Lennons on Bardsey

Final thoughts . . .

2011-01-19T13:52:00.044Z

We left Bardsey on the 21^st May 2010, after a few days of heavy and persistent fog; so much so that I wondered if I would actually see the island as we left. However, the sun made a gentle break through and the day warmed as we waited and watched the lighthouse delivery helicopter shuttle supplies from the offshore ship to the island. Eventually Colin came into sight and our island life, which we had been packing up for several days, was transferred to Benlli III and we glided away.

The journey back to the mainland was taken at a gentle pace; we saw Ernest and Christine making their way to summer on Enlli and then Colin stopped the engines mid- Sound to watch porpoise fishing in the calm sea. Eventually the transition was complete, we found ourselves back at Porth Meudwy loading the land rover and trailer, a much easier task than back in October. As we said our farewells Colin asked for our thoughts and I gave him mine which I still feel sums up our winter experience. I would not have done it without Jim and he could not have done it without me.

We had a truly once in a lifetime experience and still feel truly thankful that we were able to do this. Some times in the bustle of everyday life I find myself stopping and thinking, wondering what is happening right now on that hidden gem that is and always will be Bardsey. We learnt a lot about ourselves, about our vulnerabilities but also our strengths, what we are happy doing and what we need in our lives. We hope we can take these lessons on into our future adventures.

Our thanks go to everyone who helped us to fulfil our dream and helped us to maintain it for seven months, but especially to our children, Jenny and Mike, who kept the home fires burning and kept up the supply of chocolate. We love you.

Also, thanks to readers of and commentators on our blog. Finally, here's a random selection of our favourite photos.

Elaine

The sound of silence

2010-05-29T20:15:00.004+01:00

A strange thing happened today and nobody knew. We have had fog for a couple of days, the fog horn had been our constant backing sound track, and I was quite worried that I might not actually be able to see the island before we leave on Friday. The view from our kitchen door was often restricted to just the front yard.

Out to sea a boat had appeared just off Pen Cristin and we heard on the grapevine that it was a Trinity House lighthouse ship, probably delivering water and fuel to the lighthouse. Then mid morning today both the lighthouse and the ship blew their foghorns in rotation, then both fell in to an eerie silence in the white out conditions.

It was only later that someone, surfing the net, discovered that the Bardsey Light foghorn had been decommissioned permanently. Modern shipping, apparently, no longer needs a foghorn signal. Well, maybe ships don’t, but what about the rest of us?

Mel Stacey has penned a poem to mark the passing.

Elaine

Sound Silenced

A notice came through in April

And I received it two days late, too late.

The sound once intermittent, then persistent

Had been silenced.

No reason given, no consultation, or explanation.

Merely stark information.

No further notice will be given.

By Order

That evening, when news reached me,

I had strained my eyes

Through milky sea-merged Ceredigion skies

For a one-fifth flicker of the beam.

And in searching for the light

No sound came;

And now to mourn

Not being there for its passing.

On south end, west side, beyond the stack and horn

We dodged the thistles and thrust

The spectral birds out into evening’s veil.

As fog drenched down a cabin-fever day,

What option, but time trial races,

Around the tower and cottage compound

To beat the horn?

Has what we say and how we say it

No meaning anymore?

Must spoken word and soft inflexion give way?

Must we alone rely on looking, seeing, but not hearing?

You cannot tell by sight alone

So close your eyes and listen, listen, listen.

Chiffchaff and Blackbird’s announcing song

And solitary Redshank pipe.

As east wind brings the rumbling trundles

From Great Western trains

Holiday children clamour for steam and whistle cries.

And under night’s thick felted blanket mist

Tucked in around the cliffs

Through island sleeping

The foghorn cores its note and rhythm

Deep into my soul.

Mel Stacey

22^nd May 2010

On the silencing of the Bardsey Fog Horn 19^th May 2010.

Shiants Auk Ringing Group logo clothing

2010-05-15T21:22:00.002+01:00

This is not another opportunity to have an excuse to get yours truly on the blog, but an attempt to save on upload time here on the island. If you’re not a member of the Shiants Auk Ringing Group, then you need read no further. If you are, then please carry on . . . .

We now have a great new Razorbill logo for SARG, designed by ringing friend Pete Leonard that can be added to clothing & other items stocked by Design Plus Ltd. You can either order direct from them by following the directions on their website: http://www.designplus.co.uk/ or for those going to the Shiants this year and/or living in Notts, I can put together a single order and bring it to the Shiants for you. This will save a fair bit on postage, which I can then apportion across the order. If you want to take up this latter option, then you must have your order with me no later than Sunday, 23 May; we can settle up when you get the gear.

As an example order, for the gear, I’m wearing in the picture above; I’d need the following information for whatever you desire:

· Polo shirt - Black XL K405 £10.95

· Baseball Cap - Sunflower BB15 £4.45

NB VAT & postage will be added to this. Logo comes in just the one colour scheme.

Cheers

Jim

Closure in the withies

2010-05-13T21:47:00.009+01:00

Plas Withy - regrowth

Plas Withy - freshly coppiced

Cristin Withy - regrowth

Cristin Withy - freshly coppiced

Cristin centre ride - before

Cristin centre ride - during boardwalk building

Cristin centre ride - boardwalk completed (view from opposite direction)

I mentioned down the blog, that there were still the lowland withies (Plas, Cristin & Ty Pellaf) to coppice and boardwalks to fix up there. When I first offered to do this, I was probably naive about what I was taking on. Since February, I have spent more than a hundred hours coppicing, removing a lot of the resultant brash and derelict boardwalks. Then there was repairing and replacing the boardwalks in the mist net rides, this included reusing 150 posts from earlier defencing work, laying about 60 metres of boardwalk, scouring the island for bits of wood to use, adding chicken wire to potential slippy areas, and hammering in 12 kg of nails & staples – I think I may have RSI from this☺. Next was the shredding of about half the willow prunings which produced 35 sacks of chippings, which are now being used as mulch on the soft fruit in the island’s gardens.

