Bardsey's Wildlife 2019

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME

63: 35-37 1

Bardsey Bird Observatory Bardsey’s Wildlife
2019
& Lodge
Front cover
Registered Charity No. 249790 Isabelline Wheatear
by Steven Stansfield
Bardsey Bird Observatory is a small independent charity established in 1953 to
record migrating birds on Bardsey. The Lodge is based at Cristin, a farmhouse Rear cover
in the centre of Bardsey Island, and can accommodate 14 guests from April to Solstice Sunset – Looking west
October and everyone is welcome - [email protected] from Cristin over the Withies
by Steven Stansfield
Bardsey Island is home to rare and scarce species of birds, animals, insects and
plants and is a National Nature Reserve (NNR), Site of Special Scientific Interest Inside front cover
(SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA), and an Area of Outstanding Natural Cristin – Bardsey Lodge, the
Beauty (ANOB). home of BBFO

Our work Photographs
George Dunbar, Josie Hewitt,
Our core objective is to record the migrating and breeding birds that use the Lewis Hooper, Richard Leighton,
island and surrounding area, alongside the other wildlife such as flora, Bob Normand, Steven and
invertebrates, and marine mammals. We provide accommodation for all at the Emma Stansfield, Mark
Bardsey Lodge, as well as opportunities, education and inspiration for all ages. Simmonds, Jeff Wragg
The Observatory works closely with the island’s owners, the Bardsey Island
Trust, and the Welsh countryside agency, Natural Resources Wales, to ensure Paintings & sketches
the management and upkeep of the island and its natural features. Steven Stansfield and Martha
Street
Bird Observatory staff complete a census of all the migrating birds on the
island every day; this is entered into a database and the information is used by Editors
governments, conservation bodies and economic developers. It is also sent to Anthony John*, Emma
the British Trust for Ornithology and Bardsey Bird Observatory’s data currently Stansfield, Steve Stansfield
forms 3% of their ‘BirdTrack’ database of all the birds seen in the UK.
*Mr Anthony John, Brook
Birds Cottage, Sampford Spiney,
Yelverton,
Due to its position in the Irish Sea, Bardsey is an important stop-over for Devon, PL20 7QX
migrating birds and as such attracts a number of rare species. There have been
330 species of bird recorded on the island including Summer Tanager, Design & production
Cretzschmar’s Bunting, American Robin, Red-flanked Bluetail, Western Compiled, typeset, designed
Orphean Warbler and Buff-bellied Pipit. There are several nationally and and produced by Steven and
globally important species that use the island, in particular the Chough and Emma Stansfield
Manx Shearwater, and many others are in decline and are Red or Amber listed
as Birds of Conservation Concern. In summer the island’s breeding bird Published by
populations are surveyed, and their productivity is closely monitored; these Bardsey Bird Observatory
include, Razorbill, Storm Petrel, Wheatear and over 21,000 pairs of Manx Summer 2020
Shearwaters. Our data show that Puffins have increased from 0 to 150 pairs in
two decades. Both breeding and migrating birds are carefully trapped, ringed Printed by
and released under license as part of the national Ringing Scheme run by the
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), to help us understand more about them. * [email protected]
) 01603 868 862
Wildlife
ISSN 0408-5655
The Observatory studies and publishes findings on the island’s wildlife. Bardsey
and its surrounding waters host a variety of marine mammals; Grey Seals
breed on the island and Risso’s Dolphins, and Harbour Porpoises are often
seen. Bats, flora, lepidoptera, odonata and many other groups are also studied.
From arachnologists to zoologists, all are encouraged to stay, and contribute
to the scientific research and recording carried out through the Observatory.

Bardsey

Bird and Field Observatory

Monitoring Bardsey’s wildlife since 1953

.
.

BARDSEY

YNYS ENLLI

Swallow
© Lewis Hooper

contents

section 1 Dianne Charles 2
INTRODUCTIONS Andrew Lawrence 4
Steven Stansfield 6
Welcome from the Chair Steven Stansfield and Mick Green 20
Secretary’s report Steven Stansfield 22
Director of Operations’ review Steven Stansfield 35
BBFO & WOS MoU
Education programme Samuel Prettyman, George Dunbar, 40
Volunteer programme Lewis Hooper and Emma Stansfield
Steven Stansfield 66
section 2 136
AVIAN REPORTS Samuel Prettyman 140
164
Migration diary Samuel Prettyman and Steven Stansfield 178

Systematic list Samuel Prettyman 188
Arrivals and departures 204
Breeding birds Lewis Hooper, Josie Hewitt and Steven 218
Manx Shearwater studies Stansfield 224
Manx Shearwater census Lewis Hooper

Chough studies Samuel Prettyman
Bird ringing
Ringing recoveries George Dunbar
Rare bird reports
Steven Stansfield, Samuel Prettyman,
Martin Hosier

section 3
NON-AVIAN REPORTS

Non-avian fauna Lewis Hooper, Emma Stansfield and Kevin 248
Clements
Butterflies Lewis Hooper and Steven Stansfield 260
Moths 272
Grey Seals Lewis Hooper 292

Rebecca Robotham and Mark Simmonds
OBE

section 4 Contributors 298
APPENDICES Accounts for 2019 300
Legacy information 303
Appendix 1 Membership 304
Appendix 2 Advertisements 306

President Rt. Revd. David Hawkins
Vice Presidents Peter Hope Jones, Bevan Craddock, Mike West
Dr R Geoff Gibbs, Mike Archer
Trustees

Chair Dianne Charles, 2 Regent Close, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Hon. Secretary Andrew Lawrence, 14 Jack Haye Lane, Light Oaks, Stoke on Trent

Director of Finance Dianne Charles, 2 Regent Close, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Bookings Administrator Alicia Normand, 46 Maudlin Drive, Teignmouth, Devon

Prof. Joe Brownlie CBE, Colston Cottage, Buckfastleigh, Devon

Mark Simmonds OBE, University of Bristol, Langford House, Bristol

Section 1

Introductions

Henllwyn and Bardsey lighthouse
© Fiona Bithell

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WELCOME FROM THE CHAIR

Dianne Charles

Welcome to the 63rd edition of ‘Bardsey’s Wildlife’. The report continues to
attract praise for its quality and superb content, and I know you will join me
in congratulating Steve and the editorial team on another superb effort.

Our Director of Operations and Observatory Warden, Steven Stansfield, completed his 22nd season with
Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory. Our assistants were Lewis Hooper and Sam Prettyman, both new
recruits for 2019.

During the winter, water had once again penetrated the internal walls at Cristin, and much hard work in
the way of painting and decorating was required to get the place ready for its first visitors. As always, we
are indebted to all the staff and volunteers who took part in this vital task. This year, we are particularly
grateful to Emma, who took charge of operations while Steve was at the International Bird Observatories
Conference (IBOC) in Eilat – Israel (see page 17).

Bird-wise, spring was very slow, with no large arrivals of birds and not even a steady passage of the more
common ones. There were, however, some highlights: a stunning male Western Orphean Warbler was
trapped and ringed at Cristin in May and was an addition to the island’s list, while two Common
Rosefinches, Golden Oriole and Greenish Warbler provided some further excitement.

Over the summer, as the migration came to an end, life was still very busy, with another hugely successful
Young Birders Week as well as the popular ‘Meet the Manxies’ events, guided walks and Moth Mornings.
The monitoring work for our agreement with Natural Resources Wales continued and the first section of a
four-year Manx Shearwater census took place and showed a 20% increase in the number of pairs in the
southern part of the island since the last survey in 2014.

A good number of scarce birds appeared during the autumn, including another new species for the
island in the form of a long-awaited American Buff-bellied Pipit. The island’s third Isabelline Wheatear was
found by visitors in September, and many of the Young Birders managed to see the Fea’s Petrel on their
first full day on the island. Other good birds included Great, Sooty and Balearic Shearwaters and a Great
Crested Grebe in Nant Bay, and a final flourish on the last day of the season with a smart adult male Red-
breasted Flycatcher at Nant!

It was a good year for visitor numbers and, as a result, we had a successful year financially, allowing us to
continue to build up our reserves. We also published a Five-Year Strategic Plan (available in English and
Welsh) in which we laid out our Mission and Objectives. Among those objectives were three goals
connected with Education, and these have already been partially achieved through our Young Birders’
Week and our first Joint Welsh Universities Week held in April and funded by the BTO and Wills Trust.

At our AGM in July, there was a special ceremony to present the Observatory’s first Award for Outstanding
Contribution which was made to Steve Hinde as a mark of appreciation for his valuable work over many
years. This richly deserved award was presented to Steve by our President, David Hawkins.

At the end of the season, we said goodbye to Lewis Hooper. Sam Prettyman indicated his willingness to
return for a second season and we were pleased to appoint George Dunbar as our new Assistant.

Chairman’s welcome

I would like to register my thanks to all those who have contributed in any way to the successes of 2019:
staff, interns, trustees and volunteers both on and off the island. The current trustees work very hard to
ensure that the charity is well run, and we are not seeking to appoint any new trustees at this stage.
However, we would be happy to co-opt anyone with fund-raising skills, so if anyone reading this feels able
to help in this way, please contact me via [email protected]. We are also indebted to Colin Evans, who
runs our wonderful boat service, to Gareth Roberts for his help and support, and to the staff and trustees
of Bardsey Island Trust Limited. We are extremely grateful to Natural Resources Wales for the funding which
makes it possible for us to carry out more of our valuable scientific work.
I hope you enjoy reading the report and if you have the opportunity, do visit the Observatory to see for
yourself the amazing work that goes on there.

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STANSFIELD

SECRETARY’S REPORT

Andrew Lawrence

2019 saw three vibrant meetings of the Trustees, three well attended meetings of the Friends of Bardsey
Observatory and our Annual General Meeting, which was held again in Prenteg, in July.
The Trustees meetings generally consist of several standing items, but usually have one or two items of
particular focus. Although regular, the standing items do help to draw the Trustees’ attention to the day-
to-day running aspects of the Observatory, and it is within these items that we ensure that the Observatory
continues to function to the high standard that our members and guests have become accustomed.
Matters discussed throughout the year included funding streams, mitigation of water shortages, staffing,
financial aspects relating to the Observatory and health and safety, amongst others. Most Trustee
meetings also have one or two more specific items of particular focus, either by forced circumstances or
by being of particular interest, with our first meeting, in February, flagging the success of the Young Birders’
Week in August 2018, and that of the Joint Welsh Universities Week in April 2019 which, thanks to the work
by our Director of Operations, has been well received nationally.

