Autumn is off to a flyer on Bardsey

A spectacular fall of migrants occurred in the drizzly conditions during the night, and small numbers also continued to arrive in the day. A total of 1000 Wilow Warblers (the highest count for at least two years) were scattered all over the island, with other warblers seen including: ten Grasshopper Warblers, 68 Sedge Warblers, four Whitethroats and four Chiffchaffs. The first Pied Flycatcher of the autumn was in the gorse on the south end, and three Spotted Flycatchers were also seen. FourSwifts passed through with four Sand Martins, and a Collared Dove was in the Ty Nesaf pines. Two Common Sandpipers were along the coast, a Whimbrel was seen at the north end, and the usual gathering of waders at high tide amounted to: 31 Turnstoes, a Dunlin and 23 Redshanks. TwoSandwich Terns were seen at sea, and 13 Common Scoters also passed by. A Buzzard drifted over the mountain in the late afternoon, and a Little Owl was seen by Carreg Bach. 

 Willow Warblers were all over the island today

 Grasshopper Warbler (upper) and Sedge Warbler (lower)

Buzzard and Raven

A Knot Grass (upper) in the Ty Pellaf Withy trap was first for the year, whereas a Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (lower) was the first record for the island.

More green sands

Green sandpipers up to 4 now over the high tide at Conwy RSPB today, all seen from Benarth hide. Also 1 lrp, 1 greenshank, 2 common sands, 3 dunlin, 1 whimbrel and at least 17 blackwits.

2 Green Sands Conwy RSPB

These were showing from Benarth Hide 6pm.  The mega is going to arrive any day!
Still nice to see these:

 Juv Pied Wag near Carneddau hide

  Peregrine hunting again, 2 LRP, 5 Com Sand, Wigeon and 2 L Grebe.

Night life

Added a couple of new moths to my North Wales list in the past few days after trapping my first green carpet (left) and then grey form of dingy footman, the latter is similar to common footman but has broader wings and the yellow border doesn't go round the edge of all the forewing.

RSPB Conwy - Saturday sightings

A nice little selection of birds on the reserve this evening. Benarth Hide is still tops for waders, with a green sandpiper, 17 black-tailed godwits, 2 dunlins and a greenshank, while the great crested grebes hatched this morning and are best viewed from here.

There are dozens of pied wagtails around at the moment, with a single yellow wag on the saltmarsh this evening (poor view, but I couldn't rule out blue-headed). There was also a whimbrel on the estuary. There's at least one redstart this evening, on the approach to Tal-y-fan Hide, but could easily be more.

Conwy RSPB Green Sands

Had a stroll up Drum yesterday eve and saw plenty Stonechat, f/o Curlew over the summit and 60+ H Gulls feeding on the deck amongst the heather and bilberry on emerging flying ants. An odd sight at 700m ASL.

A front coming in from the west held the possibility of a few birds so it was nice to see a Green Sand at Conwy this morning along with 2 Redstart still.  This evening there were at least 3 Green Sand calling away on the south lagoon.

 Ynys Mon from Drum

 Foel Fras from Drum

 1 of 3 Green Sand

across the River Conwy this eve.  Redstart still and Peregrine hunting the waders. 300+ BH Gull too.

Duckin' and diving

The common scoter flock along the North Wales coast is starting to build up again with an estimated 1,200 scoters present off Llandulas/Pensarn over the high tide this morning. Also seen were 2 whimbrel, 10+ gannets, 2 shags, fulmar and 6 great crested grebes.