This would have been much harder, but for all the fetching & carrying by Steve & Ben Porter with the quad & trailer. Also, things speeded up towards the end with great help from Dai & Gwyn Stacey, and Richard Else on the chipping.

Along the way I ripped my wellies and waders (puncture outfits are not just for push bikes), got more cuts and bruises than I care to remember and soggy socks most days. However, I’ll also remember coppicing in the sun & snow, watching warblers flitting about within feet of me and hearing their bills click as they took insects on the wing, and being able to put up mist nets safely and in places where they’d not been for several years.

Jim

Spring flowers

2010-05-13T21:32:00.007+01:00

Marsh Marigold and Bluebells in Plas Withy

The 'Cristin' apple

Lady's Smock

We’ve not spent much time on the island in springtime before, so it’s great watching the latish spring unfold here. The gorses have been blooming all the time; no wonder they say “lovers can kiss when gorse is in flower”. Every couple of days we see another plant come in to flower, both in the gardens and in the fields. The yellows of Celandine, Marsh Marigold and Dandelion; the blues of Viola, Squill and Bluebell; and the pinks of the fruit trees, Lady’s Smock & Thrift.

Jim

Knit one, Make one

2010-05-13T21:18:00.005+01:00

My winter pastime, knitting, has actually led to slightly more than the title might lead you to believe. So far I have enjoyed making the following; three jumpers, two hats, two pairs of gloves, two pairs of bootees, seven pairs of socks, four dishcloths and eleven Manxie chicks! You will have to visit the BBFO shop to see the latter!

My daughter has kept me very well supplied with gorgeous wool for all these projects; at times my wool bag has looked like a colourful collection of jewels – thanks Jen. And a friend sent me a fun poster based on the wartime exultation… Keep Calm – Carry Yarn … which has continually raised my spirits and a smile – thank you Isabel.

Elaine

The tractor boys

2010-04-28T20:19:00.002+01:00

A new sport may be about to take Bardsey by storm; tractor tyre rolling! This afternoon Steve and Jim were to be found practising down at Cafn perfecting their technique in time for the inaugural event. Return match as soon as the tyre is patched and returned to the island!

Elaine

We now live in a gated community!

2010-04-28T20:12:00.004+01:00

Out with the old . . .

. . . . and in with the new.

We’re now living in a gated community, but not the sort that is socially exclusive. Over the last week or so, the Trust has been replacing some of the battered (literally) wooden gates and rusted out iron gates around the houses with new replicas. They are a bit shiny at the minute, but once the galvanised finish has weathered for a couple of years they will be painted black as before.

Jim

Change in the weather

2010-04-26T20:11:00.002+01:00

The delayed spring has retreated and bird migration has pretty much stopped. The spell of sunny, settled days has left us for a bit, and we have fog and wind.

Jim

Blue sky thinking

2010-04-22T20:07:00.003+01:00

The skies over Bardsey are often streaked with contrails from passing aircraft heading to Ireland and beyond. They fan out over the Irish Sea and sometimes provide stunning sunsets. However, it has been quite lovely without them; we have been blessed with very blue skies and the lack of white plumes has added to our sense of isolation. Whilst feeling for those inconvenienced by the volcanic out pouring from Iceland, we do think, rather smugly, that we have been lucky to have enjoyed our own blue skies in our special place; no passport or airport waiting room required!

Elaine

Changing rooms

2010-04-05T20:19:00.005+01:00

We have an ambulant lawnmower!

Jim and I have been moving house again; we are back where we began back in October, Plas Lloft. The Observatory last week welcomed the first of the season’s visitors and they have been treated to a freshly decorated and newly furnished accommodation; Cristin looks lovely. The seasonal migrants are also making a return to the island, we now fall asleep most nights to the wonderful, unique call of the returning Manx Shearwaters. Already some are in their burrows on the mountain and in the field banks.

We like our new home; it gives us a different aspect to the island, a different alignment of the walls and a different view of the beaches and lighthouse. Our barn is part of the wonderful vernacular Plas outbuildings and we are set more into the fields which are currently full of expectant ewes. Just over the wall is the birthing field, then the lambs and their mums get moved the day after giving birth to the nursery field, which is next door. I never realised lambs were so mad; they form little groups of up to about half a dozen, and rush headlong about playing ‘follow my leader’ along the tops of the banks, so madcap and so funny. Steve and Jo, the farmers, regularly patrol the fields during the day, late into the night and early every morning to ensure that all is going well or to help out where needed. The cows have also started to calve this week, up at Nant, so we hear the quad going up and down the track as they are checked each watch too.

We have had some of the worst weather of the winter in the last week, snow, sleet and strong winds. The barn is small and fairly easy to heat up, but as we have no electricity we are missing the luxury of our electric blanket at bedtime! However, we keep hoping that spring will arrive soon and that we can really enjoy the warmer weather before we leave Bardsey in seven weeks time.

Elaine

The Dirty Dozen

2010-03-18T21:18:00.011Z

We did eventually let everyone else have a drink!

On a cool St Patrick’s Day evening, the island’s residents met to formally open the re-vamped ringing hut for business. We are all very busy cleaning, decorating, lambing ‘live’, settling in the newly arrived goats and generally getting Bardsey ready for the coming season – hence the soubriquet Dirty Dozen, but once the ribbon had been cut by Steve we were able to find the time to raise a toast to ‘all who ring in her’!