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The June Trustees’ meeting is usually a chance to prepare for the Annual General Meeting, with the
progress of the five-year plan, which was to be presented to the AGM, being reviewed, this now having
been completed. The meeting also allowed a mid-season review of the progress made up to that point
and included details of the Director of Operations’ visit to the 3rd International Bird Observatory
Conference in Israel in his capacity of Chair of the UK Bird Observatories Council – this was reported to
have been most successful with many new contacts made, ideas exchanged and some possible new
initiatives explored. Details of the plans for the Young Birders’ Training Weeks were again mentioned as
part of the consolidation of work in this area. The final Trustees’ meeting of 2019, in October was
conducted via Skype, although some technical difficulties were encountered with this and the Trustees
have therefore been forced to look at other video conferencing platforms in future. The meeting did not
include any special items, although one point of particular interest was the liaison between BBFO and the
Welsh Ornithological Society (WOS) which has been formalised by a Memorandum of Understanding to
enable a closer working relationship between our two organisations. Dai Stacey left the Trustees group in
November, and we thank him for his work and input during his time as a Trustee.

2019 was also notable for two meetings of the Friends of Bardsey Observatory, one in January at
Penkridge and the second, organised by Dai Stacey and held at Bangor on the 30th of March. Both
meetings were aimed at the membership but were also open to non-members as part of our awareness-
raising outreach. The meetings were very well attended, and we thank the sponsors, speakers and
contributors who made them such a success and also helped as part of our fund-raising. To some extent
these meetings were also intended to encourage further participation in helping to support the
Observatory and included a short discussion on ways forward - if anyone does feel able to volunteer to
work in a support capacity for BBFO please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Director of Operations.
As mentioned in previous Secretary’s reports we are particularly keen to recruit a fund-raiser so that we
can strengthen our reserves for unforeseen issues that may arise from time to time.

The AGM was held on 6 July with 27 members in attendance. The meeting followed the usual course with
the resolution to publish the Minutes of the meeting online prior to the next AGM in 2020 being made. The
AGM was also the central part of our, now annual, Members’ Weekend which included a lunch and
cream tea (thank you Annie West and Alicia Normand) and also a Friend’s of Bardsey Observatory
meeting in the afternoon, during which the five-year strategic plan was introduced to the membership,
and the first Award for Outstanding Contribution was made, to Steve Hinde for his many years of
assistance to the Observatory. The meeting was followed by a visit to the local Osprey centre and an
evening meal nearby for those staying locally. The final meeting of 2019 was not a BBFO one, but one to
celebrate 40 years of the Bardsey Island Trust Limited which I attended to represent BBFO. This excellent
meeting was a ‘full house’ at Storiel Bangor, and included a most interesting talk by Martin Richards, a
Life Member and former Assistant Warden of BBFO, who mentioned how closely the history of both
organisations has intertwined and been so mutually supportive over so many years.

Finally, our thanks, as ever, go to our Director of Operations Steve Stansfield and to Emma and Connor
for help and guidance – their input to the many meetings is hugely valued, and to Sam Prettyman and
Lewis Hooper who, as Assistant Wardens, provided such valuable support to BBFO throughout their time
on the island.

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STANSFIELD

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS’ REVIEW

Steven Stansfield

2019 was a successful year once again for the Observatory. This year saw not
one but two new bird species for the island, the first in the shape of a Western
Orphean Warbler trapped at Cristin in mid-May. We held another successful
members’ weekend and AGM in July, which saw a good gathering of
Bardsey’s friends on the mainland. Autumn produced a few nice rarities
including another new species for both the island and Wales in September,
this time an American Buff-bellied Pipit. We held our first Joint Universities
Week in April and another excellent Young Birders’ Week in August.

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STANSFIELD

WINTER REVIEW

Having left the island in November 2018, Emma, Connor and I headed off to spend the winter in our house
in Norfolk and began 2019 there.

Over much of the winter my usual tasks were completed and I spent time
finalising Obs. paperwork for the BTO ringing scheme, getting licence
renewals for Schedule 1 species and ringing permits, putting together the
148-page report (pictured right) to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for
our Section 16 Agreement funding, and working on the 2018 edition of
‘BARDSEY'S WILDLIFE’ getting it ready to go to the printers in late spring
2019. It was another bumper one at 320 pages, and once more a huge
effort went into the content, design and publication as we continually
strive to remain amongst the top wildlife reports in the country. Thanks
again to Tony John for his role as text editor and to Emma for her help
with making the manuscript amendments and overall help with
production and design. I added more recent copies of Bardsey’s Wildlife
to our ‘anyflip’ catalogue and they are available online in a flip book
format. These are available to view here http://anyflip.com/bookcase/lvza.

In late January, the Observatory’s laptop over heated and burned out… We had to rapidly find another
laptop and we decided that changing to Apple Mac would be better for the production of the report.
We were fortunate to get a very high spec. replacement from Ebay at a very reasonable price, and the
new MacBook has been working fine.

We then had a run of meetings to attend in February, firstly the BOC meeting at Thetford (see report on
page 16), and then our Chairman Dianne Charles, myself and Emma met up to work through a 2019
action plan for work to be undertaken on the island during the year. It was then circulated around the
Trustees for approval. I also spent time working on policy documents for the Observatory, a task which
continued throughout the year. I updated the Staff Contracts, Volunteer Agreements and, along with
Emma and Alicia, our Staying at the Bardsey Lodge documents, etc.

Along with our Hon. Secretary, Andrew Lawrence, I put together the proposals for the section 16
Management agreement with Natural Resources Wales for 2019. These were:

1) Monitoring the nesting success and productivity of the Chough.
2) Monitoring and mapping of all the breeding seabird species on Bardsey and Ynysoedd Gwylan.
3) Manx Shearwater population census (year one).
4) Manx Shearwater productivity at a sample of nest sites.
5) Monitoring and mapping of all the land birds breeding on Bardsey.
7) Monitoring disturbance of Grey Seals by visitors and visiting boats.
7) Risso’s Dolphin Photo Identification.
8) Educational talks and walks for visitors on the island.

STAFF AND RECRUITMENT FOR 2019

In Autumn 2018 Ephraim Perfect and Billy Dykes both decided they would be moving to pastures new for
2019. I put together adverts and a job specification and began looking for two new team members. By
the end of October 2018, we had some 45 enquiries about the post and 16 applicants, many of which
were very strong. Interviews were held in mid-November at Sandwell Valley RSPB Reserve with Alicia
Normand (Bookings Administrator), Andy Lawrence (Hon. Secretary), Emma, Connor and me and we
interviewed three candidates. After a lengthy decision-making process, we appointed Samuel (Sam)
Prettyman from Sheffield and Lewis Hooper from Hampshire to fill the posts.

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DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS’ ANNUAL REVIEW

PREPARING THE LODGE

I stayed on the mainland working on the report, in order to prepare to fly to Eilat in Israel to attend the
3rd International Bird Observatories Conference (IBOC – see page 17). Lewis had some minor health issues
and was unable to start immediately, however, Emma and Connor along with new Assistant Sam, and
Volunteers Lynda Roberts and Mike Smart arrived back on Bardsey on 18 March; a little later than planned
due to the weather, but spring was very late in arriving, and fortunately migration had barely begun…

Once back, they set about getting unpacked and
getting the Lodge ready for the start of the visitor
season, for the first week with the sterling help of Lynda
and Mike, our invaluable and now regular volunteers.
They endeavoured to get the Lodge back up to
scratch and most of the work had been completed by
the time I returned in early April. They had scraped,
cleaned and completely redecorated the dining
room, pantry, kitchen and stairwell on the south side,
and thoroughly cleaned and organised the office, the
bedrooms had been spring cleaned were ready to go,
and windows were repaired and painted. Meanwhile
Connor managed the generator, fuel, gas bottles,
lighting fridges and freezers, battery systems and
internet issues, and Sam was filmed by some students
for a university project. Although there was still some
painting and decorating left to do on the north side,
with only hours to spare we had the place spick and
span for the arrival of our first guests.

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STANSFIELD

Cristin had stood up to the winter reasonably well, though the roof over the common room continued
leaking and water still penetrated down the internal walls that are bounding the central chimney on both
sides of Cristin. This has resulted in the walls being very damp at the start of the season. As I reported last
year there is still some remedial work that needs to be undertaken here as the walls are still very wet and
water gets in every time it rains, even though we have already had some repair work done to the roof.
We are not exactly sure where the issues are, but we are in contact with our landlords BITL to see if they
will be able to resolve the issues as soon as possible, but until then please bear with us and accept our
apologies for the damp in the common room.

VISITORS

During 2019 we had just over 181 visitor-weeks which equates to 1272 bed-nights.
As ever, Alicia Normand managed all the bookings to her usual very high standard, as she has done now
for a quarter of a century! She does such a sterling job and taking all the bookings in, sending out all the
crossing information, banking all the cheques that people send to her. She gets many hundreds of phone
calls per year, and there is not a single day goes by where she is not having enquiries about staying at
the Lodge. We are very lucky to have Alicia on board as both a Trustee and our Bookings Administrator.
The average number of staying guests at the Lodge since 1998 is 170 per year with as few as 114 in 2002
and as many as 217 in 2005. 2019 was above average with 181, and this shows in the accounts for the
year which produced an excess of income over expenditure.

SPRING MIGRATION

2019 was another busy year for visitors, but on the bird front it was well below par in spring. A full summary
can be found in the Migration Diary on page 40. It was a slow starter for bird migration with numbers of
common migrants, such as Willow Warblers, Wheatears and Blackcaps, Linnets, Goldfinches and Siskins
being well down compared to average. Spring did have a few surprises up her sleeves, when in May a
stunning Western Orphean Warbler was trapped and ringed by Sam at Cristin. This was the first record of
this species for the island, the second for Wales and only the sixth for Britain! In June, the regular rush of
rarities did not happen this year, and just two Common Rosefinches, Greenish Warbler and a sub-adult
male Golden Oriole was all that was on offer.

