers, two female Teal at Pwll Gad, a Dunlin, a Redshank, and a Common Sandpiper. The day's single raptor sighting was a male Sparrowhawk around the Observatory. An evening catch on the Narrows produced two Ringed Plover, one of which was a recaptured bird from earlier in the week and the other was new.  

Whimbrel (c) Steven Stansfield

Songbirds and small migrants noted across the island featured a Spotted Flycatcher at Nant, five Chiffchaffs, four Blackcaps, three Willow Warblers, three Goldcrests, five Wheatears, nine Robins and a Song Thrush. Visible movement overhead and resident counts included 19 Swallows, a House Martin, seven White Wagtails, two unassigned alba wagtails, two Grey Wagtails, 21 Rock Pipits, 12 Meadow Pipits, 20 Linnets

Marine mammal activity was highlighted by three Risso's Dolphins off the West Coast and Grey Seal counts reached 106 individuals across the island.

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Fresh northwesterly force 6 winds brought sea state 5 conditions, good visibility throughout the day, dry weather, and a maximum temperature of 16°C.

Evening view over the South End (c) Ezra Sherwell

Seawatching passage was highlighted by an adult Sabine's Gull passing south off the North End. Movement offshore also included three Red-throated Divers heading south off the West Coast, 488 Kittiwakes off the North End, 41 Common Scoters off the North End, 40 Gannets heading south off the West Coast, 35 Manx Shearwaters, six Fulmars, 25 Razorbills, 12 Guillemots, 56 Sandwich Terns, nine Arctic Terns, and seven Common Terns. Shorelines and wetland sites produced 30 Curlews, nine Turnstones, seven Knot, six Ringed Plovers, three Redshanks, two Common Sandpipers, a single Whimbrel and two Teal. Raptors logged were a male Sparrowhawk at Nant and two Peregrines on the Mountain.

Passerine migration saw a noticeable influx in warbler counts, headlined by 23 Blackcaps and a single Garden Warbler at Nant. Additional grounded migrants and songbirds included seven Chiffchaffs, seven Willow Warblers, six Goldcrests, two Spotted Flycatchers, 20 Robins, 13 Wheatears, eight Stonechats, two Song Thrushes, 32 Rock Pipits, 20 Meadow Pipits, 24 Linnets and a Blue Tit at the Observatory. Overhead movement and resident counts featured 47 Swallows, 11 House Martins, a Sand Martin, a Tree Pipit over the Observatory, 32 unassigned alba wagtails, four Grey Wagtails, a Pied Wagtail.

Cetaceans featured six Risso's Dolphins off Henllwyn. Invertebrate activity was well-represented despite the wind, including 12 Painted Ladies, eight Red Admirals, six Small Coppers, three Clouded Yellows, three Commas, three Speckled Woods, three Humming-bird Hawk-moths, two Green-veined Whites and three Migrant Hawkers.