We started the ringing hut back in the autumn by removing the old ceiling and shelving and storing the ringing equipment in one of the adjacent barns, for use should Jim catch any birds over the winter. Once again Jim had measured up what was needed in the way of ply and hardware back on a previous visit in the summer, so he had all the necessary to hand once he got going and Screwfix helped with the rest.

The first job was to refit the ceiling and in doing so create a new storage area in the roof space; to ensure this stayed fairly clean the roof was lined with plywood and then a ladder built to access the space. Once all this was in place the walls were painted, several times, and the floor given a new coat of red paint. Then the ringing equipment, cupboards and table were returned to their new home.

Jim decided he would like to mark the occasion with a traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony so an evergreen branch has been suspended in the hut and a few glasses of bubbly were enjoyed too.

This project has been close to Jim’s heart for a variety of reasons; as he has already said his ringing career started on Bardsey more than twenty years ago and the ringing hut has been a special place for him since then. I too ringed my first bird there, a Brambling.

Elaine

Early bird

2010-03-16T20:02:00.004Z

Last night, while walking up to turn off the generator, I had the good luck to hear my first Manx Shearwater of the year as it flew along the mountain. It'll be a while before they come down to their burrows on the island, but here's an old pic to keep you going.

They're a special bird for me as it was the first species of bird I ever ringed and that was on Bardsey. Also, I caught the 50 year old Manxie on the island a couple of years ago.

Jim

We're no longer alone . . . .

2010-03-12T21:31:00.004Z

Connor, Emma, Liz & Steve

It had to happen, the dream could not continue; the Observatory staff are back! On yet another fabulous sunny day Benlli III crossed the Sound bringing back Steve, Emma and Connor for the new season. Accompanying them was Liz James, on her second tour of duty as a volunteer to get Cristin ready for the summer.

The Stanfields did not travel lightly and were laden with food and equipment for the nine months ahead of them on the island. We spent the remainder of the day and the following one squirreling the stocks away in their food storage area and trying to find homes for all the new books and Christmas pressies they have brought back with them.

Now it is all hands to the deck as we spring clean and decorate, where required, the Observatory building in readiness for the arrival of the first visitors in a few weeks time.

Yep, Jim’s still in the ringing hut.

Elaine

Anticipation . . .

2010-03-07T19:41:00.003Z

A strange feeling has settled over the island to my mind; we are waiting. Bardsey has been truly beautiful over the last few days; the sky could not be bluer, the sun has not stopped shining and the sea has been so calm. But it feels as if we are waiting for the party to begin.

In about a week’s time the lambs will start to be born, the migratory birds are probably already on their way, following ancient routes back to their breeding grounds, certainly the Manx Shearwaters must by now be on their way from the South Atlantic to find their old burrows on the mountain and in the banks, and the human visitors will soon be arriving for a day trip or a week’s stay.

The island will change; maybe it could be described as coming alive, Jim and I have been very privileged to have seen at its most secret time.

Elaine

Death in Solfach

2010-03-07T18:24:00.007Z

Steve Porter found a dead Chough on his morning sheep check a few days ago in Solfach. It had been hanging around for a few days on the beach, looking bedraggled with missing seconadries and bare patches. It's hard to say whether it was poorly because of fighting with other Choughs or being attacked by a predator, or if it just succumbed to the winter, but it was very thin. The bird had been ringed as a nestling about 20 km at Cilan on the Llyn, which is a pretty typical recovery distance for a first winter Chough.

Jim

St David’s day

2010-03-01T21:40:00.001Z

Happy St David's day to everyone.

Bagsy I don't do any more bags!

2010-03-01T21:30:00.006Z

130 bags; bring on the birds.

They have been turned inside out and shaken to get rid of the feathers, sorted into saveable and beyond hope, washed and hung out to dry. Once clean we then set about identifying the requirements of each bag; did it need any sewing and or did it require re-stringing. When that was finished all that was needed was to make up any gaps in the sets, then put them together into bags of tens to be stored in the ringing hut waiting for the night when there is a lighthouse attraction and the bags are put into use to safely calm the birds that succumb to the light and drop to the ground on their migration.

Bag Lady signing off; I wish well to all who roost in them.

Elaine

Bird catch up – part 3

2010-03-01T21:26:00.002Z

Market day at Cristin

Avid followers of the bird sightings on Bardsey will no doubt be following Ben Porter’s weekly accounts on the Bardsey Wildlife blog. However, I thought I’d jot down some thoughts on how the birds reacted to the harsh weather over Christmas and the New Year and my experience of it. The temperature during this spell hardly went below freezing here, which must have made the island attractive to the displaced waders & thrushes who were seeking refuge from the bad weather on the mainland.

Leading up to New Year it was really noticeable that the Stonechats and Dunnocks were much more confiding as they risk assessed feeding versus predation. Then around New Year there was a significant build up of birds. Ben noted Lapwing arriving from the west, and there were 100 plus of them and Golden Plover on the island, together with good numbers of Snipe and Woodcock. The Woodcock, in particular, were in the gardens and around the farm buildings and one(?) was hanging around the Obs generator shed. On any walk you’d be regularly flushing the Woodcock & Snipe, and getting within 50 metres of solitary Lapwing & Golden Plover. With the Lapwing arriving from the west one sensed they were in real trouble, as the milder climes of Ireland are usually a bad weather refuge for them. This concern proved to be justified as soon the Lapwing and odd Golden Plover were being picked up dead. Some headless birds had obviously been predated, but others had simply crawled under garden bushes to die and then the Wood Mice set about recycling them! We found c15 Lapwing corpses, but feel there was more than this as we are still finding them.