Greenish Warbler © Steven Stansfield

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DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS’ ANNUAL REVIEW

MEMBERS’ WEEKEND AND AGM

Last year we changed slightly the way the Annual General Meeting worked and held it as a Members’
Weekend. The idea was to have more of an informal gathering of friends of Bardsey in a social
atmosphere along with a talk, rather than just the meeting. As the 2018 weekend was so successful, we
continued this approach in 2019 and even more members turned up this year for the weekend: on Friday
5th July members and friends met in Porthmadog and we had a great evening in the Ship Inn. On
Saturday morning, more members arrived for the Annual General Meeting which proceeded on time.
Following the meeting Mark Simmonds, one of our Trustees, gave a talk on the Sea Mammals of Bardsey.
Alica Normand and Annie West (along with help from others) made a superb buffet lunch.

After Lunch, our President made a surprise announcement (well, a surprise to most!). He began reading
a transcript that described the immense effort of one person towards helping run the Observatory and
then presented ‘Icky’ Steve Hinde with an award for his Outstanding Contribution to the work of the
Observatory – a truly well-deserved honour. This was followed by my talk about the International Bird
Observatories Conference in Israel. Then it was time for Devonshire Cream Tea! Lots of lovely scones, jam
and clotted cream. The meeting was
soon over and we moved on from
Canolfan Prenteg, having said our
goodbyes to some of the people who
had arrived for the daytime events,
whilst a group of us went down to the
nearby Osprey centre at Pont Croesor,
and then for a walk along the River
Glaslyn looking at dragonflies, such as
Beautiful Demoiselle. After this we all
gathered at the Brondanw Arms in
Llanfrothen, where we had a great
evening meal with lots of chatting and
stories about the island. It was another
great evening and brought the very
enjoyable Members’ Weekend to a
close.

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STANSFIELD

DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISING

Jill Davies made a magnificent patchwork quilt and donated it to the Observatory as a raffle prize. it is
expected that the draw will take place in late 2020. Emma’s mum, Jane Bowler, again made some
crochet owls and fluffy Manxie chicks to sell in the gift shop. We also went all out to try and raise funds for
the cost of installing solar panels and electric fridges at the Observatory and by the end of the year we
had raised almost £15,000 for the array. We hope to start work on installation in spring 2020. Alicia
Normand once again donated more new kitchen items to the Lodge as well as all the ingredients and
jars etc. for the 200 plus jars of jam and chutney that she made for us to sell in the gift shop.

In August we ran a ‘Golden Oldies’ week, all members had to have been coming to the island for over
25 years, or be retired… it was a great week; Dianne and Alicia did all the cooking of the evening meals,
we had a couple of guided walks, talks and much fun. Also, during the week, Gareth and Meriel hosted
a fantastic ‘cheese and wine’ evening at Tŷ Pellaf, and everyone on the island was invited to buy a ticket
and attend, with all the proceeds from the tickets going to the Observatory. It was a great evening of
frivolity, and there were one or two slightly sore heads and empty gin bottles the following morning…

We were again pleased that Rare Bird Alert -
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk were able to sponsor our
staff uniforms – we had new polo shirts in the
autumn, embroidered with their logo along with
our own.

There were too many other smaller donations
made during the year to list here, and I thank all
our donors for their generosity.

PUBLICATIONS AND OUTREACH

As usual we contributed various articles for magazines and newsletters and we were filmed on a couple
of occasions during the year working with Manx Shearwaters. One programme ‘Our Lives’ which was
aired on BBC1 about the Schärer family, who were to take over as Warden’s for BITL from 2019. I did a
number of talks off the island including one to Bristol Ornithological Club about the work of the
Observatory. In November when we left the island I was invited as one of four key speakers at the 30th
Anniversary Conference of the Welsh Ornithological Society (WOS) at Aberystwyth university. It was a very
good conference, with vibrant talks, including a roundup of 30 years of WOS by president Iolo Williams. It
was announced at the meeting that the Welsh Records Panel (which I am the current Chairman) will be
changed to the Welsh Birds Rarities Committee.

The 2018 report ‘BARDSEY’S WILDLIFE’ was with the printers in late June. The completed PDF file went to
Swallowtail Print in July and was then delivered to Burwell Print for dispatch with the autumn Beacon. We
are extremely happy with the service, production and quality from Swallowtail. We have had plenty of
very positive feedback once again, and we hope that all our members and readers are happy with the
content and quality of the report.

The Observatory’s five-year strategic plan was launched at the AGM this year and is available in both
English and Welsh. It has had some distribution at the Welsh Ornithological Conference and the Bird
Observatories Council Meeting. We are already making steps to implement some of the objectives as
you will see further on in the report.

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DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS’ ANNUAL REVIEW

EVENTS ON THE ISLAND

New (ad)ventures at Tŷ Pellaf! At the end of 2018 Gareth and Meriel Roberts moved to the island to run
the farm at Tŷ Pellaf. As part of their business plan they decided to apply for a drinks licence as part of
their new restaurant/café venture. This was a huge success and many of the Observatory guests were
able to enjoy wholesome home cooked meals at the restaurant, along with a few drinks! The café was
open for breakfast each morning and the new pub was open all day! We wish them every success and
look forward to having a drink there with you on your next visit to the island!

Before the Observatory staff had even arrived on the island, Bardsey Trust’s new staff were moving on in
late February. The Schärer family from Llanrwst were to be the new BITL staff. They were joined by a film
crew who were to document their first year on Bardsey. Unfortunately, their nine-year-old son fell on
Solfach after just two days on the island, he badly damaged his leg and was air-lifted to hospital. After a
few weeks, the family made the decision to return to their home in Llanrwst, and BITL had a series of
volunteers to help until they were able to find temporary staff. Luckily Rhys Thwaites-Jones and Hannah
Engelkamp along with their two children were able to stand in until late autumn when Mari Huws and
Emyr Glyn-Owen took over as the new permanent Wardens for BITL; it was a somewhat turbulent year for
the Trust, but the outcome is that there are two highly motivated and friendly staff staying in Tŷ Bach once
more.

In spring we were visited by the Welsh Ambulance 13
Service so that all the island staff could be trained
in basic first aid and the use of a defibrillator. It was
a great day and the island team worked very well
together. As part of our plans to become greener
and use less fossil fuels, we installed two new fridges
at Cristin and a new freezer for staff. They are all
electric powered and we are no longer reliant on
using expensive propane gas to keep them
powered. It did mean that until we get our solar
array fitted that we do have to run the generator
a little more, however, this is still cheaper than
bringing gas to the island.

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STANSFIELD

AUTUMN MIGRATION

Autumn was reasonable as far as rarities go, however, the usual back-up cast of Barred Warblers, Icterine
Warblers, good numbers of Yellow-browed Warblers and Wrynecks were either lacking completely (as in
the first two species) or in short supply. We did have a reasonable sea passage with all four skuas recorded
and Great Shearwater, but no Grey Phalaropes and very few Sabine’s Gulls. Obvious highlights of the
autumn were the third records of both Fea’s Petrel and Isabelline Wheatear, and then the second new
bird of the year for the Island, and a first for Wales, was an American Buff Bellied Pipit. A more detailed
summary can be found in the Migration Diary on page 40.

STAFF AND RECRUITMENT FOR 2020

In 2019 Lewis said that he was not intending on returning to Bardsey for 2020, however, following
discussions with the BBFO Trustees Sam decided he would like to return for a second season. This meant
that for the fourth time in as many years we needed to seek a new assistant.

When I began working at Bird Observatories in 1990 straight from doing my A’ Levels, most of the other
Assistants were in their mid-20s and I was the youngest Assistant that Sandwich Bay had taken on at 18
years old! With very few exceptions it continued to be the case that assistants were in their mid-20s, not
only at Sandwich, but Bardsey, and at other Observatories too. Ephraim Perfect was the youngest
Assistant that we had appointed at 19 years old back in 2016. Ephraim’s appointment came following his
three-month internship, after he had initially visited the island on our acclaimed Young Birder’s Training
Week.

We have a number of young birder’s who, once they have been on our training week, continue to return
as they have fallen in love with the island and the work of the Observatory, and several have returned to
become interns for periods of up to three months giving them a real opportunity to do two things: one,
to experience real life at an Observatory, and secondly, for us to be able to see if they have the qualities
needed to become part of our close-nit and hardworking team. Sometimes, the stars just line up when
we have a good intern and an appointment to make – as we did with Ephraim in 2016. This time we had
George Dunbar on the scene, who had been coming to Bardsey on our training weeks since he was just
14, then in 2018 he returned for three weeks as a volunteer and in 2019 he returned as an intern for three
months (see page 34).

We had seen that
George could perform
well under the pressures
of living in isolation on
the island and was very
good with the guests, a
good fieldworker, willing
to learn and most
importantly fitted in with
our team. We still
advertised for staff, but
George was the stand-
out candidate, and he
was interviewed on the
island in October and
was appointed for the
2020 season.

14 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS’ ANNUAL REVIEW

EVENTS OFF THE ISLAND

As mentioned earlier, Emma, Connor and I spent early 2019 in our house in north Norfolk; Emma got it
ready and prepared for the letting season with help from Connor and I. Everything went fairly smoothly,
and we were again delighted to have many bookings. We are pleased to report that 2019 was another
successful year for Owlwood Cottage.

Connor and Emma spent time travelling back and forth to the mainland in May and June for Connor to
sit his GCSE Psychology and A Level Law exams. Thanks to Colin for getting them off, and back onto the
island and to Ann Owen Vaughan who let them stay in her house in Rhiw.

Mid-summer, following our AGM and Members’
Weekend saw Emma and I heading to various
other Observatories during our summer break.
We began with a day trip to the North West’s
Bird Observatory on Hilbre Island where we
were given the red-carpet treatment by the
Chairman of Hilbre Steve Williams (pictured
right). We met up with BBFO volunteers Fiona
Bithell and Lynda Roberts and were driven by
Steve to and from the island at low tide, given a
tour of the Observatory and the island, and
generally had a great day. Next was a week’s
stay in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, where
Emma and I worked hard to get the final parts
of the 2018 annual report finalised. We also had
some time off to visit Flamborough Bird
Observatory and to look at the new
‘Garner/Richards’ sea-watching Observatory
that has just been built there. We also visited
one of the un-accredited Observatories in
Yorkshire at Long Nab just north of Scarborough.
After this we headed off to stay in the fantastic
new accommodation at Spurn Bird Observatory
for a meeting about the new radio tracking
project MotusUK, and then for me to chair the
summer BOC meeting the following day (see
BOC section). This was the first time we had
stayed in the new Observatory at Spurn, and it
was great to have met up with many of the
birders that I grew up with back in Yorkshire
some 30 years ago.

Finally, just before heading back to the island
Emma, Connor and I went to Preston to the
wedding of Laura Davies and her fiancé Tom
Wisby. Many of you will have met Laura on
Bardsey when she used to visit with her dad,
BBFO’s former Chairman and report editor
Patrick Davies. It was a great couple of days,
despite the weather, and Laura looked
beautiful. It was also good to meet up with
John, Laura’s brother.

63: 6-19 15

STANSFIELD

BIRD OBSERVATORIES COUNCIL 2019

The 49th AGM of the BOC was again held at the

BTO’s HQ in Thetford. The meeting was huge and

BOC was attended by 40 people, with myself, Emma,
Peter Howlett and Mike Archer representing BBFO.
Bird Observatories Council In total 19 of the 20 Observatories were
represented, along with various members of BTO

staff, observers from a Finnish Observatory and a

video link with Stu Makenzie from Long Point Bird

Observatory in Canada. There was a fantastic atmosphere and buzz of all the Observatories pulling in

one direction, as we are all working for the benefit of birds and wildlife and that the BTO and the BOC

are continuing to work closely together. It was great to see some familiar faces and previous assistants

Richard and Giselle and Steffan.

The meeting itself was absolutely fantastic and followed on from the 2018 meeting as a productive,
forward thinking and progressive gathering. Items on the agenda which were discussed included:

• The new Memorandum of Understanding between the BOC and BTO
• Feather sampling of rare and scarce migrants (for which I was granted a licence)
• The BOC constitution was reviewed - Peter Howlett and myself were assigned to progress this
• An update on data and BirdTrack
• Nocturnal sound recording projects
• Motus radio tagging project – www.motus.org
• The Bird Fair stand - Emma and I were tasked with updating the stall and its production
• The Young Bird Observatories Volunteer Fund

During the meeting we decided that another, shorter meeting was needed in the summer to adopt the
newly written constitution. This second meeting was held at Spurn in July where we were given a very
warm welcome. The new constitution was duly adopted by all present. The constitution demanded the
formation of a new Executive Committee: Steve Stansfield (as Chair), Peter Howlett, Steffan Walton and
Alison Duncan were appointed as the Executive.

From left- Peter Morgan, Kevin Woodbridge, Steve Williams, Dave Leach, Peter Howlett, Chris Williams, Alison Duncan, Mike Archer, David Walker
Jim Morgan, Richard Brown Jonnie Fisk, Giselle Eagle, Gavin Woodbridge, Rebecca Jones, Erin Taylor, Gill Hollamby, Steffan Walton, Scott Mayson,
Sophie Barker, Rob Adams, Steve Newton, Sarah Harris, Heikki Karimaa, Aron Sapsford, Tim Jones, Stuart Rivers, Adrian Blackburn, Sally Hunter,
Nigel Odin, Ian Hunter, Emma Stansfield

16 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS’ ANNUAL REVIEW

INTERNATIONAL BIRD OBSERVATORIES CONFERENCE

In 2018 the third IBOC was announced and was to be held at the
migration hotspot at Eilat in Israel in late March 2019. After careful
consideration and some planning the Trustees decided that it was
important that I attended the conference and represent both BBFO and
the BOC.

On 25th March I met up with Peter Howlett, Rob Adams (the Chairman
from Spun Observatory), Nick Whitehouse (Chair of the Spurn Science
and Research Committee) and a few others from the UK and headed to Luton for our flight to Tel Aviv.
We then picked up hire cars and drove to Eilat, via the Jordon Valley Bird Observatory. We had some
spectacular birding on or way south through Israel and along the shores of the Dead Sea.

The conference was truly magnificent, with some very inspirational presentations, networking with

Observatory staff and officers from around the Rufous Bush Robin at Eilat © Steven Stansfield
world and also time for some brilliant birding

too. The UK was well represented, with five

Observatories and the BTO also present. Talks

covered a range of topics from cellular

tracking of migrants to conservation of

endangered species from around the globe.

Each morning there was an excursion to some
of the local birding sites and there was some
excellent migration and stunning birds like
Rufous Bush Robins and Rüppell’s Warblers
and, often a short excursion in the afternoon or
evening; the raptor migration was amazing
with 10,000 Steppe Buzzards, large numbers of
Steppe Eagles and White Storks.

From left- Gill Hollamby (Chair of Dungeness Bird Observatory), Nick Whitehouse (Chair of Spurn Bird Observatory Scientific Committee), John
Horton (Warden of Alderney Bird Observatory), Mark Pearson (Filey Bird Observatory Communications Officer), David Walker (Warden of
Dungeness Bird Observatory), Robe Adams (Chair of Spurn Bird Observatory), Yoav Perlman (Eilat Bird Observatory), Peter Howlett former chair of
Bardsey Bird Observatory), Steve Stansfield (Director of Operations at Bardsey Bird Observatory)

63: 6-19 17

STANSFIELD

CAPE CLEAR BIRD OBSERVATORY’S
60TH ANNIVERSARY WILDLIFE FESTIVAL

As chair of the Bird Observatories Council I am always looking for ways to improve connections and
network with the other Bird Observatories and in September I was invited as a guest speaker at Cape
Clear Bird Observatory’s 60th Anniversary Wildlife Festival in Co. Cork, Ireland.
I was asked to give a presentation about the work of the British and Irish Bird Observatories. Emma and I
flew from Liverpool to Cork and then headed to Baltimore the catch the orange Cape Clear Ferry. After
a very pleasant crossing we were met by Steve Wing, the Warden of Cape Clear Bird Observatory. The
welcome from the islanders was warm, and we had a few very nice days there and met some great
people.
The island was beautiful, much bigger than I expected and a lot hillier than Bardsey! We saw a few nice
birds, including Woodchat Shrike and a couple of good mornings of seawatching with over 100 Sooty
Shearwaters flying between the Blannan (the southernmost part of Cape) and the famous Fastnet Rock!
The festival was opened by David Lindo (The Urban Birder) who did a presentation on Urban Birding across
the world. David was followed over the next few days by presentations about Lundy, prey items of Irish
Owls, a historical look at some ‘items’ from Cape’s heritage and then three presentations from myself,
one on the Work of the Bird Observatories, one about Bardsey, its Observatory and its wildlife, and a joint
presentation with Emma about living on Bardsey. There were guided walks and we helped out with ringing
demonstrations for the island’s school children. The weather was beautiful some days and foggy and wet
on others
We eventually had to leave and head back to Bardsey and our own autumn migration, as the events on
Cape continued for a further ten days, with more guided walks, talks and ringing demos.
The festival was a great hit with visitors and residents of Cape, and we were honoured to be part of the
celebrations of 60 years as an Observatory and would like to thank Steve Wing for his hospitality and
wonderful welcome!

18 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS’ ANNUAL REVIEW

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to finish this, my 22nd annual summary, as I always have, by thanking the many people who
helped in various ways. Firstly, 2019 was a brilliant year for volunteers Thanks go to Lynda Roberts and Mike
Smart, Tom Williams, Ed Betteridge, Vik Bevan, Kevin and Nathan Clements, George Dunbar, Josie Hewitt,
Craig Moore, Fiona Bithell and Jeff Wragg for their help as volunteers throughout the course of the year
on the island. All our Interns: George Beadle, Alex Starace and George Dunbar. Various visitors too
numerous for me to name, (but they know who they are) for help with fieldwork, including seabird census,
shearwater ringing, etc. Thanks to Emily Skeet the chimney sweep and her assistant Mike Bates who came
and swept the flue of the Rayburn in our barn for us. Thanks to all at Cwrt farm for their assistance with
various aspects of the work of the Observatory during the year, and for accepting deliveries from
Amazon, Tesco etc and to Raymond Grindle for helping with luggage and stock for the Observatory’s
food shop. I would like to thank the residents on the island for their help, in particular, Ernest and Christine
Evans, and Gareth and Meriel Roberts for helping through the year, and Colin Evans for the transportation
of Emma, Connor and me to and from the mainland. Thanks to Rhys Thwaites Jones and Hannah
Engelkamp, BITL’s stand-in Wardens, for their assistance on the island during the year. I would like to thank
and welcome Mari and Emyr from Tŷ Bach, who, even though arriving on the island in late autumn helped
by looking after Cristin when there were no Observatory staff on the island during the winter months. Tony
John edited this report once again and for this deserves our appreciation. Emma also spent a lot of time
reading and re-working some of the draft sections and entered all the editor’s changes. Emma, George
Dunbar and Josie Hewitt then worked through much of the text with me and made a valuable
contribution to some of the texts before printing took place. Patrick Davies, Louis Driver, Ian Fisher, Rob
Bithell, Kevin Clements and Alison Hill proof-read the report and for this they deserve my thanks.

I would also like to thank all the Trustees who helped in various ways to make our lives on the island easier,
especially Alicia Normand and Dianne Charles for their continued work. I must thank Sam Prettyman and
Lewis Hooper, who from March to November acted as my Assistant Wardens. Their ability to work alone
and as part of our small team and undertaking most tasks efficiently and effectively, from entering data
to fuelling the generators, so that I can put them out of my mind, and for helping me to run the
Observatory for the whole season was much appreciated.

At this point I need once more to thank Connor. Connor was 17 in April and has become a strong
strapping lad; he has become increasingly helpful to the Observatory and taking on responsibilities given
to him. Again, over the year amongst other things, he delivered notices to the BITL houses about the
events happening at the Observatory (talks, walks, shearwater ringing, etc.), along with helping on
shearwater walks, he continued turning the generator on and off for us which saved me so much time
that I have been able to continue working. He also moves gas bottles and he pumps all the fuel for the
Observatory’s central heating system into the tanks once it has been delivered to us. Connor has also
taken on the role of ‘Head of I.T.’, so whenever we have an I.T. problem, Connor ably steps in and sorts it
out for us, also looking after the internet for us and sorting out the phones, tablets and laptops of our staff,
interns and volunteers, so they don’t use up all our bandwidth. And so, thanks again Connor, your help
really is appreciated.