There was also a build up of thrushes. It was a little strange making phone calls on Pen Cristin with small flocks of Mistle Thrush going over, and tame Redwing and Songthrush all over the mountain. The back garden scrub at Cristin was alive for two days with 50 plus Redwing that fed voraciously on the unfrozen leaf litter, and then they were gone.

Since then, there have been precious few Stonechat about Bardsey, but as there’re partial migrants it’ll be interesting to see how they fare on the island and after this hard winter.

Jim

Bird catch up -part 2

2010-03-01T21:08:00.003Z

A couple of weeks ago Ben Porter had noted several Jack & Common Snipe in the wetter lowland fields, and as it was calm for once I put up some nets to try and catch them at dusk and dawn. Nothing at dusk and nothing just before dawn, but as I walked up to the nets at dawn I flushed a Common Snipe in to the mist net. Just the one bird, but a real pleasure to look at in the hand and the first ringed on the island for a couple of years.

Jim

Bird catch up – part 1

2010-03-01T21:02:00.004Z

I’ve not blogged much about birds on the island lately, so this is a bit of a catch up. For better information on species and numbers see Ben Porter’s excellent updates on the Bardsey Wildlife blog.

Ringing here at Cristin has been pretty slow on account of the weather, few birds being about and those that are here being already ringed and knowing their way around the heligoland. However, I netted this interesting Chaffinch on 23 December. It has Knemidocoptic mange or ‘canker’. Chaffinch, Sedge Warbler and Dunnock are occasionally caught with it. We do not ring them in case the disease spreads and envelopes the ring. Bar extreme cases, the birds do not seem unduly bothered by it.

Jim

Short shore leave

2010-02-20T19:52:00.006Z

Just a nice sunset a couple of days ago.

We’ve been away – did you miss us?

We left the island for about ten days last week in order to say ‘Goodbye’ to a dear friend, and took the opportunity to see familiar faces and to meet our own latest family member, Tyr, our daughter’s adorable puppy. While we were back on the mainland we took the opportunity to have a bit of a ‘service’; teeth – filled, hair – trimmed, feet – filed. We sound like the island sheep that Steve has been getting ready to lamb in the coming weeks!

It was strange being back on the mainland; even though we live in a quiet village the first night home seemed very noisy after the peace and quiet of Bardsey. The first time we went shopping in the local town neither of us took any cash or cards with us, not having needed any of that stuff for the last few months and, as we knew we were not going to be home for long, it was as if we were camping in our own bedroom. Still, it was rather nice to be able to go shopping and pick up a few essentials and treats for the coming months.

After a week the call came from Ernest that the boat would being going over on Friday so we drove through blizzards and sunshine to finally get back to the island during the Friday afternoon. It is lovely to be back and we feel rejuvenated by our little break; ready for the coming weeks. Jim has started straight back into work mode and is fitting out the ringing hut and I have started the spring cleaning. We have quite a bit we still want to do and we will keep you up-to-date over the next few weeks.

Elaine

Magic wand

2010-02-09T21:05:00.005Z

I was going to show you my efforts with basket making, well I still am (but only because we need a picture)! But, instead of trying to tell you how it is done I am just going to direct you to Jo Porters website http://portersonenlli.blogspot.com/. Jo, from the farm at Ty Pellaf, gives you a wonderful master class in not only how it is done, but what wonderful items can be achieved with a simple willow wand.

As you can see from my efforts, the willow is still in control in my case! Still I do feel quite Ray Mearsish.

Elaine

Stile guru

2010-01-28T20:40:00.006Z

. . . . afterwards.

. . . . during . . . .

Before . . . .

As we have already mentioned, we have been working to do a bit of spring clearing at Nant and Ty Capel withies. Part of that work has been to replace the old aluminium ladder into Nant Withy to make access for the bird ringers a lot easier and safer. So Jim, with his usual recycling hat on, has made a new ladder stile out of old wood to access the withy.

Elaine

PS For my sins, I was once a member of the British Standards footpath stile working party. So it had better be good - Jim

Gameboy

2010-01-26T20:17:00.005Z

The worktops inside the kitchen at Cristin are fine and dandy, but sometimes you just need to move on – or out. So, if you need a bit more room, feel a little warm or have something especially messy to do, then it is outside to the wall that you go. Over the years we have prepared cooked lobsters and crabs, gutted fish and today Jim did his ‘hunter/gatherer’ thing on the wall by the kitchen window. We hadn’t been culling the island birds, but had been given two brace of partridge and a pheasant via the farm from the mainland. So, with much feather flying, Jim spent an hour or two plucking & cleaning them up. Cold work but someone had to do it - and it wasn’t going to be me!

Elaine

Christmas came late, or is it early?

2010-01-26T20:13:00.002Z

Saturday was a special day. Our friends, Mel, Dai and Gwyn Stacey came over to the island for lunch. They have been planning to get here since before Christmas and had done a lot of shopping for us. However, due to weather and other commitments from all concerned, they finally made it a month later than expected. Their floor at home had been a temporary, but rather long term storage space for our pre Christmas wish list. So it was that we finally received some Christmas crackers, a bottle of port and a festive tin of peanuts amongst all the other lovely goodies they had kindly run around getting for us. We spent a hectic two hours together; so much to talk about and things to show them even though they know the island well. Then Ernest was ready to get back to the mainland and so they left for the return trip to Carmarthen. A long journey for such a flying visit, but we hope they enjoyed themselves as much as we did. Thanks you guys!

Elaine

Now I'm a bag lady

2010-01-17T20:06:00.003Z

How many bird bags does a bird observatory need? Well I think I know the answer and this is about a quarter of them, washed and hanging out ready for a little work with the sewing machine. Watch this space.

Elaine

Basket cases

2010-01-11T18:53:00.006Z

With the advent of bright, cold weather, we thought it was time to get stuck in to more of the conservation tasks we’d talked ourselves in to doing. This time it was pollarding the willow osiers in the withies at Nant & Ty Capel at the north end of Bardsey. The osiers were traditionally cut by the islanders to take willow wands to make their lobster pots. The wands would have been cut on a two/three year cycle creating a sustainable supply of material that also creates good habitat for migratory birds and wildlife. With the demise in the demand for willow for lobster creels, the withies have mainly been managed for the birds and can quickly become overgrown. However, Jo Porter at TY Pellaf has revived basket making for new uses like washing and vegetable baskets. With this fresh incentive to manage the willow withies, we set about cutting the willow in Nant & Ty Capel withies. It involved about half a day cutting and pruning. As well as selecting willow wands for weaving ,we also pruned the willow, especially some of the old growth, to encourage whippy regrowth that will be suitable to cut in the next year or so. Out of the wood we took out we made seven good bundles of willow wands that will be woven in to various design of basket on the island by Elaine, Emma & Jo. We then chipped most of the wood that was left, which will be used for composting the loo at the farm at Ty Pellaf.

Jim

Snow at last

2010-01-07T19:18:00.008Z

Well, we thought we were missing out, but this morning we finally woke to a sprinkle of snow and bright frosty weather. So, we abandoned all thought of work and went for a walk over the mountain.

We were rewarded with amazing views of the Irish and Welsh mountains and also some close views of some of the birds finding refuge on the island; lapwing, mistle thrush and redwing.

With cheeks rosy from the wind we made it home to curried parsnip soup – life doesn’t get much better.

Elaine

Seabird ringing opportunities on Shiant Isles

2010-01-06T20:30:00.000Z

At 34 years old, the oldest Puffin in the British Isles was retrapped on the Shiants in 2009. (c) Alex Borawska

The Shiants Auk Ringing Group is running its annual trip to the Shiant Islands and we still have some spaces in the party.

We will be mainly ringing & surveying auks, Shags and Storm Petrels, plus gulls and Bonxies & some passerines. In 2009 we ringed more than 2,000 seabirds. Also, we will also be doing seabird colony counts (particularly in the first week). The terrain is quite rough and you will need a reasonable level of fitness. The dates for the trip are 19 June to 3 July 2010, and we will cross to the Shiants from Uig on Skye in a charter boat.

The costs for one and two weeks are £325 & £475 respectively. This includes the boat, food and rings, while on the trip. The owner's website is very good and explains what it's like to stay there: http://www.shiantisles.net/ . Also, one of last year’s team members, Emily Scragg, has done a bit about the trip on her blog; see http://c-ringing.blogspot.com/ (you need to scroll down).

Please let me know as soon as possible if you want to join us on the trip. If you have any queries, I am very happy to answer them by either posted comments, email or messages can be left on my mobile (07900 608037), which I check every couple of days.

Jim

Proactive defencing

2010-01-02T20:51:00.001Z

While the rest of the world has been lazing around during the annual two week Christmas break, Jim and I have been busy removing the surplus fencing from around Nant plantation. Jim actually started this task back in November and has been tackling it in short bursts between other jobs, but, with the end in sight, we have been carrying out a major push to get it finished.

The old plantation has had, over the years, new fencing put around it outside the patched up original fence to keep out the stock. This left a hundred plus excess fence posts, over a kilometre of redundant and rotting wire and 200 metres of sheep netting . Each of these elements had to be detached and coiled for removal and then lugged to where Steve, from the farm, could get to it with the trailer to take it away. The wire will eventually be removed from the island and recycled, and the posts will be used in the withies to repair the board walks, one of our next projects, or burnt as winter fuel at Ty Pellaf.

So, an arduous and tedious task, especially in the wind, rain and snow, but now it’s complete the whole place looks much tidier and a lot easier on the eye.

Elaine

Here come the girls

2009-12-29T20:41:00.001Z

Meet the girls; our constant companions and source of much fun. I don’t know their names, maybe they don’t have any, but they live in the pigsty in Cristin yard and emerge mid morning to wait by the gate to come up into the garden. Once there they spend the rest of the day scrounging as much food as possible. They know Jim is a good source if he is filling up the wild bird feeders and follow him around ever hopeful. They also recognise the kitchen door and appear, as if by magic, to see if any goodies have been left for them on the lawn. On windier days they stay in the yard and sunbathe in a cosy corner. At the end of the day they wait, by the gate, to be let back into the yard to mull over the day’s highlights and dream of what tomorrow may bring.

Elaine

Christmas island

2009-12-25T16:25:00.004Z

Well what a day and it ain’t over yet. We awoke to one of the calmest days of our 10 week stay, so far, on the island. The keen, fresh weather on the mainland had brought in more Redwing, Fieldfare and Linnet (Ben, no doubt, will give the fuller bird picture on http://bbfo.blogspot.com/ in due course). Meanwhile Jim did some ringing in the Cristin garden for an hour or so. Only nine birds, but at least he ringed some new birds on Xmas day on the island (2 Chaffinch & a Song Thrush).

Amidst all this we had a full Cristin cooked breakfast and opened our pressies. We were over-whelmed by the kindness of friends and family, and really appreciate all the survival kit, like socks, coffee, & chocolate.

We then travelled north to Nant to make phone calls to our nearest & dearest. Contact with those you care about becomes more special at this time and in this place.