Finally, as ever I have to say a very big thank-you to my helpful, patient, caring and ever-loving wife
Emma, for her part in helping the whole set-up run as efficiently as it does. Emma continued her unpaid
role as ‘Domestics Manager’ during 2019 and has been over some years now taking on more of a role as
my PA, as well as her usual work helping to clean the Observatory every Saturday morning, keeping the
gift shop stocked, tidied and looked after, looking after the finer details in the Lodge and generally
making sure that things were kept up to our exacting standards. On top of that, Emma is much, much
more than my strength and encouragement when things get too much for me, which they regularly do,
always being there for me to bounce ideas off when I need her, listening to me moan about everything
when things go wrong, as well as helping and supporting in many, many other ways too numerous to
mention, but most importantly for being there for me as my best friend and caring and long-suffering wife!

63: 6-19 19

STANSFIELD

BARDSEY BIRD AND FIELD OBSERVATORY
AND THE WELSH ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

After having the seeds of an idea for some time now about the Welsh Ornithological Society and BBFO
working together, the idea germinated and evolved to become part of our recently launched strategic
plan. In 2018 a sub-group of the BBFO Trustees, along with Steve and Emma met in Norfolk to discuss
BBFO’s outlook for the future and to lay down the Observatory’s aims, objectives and aspirations for the
following five years. Out of this meeting came the bones of the Observatory’s five-year Strategic Plan
which was published in 2019. The plan was then adopted by the Trustees and presented to the
membership at our AGM in July 2019. As part of the implementation of the aims and objectives in the
strategic plan we are developing links with local and national organisations.
BBFO’s mission statement, as set out in the Strategic Plan 2019-2024 is:

• To maintain and extend our position as one of the leading Bird Observatories in
Britain and Ireland and as a pre-eminent field study centre in North Wales

Part of achieving that mission was by:

• Enlarging the ornithological network across Wales and beyond

Steve Stansfield, our Director of Operations met with Mick Green, the Chair of the Welsh Ornithological
Society (WOS) in early October and discussed the beginnings of such a network. At this meeting it was
agreed with some enthusiasm to exchange information and develop a Memorandum of Understanding
between our two organisations which will enable us to work closely together for the benefit of
conservation of Birds in Wales.
Steve had also been invited to give a talk about the work of Bardsey Bird Observatory at the WOS 30th
Anniversary Conference in Aberystwyth in November 2019, for which we produced some publicity
banners and held a stand (see below).
BBFO are also contributing to the new Birds in Wales 3 book which will be published by WOS in 2020.

20 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

BBFO & WOS MOU

Memorandum of understanding
between the

BARDSEY BIRD AND FIELD OBSERVATORY

and the

WELSH ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

on joint working procedures to benefit
bird conservation in Wales

BBFO and WOS share very similar aims in accurately recording birds and other wildlife across
Wales to aid species conservation. Discussions have led to thinking on the benefit of closer
working between the organisations and sharing of information across our memberships. This
MOU aims to formalise these discussions.

WOS will:

• Provide a BBFO page on the WOS website to describe the work of BBFO
and membership information along with web links

• Provide a link to BBFO on our ‘county Info’ pages
• Provide a BBFO report slot at our annual conference and will co-ordinate

our e-news and other social media to maximise impact of information
and campaigns
• Share details of key contacts within the organisations to ensure this
MOU continues to work, and keep these contacts updated

BBFO will:

• Provide a WOS page on the BBFO page website to describe the work of
WOS and membership information along with web links

• Provide information for our regular Web and e-news updates of any
relevant/exciting news from the Obs.

• Co-ordinate with WOS e-news and other social media to maximise
impact of information and campaigns and other social media to
maximise impact of information and campaigns

• Share details of key contacts within the organisations to ensure this
MOU continues to work, and keep these contacts updated

63: 20-21 21

STANSFIELD
22 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

EDUCATION PROGRAMME

EDUCATION PROGRAMME 2019

Steven Stansfield

63: 22-34 23

STANSFIELD

In BBFO’s Constitution and Rules one of the charity’s objects is as follows:

• Education of the visitors to the island and the wider
public, about the natural history of the island and
adjacent habitats.

Over the past two decades we have been working on improving our educational package, and as part
of our five-year strategic plan that we published last year part of our aim is to

• Further develop our educational programme suitable for
interns, undergraduates, postgraduates and school leavers

• Create links with local schools
• Engage with higher and further educational institutes

As part of this plan and as per our Objects, we have been progressing our education programme.

JOINT UNIVERSITIES WEEK

In November 2018, I was approached by Kelvin Jones from BTO Cymru who had received grant money
from the Martin Wills Wildlife Maintenance Trust, for 18 to 25-year-olds who were living in Wales. This money
needed to be spent on conservation education and Kelvin wondered if any of our members from the
Young Birders’ Week were eligible. We came up with a plan to arrange a whole new week based around
students at Welsh universities. This was mutually beneficial as the BTO were able to utilise the grant money
and we were able to further fulfil one of our objects – more importantly we would be able to introduce
youngsters to the workings of the Observatory. This week would be run during the universities break at
Easter. We created a plan for the week which was thoroughly enjoyed by the participants, nine students
from Bangor, Aberystwyth and Swansea universities. Two of the students returned again during the year
to volunteer for us.

Here are some attendees’ thoughts on the inaugural Bardsey ‘Joint Welsh Universities Week’.

TOBY CARTER – 1ST YEAR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION STUDENT AT BANGOR UNIVERSITY

Over the course of our week we were spoilt with what
Bardsey has to offer; the stunning scenery, constant call
of Grey Seals and of course the ever-present reminder
that there were a few thousand pairs of Manx
Shearwaters as their cackling call carried across the
whole island throughout the night. Whilst on the island
we experienced practically everything the British
weather can throw at us, from calm days where the sea
was like a duck pond to gale force winds as Storm
Gareth giving everything it got, resulting in us being
stranded on the island for an extra day, which in hind
sight is never a bad thing when you’re on Bardsey.
Our week consisted of many activities from the fiercely
competitive bird-race and trivia quiz to Manx
Shearwater ringing and moth trapping, but what was so
great about this week was that each student had
something to offer with their knowledge about the
natural world, meaning everyone came away learning

24 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

EDUCATION PROGRAMME

something new, be it about the flora of Bardsey and seeing Small Adder’s Tongue or delving into
Lepidoptera and learning about moths. What I can say is this trip was a huge success; it connected Welsh
University students who all had a common interest and placed them in one location, long term friendships
were made and most importantly we learned so much from this week.

On behalf of everyone else who attended this event I’d like to thank Steve and the rest of the BBFO staff
and warden team for their hospitality. At least two students who came on this event are already heading
back to Bardsey over the course of this summer to help volunteer with Manx Shearwaters. Finally, without
the grant from the Martin Wills Wildlife Maintenance Trust and hard work as ever from the BTO Cymru, this
week would never have taken place; let’s hope a similar event can occur next year.

RAPHAEL LONG – 2ND YEAR APPLIED TERRESTRIAL AND MARINE ECOLOGY AT BANGOR
UNIVERSITY

The sound of the Manx Shearwater colony echoing every night on Bardsey will stick with me for a long
time and was what really made the stay special. The week was spent doing numerous activities and was
a greatly engaging ornithological experience for me. Taking part in bird ringing, doing seawatches,
exploring the island each day to see what was there was wonderful and helped boost my knowledge of
how an observatory is run and what the aims and objectives of an observatory are. I would highly
recommend this trip to anyone interested in conservation and ecology, the island has huge amounts of
history and is great for anyone interested in not only birds but all nature!

LIZZIE WARING – 1ST YEAR CONSERVATION STUDENT ABERYSTWYTH.

Churning towards a battered island, seabirds adorning cliffs and ledges and swirling about your boat -
an image I’d always thought unattainable for an average student, reserved for nature documentaries
and Springwatch shorts. I never thought I’d be lucky enough to experience this in person, let alone the
whirlwind of ecological experiences that awaited me once we reached the island. The observatory has
an owl shaped pot, inviting guests to donate £1 for every ‘lifer’ seen on the island. I owe that owl quite a
lot of money!

63: 22-34 25

STANSFIELD

Whilst the island and its abundance of life astounds and amazes, it was the hospitality and guidance of
the observatory staff that really made this trip incredible. I’d especially like to thank assistant wardens Sam
and Lewis, for being so astoundingly friendly and sharing their time, skills and food with us. To see,
unfiltered, what observatory life entails has been invaluable to my collective ecological experience, and
I will take this knowledge to heart as I figure out what I’m going to do with my future.

One of the fastest ways to cement new friendships is on trips like this. Brushing your teeth with someone
you met that morning, wandering around barefoot and dancing to bad music together as a stupidly big
pot of pasta cooks. Reaching truly unholy levels of grimy and smelly, as a team, really brings you together.

TOM WILLIAMS – 2ND YEAR

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

STUDENT AT BANGOR UNIVERSITY

Staying on Bardsey Island with other students
from Welsh universities was a great
opportunity to observe some of the Island’s
ornithological specialties in a stunning
landscape. It was awesome to witness the
many thousands of Manx Shearwaters
shearing past the Island each day, and then
to be surrounded by their strange calls as
they return to their burrows each night and
even getting the opportunity to handle and
ring such special birds. On top of the Island’s
breeding seabirds and Choughs, there were
also plenty of passage migrants to be seen
during our stay, such as Whimbrel, various
warblers, Tree Pipits, and Wheatears. It was
an experience I won’t soon forget and has
definitely piqued my interest in birds and
their conservation.

26 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

EDUCATION PROGRAMME

YOUNG BIRDERS’ TRAINING WEEK

In 2013 we organised our first dedicated week for young birders who were members of the Next
Generation Birders (NGB) group. As this week proved very successful, we continued to run the NGB Weeks,
which then morphed into our Young Birders’ Training Weeks, allowing non-NGB members the opportunity
to take part. The weeks have been highly acclaimed and the limited number of places have become
quite sought after, they have also been recognised on social media by the likes of British Birds and Rare
Bird Alert and the Observatory was awarded the BTO’s Marsh Award for Local Ornithology in 2017 for its
work in the encouragement of Young Birders through our NGB weeks.

The 2019 Young Birders’ Training Week was yet another great success and, as usual it was very hard work
preparing and then running the very rewarding week. George Dunbar was starting his three-month
internship (see later) and was on hand to help out as a ‘staff member’ having made his transition from
being one of our initial young birders on the course from 2014, to become a valued member of our team.

The 11-strong group, including seven
newcomers, were delayed getting onto the
island due to strong winds, but they eventually
crossed on Monday morning, some of them
having stayed in B&Bs, hostels and caravans
nearby since Saturday. Kate Fox (on her
second young birders’ week) played taxi and
collected folk from train stations, etc. On the
first full day (Tuesday) most of the members
were able to experience a rare seabird as a
Fea’s Petrel was found, heading south along
the west side of the island. The rest of the
week was taken up with shearwater chick
monitoring and ringing, ringing adult
shearwaters and waders at night along with
Storm Petrels, trapping Rock Pipits on the
beach and general wildlife watching,
including some excellent displays from Risso’s
Dolphins and the ever-present Grey Seals.
There was much social media activity - Josh
Hill’s Tweet (right) gives an indication of how
they enjoyed the week.

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STANSFIELD

Several of the young birders were able to take British Birds
advantage of the BTO’s Young Bird
Observatories Volunteer programme and were
able to apply for a small grant to help with
travel and accommodation expenses for the
week. Kate Fox had her trip partially funded by
the British Birds’ Young Birders’ Grant.

Kate wrote of her time on the island:

The week was an amazing chance to experience island life and learn more about the day-to-day running
of a world class bird observatory. We spent many hours seawatching, exploring the island in search of
wildlife, and of course ringing! I am a C permit ringer and have been ringing for three years now - during
which time some of my best ringing experiences have been on Bardsey. It was interesting to see a wide
variety of techniques used, such as the portable Heligoland we used on the beach to catch rock pipits
for a colour ringing project, as well as various traps, and dazzling for waders.

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EDUCATION PROGRAMME

The island is also home to many thousands of breeding Manx Shearwaters, and one of the highlights of
the week was ringing them. In the day we would work our way along the field margins and earth walls
checking all the burrows for chicks, and at night we would venture out to ring the adults as they came in
to feed their young. The oldest re-trap we encountered was from August 1994!. As soon as darkness fell
their curious call could be heard flying overhead. Along with the wailing of the seals it is a soundscape I
will never forget! By the end of the week I was successfully shaping rings to go on the birds, removing worn
rings on retrap birds, and could carefully remove chicks from the burrows. On a couple of nights, we also
went Storm Petrel ringing, which is the most magical experience. Steve showed us how to safely extract
the birds from the nest as they can be notoriously difficult. It was brilliant to work with these seabirds as I
have a strong interest in seabird ecology and have not had many chances to ring seabirds.

As well as ringing, I had some other amazing wildlife encounters; watching the Grey Seals on the beach
(and seeing my first Common Species), seeing all three phases of Arctic Skua plus a Pomarine Skua, and
coming face to face with a Little Owl! I learnt so much throughout the week and feel that I really improved
my skills in both ringing and general species identification which will stand me in good stead for the future.
I am very grateful to British Birds for making this adventure possible, as well as the Observatory team for
their hospitality and enthusiasm, and for organising this amazing event!

Some of the young birders on Bardsey © Steven Stansfield

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STANSFIELD

EDUCATIONAL WALKS AND TALKS

Following on from the success of previous years, we once again undertook a series of guided events, as
well as slideshows, as part of our educational outreach. This ‘hands on’ approach gives visitors a better
feel for the nature and wildlife of the island and the features of the NNR. A weekly guided walk was
undertaken, there were weekly shearwater walks, and ‘Moth Mornings’ were held daily. This work was
continued throughout 2019. In total, during 2019, BBFO Staff took 337 guests (295 adults and 43 children)
on educational walks.

NOCTURNAL SHEARWATER WALKS

In 2019, a total of 114 visitors joined Observatory
staff on the nocturnal ‘Meet the Manxie’ walks,
with the largest group being 18 on 2 July. 94 adults
were taken out and 20 children. Up to four
members of staff accompanied each group for
safety reasons. Visitors are often taken to the Pen
Cristin area depending on the wind speed and
direction. Walks began as darkness falls so that
the first shearwaters were heard coming ashore.
This varied from 10pm to midnight in mid-summer.
We often combined shearwater walks with Storm
Petrel ringing which gave guests a chance to see
Britain’s smallest seabird up close!

Before the walk began, a short 30-minute
PowerPoint presentation was given in the
Observatory lecture room, explaining the importance of the island on a National and Global scale for
the Manx Shearwater as a feature of the SPA and SSSI. Following this, visitors were taken out to see the
shearwaters and shown how the Observatory staff catch and ring them. The presentation and walks last
up to two, to three-and-a-half hours.

DAYTIME SHEARWATER CHICK WALKS

We also took 29 people (24 adults and a further six children) on daytime shearwater walks to see the
chicks being taken from the burrows and ringed, weighed and measured as part of the productivity
monitoring. This walk also includes the PowerPoint presentation. This, along with the nocturnal sessions,
gives the visitors an insight into the lives of the shearwaters and our work.

DAYTIME GUIDED WALKS

In 2019, a total of 194 guests joined Observatory staff on guided walks around the island, 177 were adults
and 17 were children, very similar to the 2018 numbers and demographic. They were shown many of the
features of the NNR, SSSI and SPA including Manx Shearwaters, Sharp Rush and lichen assemblages. Much
of the content of the walks vary depending on the time of year, for example in the high summer the
guests are taken to see the seabirds and then to be shown the Golden-hair Lichen and Small Adders-
tongue Ferns amongst other things; in the autumn, the walks include the seal pups. The walks take two to
three hours depending on the group size. The response and feedback from these walks was again
incredibly positive!

30 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

EDUCATION PROGRAMME

INTERN PROGRAMME

BBFO’S intern programme allows young birders, ringers and wildlife enthusiasts to experience working life
at the Observatory for periods of initially up to one month on their first trip, and then up to three months
on subsequent visits, for either the full spring season or autumn season. There are various grants and funds
available to help them with the cost of travel and accommodation. One of the main funding streams for
the youngsters has come from the British Trust for Ornithology’s Young Bird Observatories Volunteer
programme. Without this, many of the interns would not be able to cover the costs for travel to the island
as many of them are students or in a gap year between school and university. Each year the BTO provide
a number of grants of up to £200, to support young people to visit one of the accredited British and Irish
Bird Observatories; many choose to come to Bardsey. Further details can be found at:
https://www.bto.org/how-you-can-help/take-part-project/young-bird-obs-volunteer-fund

During 2019 we had a number of interns who stayed at the Observatory and were able to fully immerse
themselves into the practical daily running of the Observatory, from monitoring and ringing seabirds,
through to vegetation clearance, gardening and cleaning! In return for the hard work the interns do, they
get much more than just a fantastic experience. Training is given to help them develop their skills in many
fields, quite often ringing, especially of migrant passerines, seabirds and shearwaters.

At the start of their internship we ascertain what goals and aspirations each of the interns have, as no two
are the same, and wherever possible try to meet their ambitions.

ED BETTERIDGE – EARLY JUNE INTERN

After spending a week at Easter on Bardsey Island as
part of the joint university field course, on leaving I
immediately wanted to return. After only 2 days on the
mainland I was fortunate to book to return as a
volunteer for 2 weeks at the start of June. My main role
on the island was to help with the Manx Shearwater
census, counting burrows and checking for occupancy
using playback. This gave me invaluable experience in
ornithological survey work. Though this wasn’t the only
job I had, with jobs ranging from cleaning to path
clearance to moth trapping to helping transport gas
bottles across the island.

Whilst on the island I was also fortunate to participate in
a range of bird ringing. This included ringing migrant
passerines but also sea birds such as gulls and auks. I
also got my first experience of colour ringing on Chough
and Shag chicks. Along with this I was lucky to be able
to ring both Manx Shearwaters and Storm Petrels at
night and see these secretive birds up close. The
highlight of being on the island had to be its amazing
wildlife and what better way to start my two weeks than finding a singing Golden Oriole on the first day
at Nant which was then seen multiple times in flight that afternoon. Another highlight was seeing a
Greenish Warbler singing in the Observatory garden before finally being caught in the Heligoland. Apart
from these rarities the island is home to thousands of seabirds and is well positioned for migrants resulting
in daily sightings of Spotted Flycatcher and summer plumage waders such as Sanderling, both of which I
rarely see at home. Overall it was an extremely enjoyable two weeks, where I not only gained experience
in wildlife survey and management but also what it takes to live on such a remote island. I can’t wait to
return!

63: 22-34 31

STANSFIELD

JOSIE HEWITT – MID-JUNE INTERN

For the sixth year running, I spent some time at
BBFO. This year I was only able to spend two
weeks on the island due to other commitments,
so I headed straight to Porth Meudwy after my last
University exam of the year. Unlike 2018, in which
the ‘Beast from the East’ delayed the nesting
dates of all Bardsey's seabirds, my visit in 2019 was
perfectly timed to coincide with the peak
opportunity for ringing and monitoring seabirds
and their chicks… and that's just what I did at
every opportunity! I was lucky to visit the Gwylan
Islands on two occasions during my stay - these
small islands lie a 20 minute boat trip from Bardsey
and are jam-packed with nesting seabirds; Shag
nests line the rocky slopes, auks jostle for space on
the cliff ledges and Great Black-backed Gull
chicks sit tight in the long grass atop Ynys Gwylan
Fawr. Aside from the Gwylans, I also assisted
Steve, Sam and Lewis with ringing activities on
Bardsey itself. This included the gull colonies
around the North East corner, Shag and Chough
nests on the East side and a trip to Bae Felen and
'the hole' to target the auks that nest among the
boulders. As always, thanks must go to Steve,
Emma and the assistants for making my visit so enjoyable, and hopefully I'll be back on Bardsey next year!