We had a splendid lunch made by Elaine (I peeled the sprouts!) of beef Wellington and roast veg, washed down with an elderly Rioja & French desert wine aka 1982. Food suppliers, in no order of importance, were: Makro, Morrisons, Ty Pellaf kitchen garden, Guto (Rhiw), Laithwaites and Spar (Aberdaron); makes you think about food miles? I have to say, without exception, well barring the alcohol, the best food was the food from the Llyn.

All our family and friends are in our thoughts at what for us is a very special Christmas. However, we’d just like to send out these messages:

Jenny, Mike &Ewan – Missing you terribly, but glad you’re having a great time in Aberdeen.
Blackburn family – You’re in our thoughts all the time.
Pete & Andy Leonard – Congrats on Penelope, we’re sure she’ll cope with you very well.
Barrie. Lou, Charlie & Hannah – Wow!
Jill – You’re a star!
Staceys – Get yourselves over here next week!

As we’ve been writing this the weather has changed and the fog horn, at the light, is blowing.

Love to everyone.

Jim & Elaine

Westward Ho!

2009-12-23T16:54:00.007Z

Today brought exceptional views of the land of my fathers. The snow capped peaks of the Wicklow mountains were clearly visible and the Porters, at the farm, commented that it was the best views of Ireland they'd had since they came to Bardsey two years ago. Similarly, there were good views of the Welsh mainland.

Jim

Chough update

2009-12-21T18:36:00.000Z

On a previous post, I explained that we had caught two ringed Chough on the beach at Solvach. Today, we had the exciting news of their life histories from BTO ringer, Adrienne Stratford, who coordinates the colour ringing of Chough in north Wales.

She said: “The birds you caught are a seasoned breeding pair from the nearest bit of the mainland. He was ringed as a chick in 1996 at a nest on the north Lleyn coast, near Tudweiliog. Apart from a brief visit into the mountains in his first autumn - sightings at Llanberis + Aber Valley, he's been an Aberdaron resident ever since, first breeding at the current site in 1999. His last recorded holiday on Bardsey was in 2003, but they probably make occasional winter visits most years. She was ringed as a chick in 1997 at a nest near Aberdaron. She was also recorded in the Aber Valley area in her first winter, but since then has been an Aberdaron resident, first breeding at the current site in 2001 with the current male - after a couple of previous transient relationships.”

According to the BTO, the oldest ringed Chough in Britain & Ireland, at 16 yrs, 8 months & 26 days was from Bardsey. Hopefully, this successful pair of birds might surpass this record.

Jim

No snow here . . .

2009-12-19T17:47:00.005Z

Well only a smattering of dusty snow today, but the puddles have a skin of ice on them and the birds are busy on the feeders in the Cristin garden. While still enjoying the daily presence of birds like Chough & Raven, it's odd to be excited that two Great Tits have taken up residence in the garden together with a Firecrest that Ben Porter spotted. They have probably moved down from Nant at the north of the island with the onset of colder weather.

The sunsets are like buses here, they all seem to come at once and we've had some stunning ones over the last few days.

JIM

Poppy

2009-12-15T17:00:00.004Z

You may have been wondering how Poppy, the Welsh Black calf born just over a fortnight ago, has been getting on. The first two weeks were quite crucial both for Poppy and her mum; the major surgery that Serin underwent during the caesarean meant that she was on antibiotics for the fortnight. Poppy, herself, had trouble suckling initially and was bottle fed some extra colostrums to ensure she was well protected.

However, both are now doing extremely well and within a day or two of Poppy’s arrival they were both out on the track enjoying the winter sunshine. At first we thought that Poppy was being kept in because we couldn’t ever see her, but Steve told us that the mother hides her calf in the gorse to keep it from harm’s way, and indeed, after the first few days Poppy was much more in evidence. The only thing that seems to get Serin anxious is when the dogs from the farm pass nearby, then she does become the protective mother and keeps Poppy close.

Elaine

Chuffed to bits!

2009-12-14T18:24:00.002Z

Today was red letter day for me in that we managed to catch two Choughs on the beach with the whoosh net. This entails sitting for hours in the hide we built on Solfach waiting for some of the c30 Chough that feed on the beach every day to feed in the catching area of the whoosh net. Though they have their favoured areas on the beach where they pick and probe for insects and grubs, they are very wary of man made contraptions. Most of the Chough are colour ringed and can be identified in the field, but capturing them allows biometrics to be taken which can be used to sex them as well as unringed birds to be colour ringed. The colour ringing of the Chough is part of a long-term study in to their lives & social behaviour. The two birds we caught today were already ringed, but both metal rings were so worn that they needed replacing. Once their origins are found out I’ll post the details on the blog.

Jim

Early bird

2009-12-13T17:28:00.005Z

Someone commented that there has not been much on the blog lately about birds. So here's a pic of a Water Rail I caught first thing this morning, in the heligoland, when I popped out to the loo. Interestingly, I'd heard Water Rail calling while sat on the loo a couple of weeks ago and Elaine got the chance today to see her first one in the hand while sat on the loo!

Jim

Yule log this blog

2009-12-12T17:12:00.001Z

Following yesterday’s glorious sunset we woke today to the most stunning day yet on the island; warm sunshine all day, lunch outside on the terrace and Christmas to get ready for.

We are hardly missing the crowds and the piped music (haven’t heard a seasonal song yet), but some things still have to be prepared – so it was that Ben and Steve from Ty Pellaf came up to choose a Christmas tree. The conifers in Cristin garden needed a little haircut to open up the entrance into the Helgoland trap and soon both were up in the branches being directed by Jim as to what needed thinning out. Half an hour later we had a beautifully smelling pile of fresh pine to select out festive trees from.