GEORGE BEADLE – JUNE INTERN

On a pale grey morning in June, I excitedly
navigated North Wales buses from Bangor to
Aberdaron, with a solid month’s worth of lentils
and pulses in tow. Gaining amusement from
confused locals I discussed my journey to the
island and the magic and mystery of Ynys Enlli. My
mind was clawing at the imaginary picture of
how Bardsey would transpire. The Isle of the
currents.

A sharp fresh breeze, dark ink waters and salted
sea spray wrapped around me as I approached
the dark mass of rock floating in the ocean. This
rock 'Bardsey Island', a serene and wonderous
encapsulation of wild, a place of deep
dreaming. A sea of pink still graced the islands
lowland and Lady’s Bedstraw erupted from the
banks. The sharp water housed dancing seals,
playing in the depths of coloured glass.

Working in the Bird Observatory gave inspiration,
learning from passionate and experienced
ringers. My privileges included a variety of ringing

32 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

EDUCATION PROGRAMME

tasks such as passerines in mist nests, spring trapping Wheatear, seabirds on the rugged east side of
Bardsey and Shearwaters on the darkest of nights. Other duties were helping to keep the observatory
cogs turning, morning moth trapping, fixing fences alongside cleaning the Lodge for the next enthralled
guests. However, my true highlight was on a dark night on the North of the island on my 23rd birthday.
We lured in numerous Storm Petrels from the charcoal waters of the ocean and I had the privilege of
ringing one of the delicate and remarkable little creatures. A cherished memory.

The warmth of character from islanders, the coastal energy, the ancient history and the tranquil beauty.
Creatures of isle, burrow and ocean left me with a feeling of wonderous inspiration which restoked the
fires of my soul. I will be back…

ALEX STARACE – AUGUST INTERN

August 2019 I was lucky enough to be offered a
month-long intern placement on Bardsey before
returning to university to finish my degree.

I first visited the island on the 2018 Young Birders
Training Week and knew that I had to come back
for a longer stay! The charismatic Manx
Shearwaters capture the hearts of everyone that
visits the island and demand a lot of attention
from the observatory staff. This was certainly true
of my visit as within minutes of stepping off the
boat I was being shown round the shearwater
study burrows by Sam before he then jumped on
the boat and left for his holiday! Completing the
weekly checks of the Manx Shearwater study
burrows was one of my main responsibilities,
which involved reaching shoulder deep into their
burrows, retrieving the chick and recording its
development from tiny fluffball through to
fledging.

Working on Bardsey is tiring, with something to
keep you busy at all times of day and night, whether it be mist netting early in the morning, completing
the daily census and ringing chicks throughout the day or catching adult shearwaters as they return to
the island under the cover of night – alongside the daily upkeep of the observatory! However, the work is
always rewarding. The most rewarding week of my stay was during the young birders week that I had
been on the previous year. With a range of activities throughout the week, I was able to share what I had
learned on the island and develop my own skills whilst also learning from the group of dedicated young
naturalists. This was also the most tiring week of my stay, which resulted in me falling asleep in Nant valley
whilst the group caught Storm Petrels into the early hours of the morning.

It is difficult to choose highlights from Bardsey’s spectacular wildlife, but there are a few moments that
stand out from my month on the island. Of the birds, my personal favourite was the Isabelline Wheatear
that stayed for a couple of days around the narrows, offering good views as well as the chance to witness
Steve running from the boat to see it, and of the moths, two Convolvulus Hawk-moths were the obvious
stand out species. On the ringing front, rushing to the Withies to open nets after a fall of Willow Warblers,
ringing the island’s Swallow chicks and catching my first Pied Flycatcher were the highlights, and I was
able to learn so much from ringing with others on the island.

63: 22-34 33

STANSFIELD

Whether with the young birders or ‘golden oldies’, observatory staff or the island’s permanent residents,
the community spirit of Bardsey was always evident and meant that it always felt like home. Each day
was exciting and enjoyable. I look forward to returning to the island soon!

GEORGE DUNBAR – AUTUMN INTERN

I first visited Bardsey on the NGB Week in 2015
when I was 14 years old. I returned every year on
the NGB/Young Birders’ Training Week (as it
became known), until 2018, when I returned to
volunteer for three weeks in early autumn. In 2019
I was fortunate to be offered a three-month
intern placement, from mid-August to
November. The internship is a brilliant opportunity
for anyone looking to go into the field of
conservation and monitoring, whether it be at a
Bird Observatory or in other conservation roles.

During my time as an intern I undertook a diverse
range of tasks, as can be expected with
Observatory and island life! I frequently assisted
with ringing and highlights including a few
reasonable arrivals of Willow Warblers and
Chiffchaffs when a couple of hundred birds were
ringed along with Spotted and Pied Flycatchers
and Grey Wagtail. September saw an increase in
Goldcrest numbers with over 250 ringed and both
Firecrest and Ring Ouzel were trapped. I was
fortunate enough to be able to see the Isabelline
Wheatear when it was trapped and ringed on
the Narrows too. Autumn wader passage
produced an opportunity for dazzling and I
trapped Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, Turnstone and
the first Sanderling for three years. Ringing aside,
another feature of the time I have spent on
Bardsey this year was helping with the
management of the withies on the island to
encourage new growth in the coming spring.
One of the main parts of the internship is spent helping with censusing the island’s wildlife. While I have
been on the island, I have helped with bird censuses, sea-watches and moth trapping. Sea-watching is
a particular favourite of mine, Bardsey is a great place to get into seawatching and learn about seabird
Identification from the resident staff. I saw all four species of common skuas, Leach’s Petrel, Sabine’s Gull,
Balearic and Sooty Shearwaters during my time along with a Fea’s Petrel on my second day (see page
231).

At the end of my internship, a full time vacancy as an Assistant Warden in 2020 became available – it has
always been a job I have hoped to have since I first visited the Observatory, so applying for a job where
I would be paid to spend a season on an island that I love, surveying its wildlife and spending time
amongst its Manxy colonies was not a hard decision to make…

34 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME

As well as our intern programme aimed at youngsters, we also have shorter term volunteers working at
the Observatory, usually undertaking various practical tasks depending on the skills of the individuals.
Some are very capable with machinery; others have building skills and we also have some excellent
cleaners. Volunteers apply to come and help out, then if we have accommodation for them and their
skill-set is relevant to work that is happening at the Observatory, they are generally invited for one-to-two
weeks.

LYNDA ROBERTS AND MIKE SMART – START OF SEASON VOLUNTEERS

I have been to Bardsey on many occasions
staying at the Lodge and Observatory and as
Artist in Residence in 2018, but since 2017 I have
joined the Observatory team at the start of each
season to help get the Lodge ready. Working to
prepare the Observatory opened my eyes to the
amount of care and effort exercised each year
before the guests for the new season start to
arrive. In mid-March when I arrive the building has
been unoccupied - apart from the wildlife - for
almost four months. The observatory is always very
cold and unloved for this time. Tasks to be done
are varied, ranging from cleaning, painting,
hanging curtains, bed making and even giving
an off-course racing pigeon a lift to the mainland
at the end of the week. This year I was joined by
my friend Mike Smart, who helped with painting
the washroom, fixing the ladies toilet door and
helping me with all the cleaning getting the
rooms ready for the incoming guests. The
highlight for me last spring was watching Ben and
Sam recording and ringing a tiny Goldcrest, plus,
every year, the pleasure of seeing the
Observatory return to life.

FIONA BITHELL AND CRAIG MOORE – SEPTEMBER VOLUNTEERS

Fiona has been visiting Bardsey on holiday with her family for over a decade and has volunteered for us
a number of times, sometimes alone and other times with her husband Rob. In 2019 she came and
volunteered alongside Craig Moore, who was on his first visit to the island. Craig is currently a residential
intern for the RSPB at their flagship reserve of Old Moor in Yorkshire, and after discussions with the RSPB it
was agreed that Craig could be released to volunteer for us, as he would benefit from the relevant
experience he would get on the island.

FIONA – September saw the onset of glorious weather and the arrival of an Isabelline Wheatear which

coincided perfectly with my week of volunteering at the Observatory. On arrival, we were greeted by
Steve and immediately guided to the Wheatear, who was displaying beautifully on the Narrows and
continued to do so for much of the week. I was co-volunteering with Craig Moore with whom I developed
a great friendship. Craig had been tasked with coppicing Plas Withy, I had been given the job of bringing
the front garden at Cristin back under control, a project which the Bithell family have been working on
for a number of years. The gardens at Cristin necessitate multi-functional use. It is an area which provides

63: 35-37 35

STANSFIELD

specific wildlife habitat for Moorhens and Slow
Worms, affords excellent views of the island,
requires access to food recycling area, shelter
from westerly winds, cultivated vegetable plot,
leisure and relaxation for guests and sufficient
grass growth to service the compost loo, so the
brief to improve it has multiple considerations. The
garden also struggles with the fact that with so
many other research tasks being undertaken by
the staff, the upkeep needs to be low
maintenance. Over the past few years, we have
endeavoured to turn the soil to create vegetable
beds for the benefit of staff and visitors, and to
introduce and expand the variety of herb and
fruit plants to broaden the diversity of wildlife,
moths and insects into the garden. The focus of
September 2019’s volunteering visit, was to build
upon this work by tidying up the top terrace,
further extending the herb area and to develop a
herb hedge, bringing the fruit trees and bushes
under control in order to improve fruit yield and
access, and to expand the grassed area for more
efficient mowing and use of cuttings. In addition,
invasive Fuchsias and Elder which were causing
structural damage to the walls were also cut back
and where possible fully removed. It was a challenging workload undertaken in scorching conditions and
was to set the basis for further developing the garden area in spring 2020. Volunteering at the Observatory
is always a pleasure, and an opportunity to be enjoyed for anyone who wishes to become involved with
and to gain an insight into the workings of a busy Bird Observatory.

CRAIG – I was lucky enough to be offered a

place as a volunteer on Bardsey in late
September, and what a great positive
experience it was! I spent my first days clearing
and cutting back vegetation from all the mist net
rides situated around the Observatory, to make
access easily and quickly available for the ringers
when removing birds from the nets. I then spent
the rest of my working week on the island
coppicing Plas, which was again a really
rewarding task knowing that I was helping
manage the habitat for migrating birds that visit
that particular area. There was also opportunity to
explore and enjoy the island, snorkelling and
swimming in Cafn and Henllwyn, watching birds
and seeing my first Isabelline Wheatear. I
thoroughly enjoyed volunteering at the
Observatory and was made to feel very welcome
and part of the great team that do a fantastic job
working there. I would thoroughly recommend it
to anyone.

36 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME

KEVIN AND NATHAN CLEMENTS – AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER VOLUNTEERS

In recent years my son, Nathan, and I have spent
a couple of weeks volunteering at the
Observatory, usually during late July and early
August. As the Observatory is normally fully
booked at this time, we tend to sleep at the LSA
Hut by the Lighthouse. The only facilities here are
beds, and torches are essential for the evening
walk down, but it’s worthwhile being
accompanied all the way by the sights and
sounds of thousands of Manx Shearwaters, other
than when it’s blowing a gale!

Early morning walks from the South End back to
Cristin enable us to contribute towards the daily
census of the island by noting birds and other
wildlife on the way, going via Henllwyn and
Solfach to count the Grey Seals. Other daily duties
include helping with bird ringing (if the weather is
suitable), checking what’s been caught
overnight in the moth trap and assisting guests
and other visitors with any queries. Activities
during the rest of each day are varied and
depend on the work programme set at the
weekly staff meeting. However, they typically
include helping to monitor and ring Manx
Shearwater chicks, cutting back the various
ringing rides as well as Fuchsia bushes in Cristin
garden to allow a clear view for sea-watching,
and helping with guided walks. As we stay for two
weeks, we also get involved in the Saturday
changeover, preparing the Lodge for the new
arrival of guests.

The Observatory isn’t just about monitoring birds, but other wildlife as well. To this end, during my various
visits to Bardsey, I’ve surveyed the island for Myriapods and Isopods (Centipedes, Millipedes and
Woodlice). Although these groups have been included in previous invertebrate surveys, I was able to
discover several species new to Bardsey and have reports published in two recent editions of Bardsey’s
Wildlife. As it was too early during our visit in August to do any woodland management work, I returned
in late September to reduce the height of trees in the new plantation at Nant to a more manageable
height. The broadleaved trees here had grown higher than the mist net poles, meaning that many birds
in the canopy were simply flitting over the nets, avoiding being caught. Pruning the trees will encourage
them to regrow from a lower height, hopefully enabling more birds to be caught.

Volunteering at the Observatory is both enjoyable and rewarding. We’ve been able to assist with a wide
range of activities, as well as undertake specific projects. However, it’s not just about the work, as we’ve
made lasting friendships with many like-minded people, been able to enjoy the spectacular scenery and
fresh air and witnessed some amazing wildlife.

63: 35-37 37

PRETTYMAN, DUNBAR, HOOPER & STANSFIELD
.

2 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.

MIGRATION DIARY

Section 2

Avian Reports

Redwing
© George Dunbar

63: 40-65 3

PRETTYMAN, DUNBAR, HOOPER & STANSFIELD

MIGRATION DIARY
A daily digest through the seasons

Samuel Prettyman, George Dunbar, Lewis Hooper & Emma Stansfield

Meadow Pipits REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.
© EphYrealimlowPe-rbfercotwed Warbler

© George Dunbar

4

MIGRATION DIARY

The Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus breeds in the east
Palearctic. Its breeding range extends from just west of the Ural Mountains
eastwards to eastern Siberia, Mongolia and Northeast China. It is a strongly
migratory species and winters mainly in tropical South Asia and South-east
Asia, but also in small numbers in western Europe. Many hundreds reach the
shores of the U.K. each autumn.

It was formerly considered to comprise three subspecies, but P. i. humei and
P. i. mandellii are now split as a separate species, Hume's Leaf Warbler P.
humei, leaving P. inornatus monotypic. The Yellow-browed Warbler was first
described by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1842.

63: 40-65 5

PRETTYMAN, DUNBAR, HOOPER & STANSFIELD

The Migration Diary describes, on a near-daily basis, the main migration
that occurs on Bardsey throughout the season.

It is based on the observatory’s daily blog – www.bbfo.blogspot.com

SPRING HIGHLIGHTS

The year was a little slow to start, but quickly turned into a year with plenty of highlights
and two additions to the island list. The first notable bird of the spring was a Gadwall in
Henllwyn, followed two days later by a Kingfisher in Solfach. The best birds in April were a
Marsh Harrier on 24th, with two Wood Warblers the following day, with other good records
for the month included Red-Breasted Merganser, Gadwall, Osprey and Great-spotted
Woodpecker, the latter of which was the only record of the year. The first two days of May
provided Shoveler and three Red Kites; birds were then slow to arrive until the middle of
the month. A single Turtle dove on 14th was joined by another two on 16th, and a Pochard
was found on Pwll Cain on 17th. The highlight of the spring was found in a net at Cristin on
19th, a Western Orphean Warbler, representing the first island record and only the second
Welsh record and 6th for Britian! A Common Rosefinch on 22nd was followed by another
on 1 June and the only Golden Oriole of the year was found on 2nd. Three Barnacle Geese
were on the West Coast on 4th and a poor year for Greenish Warblers saw the only record
of the year on 6th.

AUTUMN HIGHLIGHTS
Most of the best records in August came from the sea – a Cory’s Shearwater on 1st was only
the second record since 1991 and the xxth record for the island. Two Wood Sandpipers flew
MSooustthoof tnh1e0bthe, astGrerecaotrdSshienaArwuagtuesrtacnadmReofsroematethTeersneafo–llaowCoerdy’osnSh19etahrawnadtethr eonse1satwwaatcshoinnlgy
thhigehsleigchont dofrethcoerydesairncwea1s9h91a.dTwoon W20othodwSitahnadpFiepae’srsPfeletwreSl,otuhtehtohnird10itshla, andGrreeactoSrdh.eBaarwleaatreicr
aanndd RSoosoetayteSTheeranrwfoalltoewrsedhoadn 19athvearnyd pthoeorsesahwoawticnhgingwihthigholinglhyt foivfethaenydeafrowuar srheacdorodns
2re0stphewctitivhealyF. eOat’hsePrestcrealr,ctihtieesthfirrodmisltahnedmreocnotrhd. iBnaclleuadreicdaannd OSosporteyyS,hGeraerawtaCterersstheaddGarveebrey,
pHooobrbsyhoawndingthweitfhirostnlWy frivyeneacnkd foofutrhreecyoerdasr roensp2e6ctthi.veTlhyeallfiyrestarw. OetehkerosfcaSrecpittieems fbroemr wthaes
dmoomntinhaitnecdlubdyedraapntoOr srpecreoyr,dGsrweaitthCMreasrtsehd HGarerrbieer,,HHoebnbHy aarnrdierthaenfdirsRteWd rKyintee,cakloonf gthwe iytheaar
oGnos2h6athw.kThoenfi1r0stthw. Aelesko,odf uSeripntgemthbeefrirwstaswdeoemk,inaautteudmbny rsaepatoprarsescaogredskiwckitehdMoafrfswh iHtharfroieurr,
HLeeanchH’sarPrieetrrealsndanRdead SKaitbein, ea’lsonGgulwl. 1it0hth aalGsooshhealdwkthoenfir1s0tthm. aAinlsoa,udtuumrinnghtighehlifgirhstt iwnetehke,
afourtmumofnasneIasapbaessllaingeeWkichkeeadteoafrf wwhitihchforuermLaeiancehd’suPnettilre16lstha. TnhdeaeSnadboinfet’hseGmulol. n10ththhaaldsomhoerlde
ttohedfeirlisvtemr taoion, awuitthumthnehsiegcholingdhtstianntdh-eoufot rhmigohfliganhtIsoafbtehlelinaeutWumhenat–eaarBwuhffi-cBherlleiemdaPinipeidt
uwnhtiiclh16wthas. Tdhisecoevnedreodfotnhethme Wonetsht Choaadstmoonre29ttoh, tdheislivreepr rteosoe,nwtsitthhethfierstsereccoonrdd sfotarnWda-oleust.
hOitghhelrighhtigohfltighhetasuitnucmlunde– da Bounfef-BPeinlliteadil,Ptipwiot wWhircyhnewcakss,dioscnoeveBraerdnonOwthl,e eWigehstt CLoaapsltanond
2B9utnht;itnhgiss,reapRreesde-nRtusmthpeefdirsStwreaclloorwd, foonr eWSaalebsi.nOet’sheGruhlli,gfholuigr hLtosning-tthaeilemdoSnkthuains,colundeedGroenaet
PWinhtitaeil, EtwgroeWt arynndecthkse, ofinrsetBtawrno OYwelll,oewig-BhrtoLwapeldanWdaBrubnletrins gosf, athReedy-eRaur.mMpoerdeSswcaarllcoiwtie, sonine
SOacbtoinbee’sr iGncullul,dfeoduraLSonnogw-tBaiulendtinSgk,utahsr,eoenReicGhraeradt’sWPihpiittes, EtwgoreWt aonoddlathrkes,fierisgthttwTowYiteel,loonwe-
TBrreoewceredeWpearrabnledrstwofothReedyeKairt.eMs. oOrtehsecragrcoiotidesreincoOrdctsofbroemr intchleudseead wa eSrneoowneBuBnretinntgG, tohorseee,
nRiincheaTrudf’tsePdipDiutsc, ktsw, oonWe oGoladulacrokuss, eGiguhlltaTnwditthe,reoeneGrTeraeteWcreheitpeeErgarnedtstwwhoilReesdix KEiitdeesr.sOwtheerer
agopoodorretoctoarldfsorfrtohme ytheaers. Tewa owBeraernonOewBlsrewnetreGoporesese, nntinaet TthuefteNdorDthucEknsd, oannedGalnauacdouultsmGaullel,
Rtherde-eBGrereaastteWd hFiltyecaEtgcrheetsr abnrodusgixhEt itdheerss.eTawsoonBtaorna Oclwoslsewoner2e Nproevseemntbaetr.the North End and
an adult male Red-Breasted Flycatcher brought the season to a close on 2 November.

Buff-bellied Pipit © Steven Stansfield

42 REP. BARDSEY BIRD FLD OBS.