Once we had had the obligatory mince pies (in the sunshine) the next job was to dispose of the wood not required for decoration. Jim and I spent the afternoon shredding the excess foliage, bagging it up to be used keep the loo buckets smelling sweet, and watching the next fabulous sunset.

Elaine

No freezing fog here

2009-12-11T19:01:00.003Z

It makes a change to have the nicer weather. While those of you living on the east side of the UK have been experiencing freezing fog, we have had our best day for several weeks. No gales, lashing waves or hailstones hitting your hands while fencing, but rather a calm, bright clear day with a staggeringly beautiful sunset.

Jim

Clouds

2009-12-07T20:57:00.007Z

Incus

Cumulus

Incus

I love looking at clouds and there really are few better places to cloud watch than Bardsey. On any given day there are so many different types of cloud to try and identify. Yesterday we set out for a walk in almost sparkling sunshine, but before too long we spotted this monster in-coming over the Irish Sea; a developing incus, Latin for anvil, which is part of a cumulonimbus cloud, and, of course, brings with it rain.

During the course of our walk several of these enormous clouds, possibly rising to heights of 45,000’, passed over us on their way to the Lleyn peninsula. We finally made the safety of the beach hide before any of them dropped their load onto the island and from there we were rewarded with a beautiful rainbow.

The birds do not always show up, but I can guarantee clouds pretty much any day. Here are some more of our beautiful fleeting aerial friends.

Elaine

Nightshift workers

2009-12-07T20:01:00.004Z

I thought the new peanut feeder was being well used. But just now I found up to three Woodmice feeding on it. It seems they can jump from the tree to the suspended feeder and don't mind dropping four feet to the ground. Still, at least we ain't got squirrels.

Jim

Rubbish . . . .

2009-12-02T18:31:00.001Z

As all of you who visit Bardsey are aware, anything that is brought on to the island has eventually to be taken off or burnt. For example, all food and its packaging that arrives creates a lot of potential waste. Whilst some of it can be recycled, a great deal never leaves and this then has to be disposed of here. Bardsey does not have its own recycling centre so everything that gets left behind has to be burnt. I really think that we all should be more aware of what we bring on to Bardsey, but more importantly, what we leave behind.

Jim has just spent a pungent afternoon burning lots of packaging from around the Observatory in the incinerator in the corner of Cristin yard. While he enjoyed having a tidy up, it made us both think hard about what we consume.

Elaine

A busy day

2009-11-28T19:42:00.001Z

After no boat for nearly three weeks due to constant winds from the south and west, the long awaited arrival of Colin on Benlli III at 9am was very welcome. However, it was also tinged with sadness as all the Observatory staff were leaving the island for their Christmas break with family and friends.

On the boat coming to take them away were some day visitors though; a film crew with rather a lot of equipment for just a three hour stay (they kept their energy up by mainlining Jelly Babies I noticed) and the vet. One of the Welsh Black cows is in calf and the farmers were worried that she might not be able to deliver herself so the vet was called in, and an hour later Poppy arrived, safely delivered by caesarean section. Poppy had been lying in a breach position and it would have been an exhausting labour for all concerned so the break in the weather was a great relief.

Also on board was some post; it was like Christmas morning for a while with a couple of large sackfuls being delivered around the island to the remaining residents. Jim has been especially lucky as he has some new binoculars to play with (all the better to spot the birds with) - I was more than happy with some new knitting yarn and a rather splendid supply of chorizo sausage and chocolate – life’s little essentials!

The remainder of the day was spent visiting the new mother and calf and unpacking our shopping, also delivered by the boat in the morning from the local Spar in Aberdaron. With potentially such large gaps between food deliveries we have tended to order plenty of fruit, veg and fresh meat, so it takes quite a bit of squirreling away in various freezers and cupboards to keep it fresh until the boat comes again..

So, a very busy day.

Elaine

We are not alone

2009-11-25T20:09:00.001Z

A scurry of tiny feet, a rustle in the cupboard, telltale signs of activity. We have some furry visitors.

The first sign was a liquorice allsort in Jim’s boot when he put it on in the morning – fine, except he doesn’t usually keep his sweets there. And the allsorts had been in a dresser in the adjacent room. Next we heard packaging being nibbled in the evening, in the mouse proofed cupboard. All was not well. As the days have got cooler and shorter the woodmice have been visiting the houses to supplement their diet; with our carbohydrates.

However, as you can see from the picture, they are very creative and indeed artistic. Little darlings!

Elaine

Solfach hide

2009-11-10T18:37:00.002Z

Step 5 - Painted & ready for watching. Now about that topping out ceremony . . .

Step 4 - Carpentry completed.

Step 3 - Fitting the new skin.

Step 2 - Hide stripped & recycled floor joists in place.

Step 1 - Stripping off the old skin & seeing what can be salvaged.

One of first jobs we have undertaken has been the refurbishment of the hide on Solfach. We started a couple of weeks ago and have been working on it most days, weather permitting. Jim had calculated what materials and tools we would need on a trip we made to Bardsey in August, and quite a large amount of what arrived with us in October was lined up for this and other jobs we plan to carry out through the winter

Any of you who have visited the island recently will have seen the state of the hide; there wasn’t much left standing. So the first job was to clear what could not be re-used and get back to basics, which turned out to be roof and the posts which had been concreted in and were sturdy and reusable.

Our large sheets of 18mm and 12mm plywood were soon being man-handled down the slope, at one point I’m sure Jim and I nearly took off in the wind, and being measured and cut up on the beach with the use of a generator and lots of muscle power.

Initial progress was quite rapid and dramatic; doing the base was a tour de force with so many angles, none of them square, to be measured, marked and cut; the sides, too, made a vast difference.

Once it was all constructed the finishing off tasks seemed to take quite a while; fitting the doors and windows, the bench and the all important foot rest all required a great deal of fiddling and, in one case, beach combing to find just the right piece of driftwood.

Then painting, a couple of coats to keep the rain out, and it was open for business. Already some good bird watching & photography has taken place, and we hope that a great many people will enjoy the hide for many years to come.

Elaine

Ringing at Cristin

2009-11-09T19:24:00.001Z

At this time of year, the opportunities to open the mist nets for ringing in the garden at Cristin, where we are staying for the winter, are limited on account of the wind rarely abating. However, today was one of those calm days you get every couple of weeks here. So, it was a case of being up before dawn and getting the nets open. This was well rewarded with 40 plus birds ringed, including thrushes, finches, the fourth Black Redstart of the autumn and a stunning Wryneck which was migrating very late in the year.

Jim

Pumpkins & bonfires

2009-11-08T20:41:00.001Z

Whilst we were moving house last Sunday some of the other island residents were enjoying the chance to indulge in some beautiful creative artwork – competitive pumpkin carving. One was traditional but scary; two were island inspired; there was a three-dimensional one and finally, the winner, was an amazingly detailed lobster. The following day we all had lunch together with soup made from all the pumpkin carvings, fresh bread and butter made at the farm.

Of course it wasn’t too many days before bonfire night came round; it was a bit too windy on Thursday but by Sunday we were promised a rare calm evening and it only took an hour of hard work to construct an amazing fire from old gates, the beach hide, fencing posts and anything else we could lay our hands on. The night was clear but cold and we had fantastic views of Jupiter and various constellations. As dusk fell we gathered on the beach and enjoyed an evening of a very warming fire, sausages freshly cooked on the embers and a few glasses of wine. By morning there was little left, although Jim and Steve spent quite a while clearing up the various bits of metal and glass to make the beach safe again.

Elaine

Moving on day

2009-11-01T20:26:00.001Z

After two weeks at the Lloft, during which time we began to feel quite settled, it was time to move on. The season’s visitors have left for home and we are now moving the hundred yards or so with all our stuff to take up residence at Cristin, the Bird Observatory, for the winter.

The really wet morning was not very encouraging but by the time everything was packed and loaded onto the trailer the day had cleared and it was soon being unpacked again into its new home. As you can see the shelves were groaning under the weight of all that food. But, will it last us eight months?

Elaine

Lighthouse attraction

2009-10-27T18:02:00.001Z

Last night migrating birds were dazzled and caught up in the Bardsey lighthouse beam. This can happen around the new moon in spring and autumn, when birds (mainly warblers, thrushes & finches), but also the resident Manx Shearwaters, set off on nocturnal migration. However, if it becomes either overcast or rains as they travel then they can mistake the Bardsey light for the moon. In which case they get confused and mill around in light’s five beams and fatally crash in to the building. In the past, many hundreds of Redwing had been killed on these occasions.

However, the Observatory staff had a cunning plan to stop this happening. When they see birds flying in the beams of the light, they take themselves down to the lighthouse on the southern tip of the island. In order to lessen the devastation the migrating birds find themselves in, the Obs staff set up temporary lights, outside the lighthouse compound, to help the birds land safely. Some stunned birds are collected up, roosted until dawn and then ringed. Jim was out until 4:00 am and then up again by 7.30am to ring and release them on their way. This gives ringers the chance to handle birds that they would not normally ring like this handsome Woodcock, which was probably migrating to warmer climes from Scandinavia. Also ringed were c30 Blackbirds & Redwings, and three Blackcaps.

Jim

Pickles

2009-10-24T20:25:00.001+01:00

Since we arrived on the island, we have been busy unpacking essentials and settling into Plas Lloft. Our new home is cosy, we have no electricity but the gas fire and gas light, etc. are quite adequate and once the night draws in it is very snug.
The weather has changed since we arrived, the wind is now quite strong, fortunately from the south and west, but summer has certainly moved on and autumn has announced itself with a bang.
Jim has been busy discussing the various conservation tasks we hope to undertake over the winter with the Observatory staff; we hope to make a start next week. I, on the other hand, have been focused more on the indoor preparations for winter and have been pickling onions and shallots and also making bramble jelly from the islands’ blackberries. Emma and I made a few precious jewel like jars.

Elaine

Finally a calm day . . . .

2009-10-23T20:50:00.001+01:00

At last it was calm enough to open the mist nets and do some ringing at Nant in the withies at the north end of Bardsey. About 20 birds were caught, which was mix of the resident Wrens & Dunnocks, and some migrant thrushes. However, the star bird was a Firecrest that was retrapped from a few days previously.

Jim

Well, we finally made it to Bardsey

2009-10-17T21:59:00.001+01:00

A long day spent doing last minute shopping and sorting, packing the land rover and trailer, meant that we finally left home in the early hours of Saturday morning and drove through the night to arrive at the beach at Porth Meudwy by midday. The tide was about to turn so it was a hasty transfer onto Benlli 3 and we were on our way. The Sound was the calmest we have ever seen and the seals popped their heads out of the sea to watch us pass.

By lunchtime we had landed and everything was transferred to the tractor and trailer and then deposited at our new home for the next couple of weeks, Plas Lloft.

Our 40+ numbered boxes and 10 barrels of food and supplies, computer stuff, ringing equipment, tools and everything else we felt we could not leave home without took up a lot of the space in our one up, one down accommodation. But, just look at the view!