It's been a busy few weeks on the island so much so that this blog has been a tad delayed.
So it's definitely time to fill you in on all things Ramsey!
After a bit of a delay, and some very stormy weather we welcomed our first visitors for the season onto the Island on the 14th of April. It was a beautiful day, and the visitors and ourselves thoroughly enjoyed it. We have continued to welcome visitors to the island over the past week and it's been great to get back into the swing of having members of the public back on the island.
Gower Ranger taking members of the public off the island. © Alys Perry
After the exceptional stormy weather last week, Derek has made massive headway with the bungalow kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen units are all in and the bathroom is now fitted. So it won't be long until it is ready to welcome our first volunteers back in May. It's looking really good and it will be completely unrecognizable to our returning volunteers.
The Bunaglow kitchen with the cabinets, surfaces and floor fitted. © Alys Perry
Between the visitor work, we have continued with our biological monitoring of the various species on the island. We have been monitoring our chough nest sites closely over the past few weeks and several of our pairs now appear to be laying eggs and others incubating which is very exciting! The Choughs have also been keeping themselves busy in the meantime with extracurricular activities....
© Nia Stephens
We have continued conducting our breeding bird surveys across the island over the past couple of weeks and are now seeing signs of nest building for many of the ground-nesting species.
© Alys Perry
Wildlife Roundup
It has been a pretty good couple of weeks in terms of migrants.
We had a big influx of 70+ Blackcaps across the island on the 20th. Including 30+ Willow Warblers and our first Whitethroat of the year.
5 Ring Ouzels also made an appearance on the 20th, followed by another on the 21st and 4 more on the 22nd.
A lovely male Common Redstart dropped in on the Northern end on the 21st.
Our first singing Sedge Warbler was recorded on the 22nd plus a beautiful evening Swift out by the west cliffs. A collared Dove and Common Sandpiper were also added to the year list on the 22nd.
Today a very exciting Hoopoe appeared by the Bungalow at the Northern end of the Island.
Hen Harrier, Merlin, and Red Kite have all been recorded over several days within the last week. A Marsh Harrier was also recorded across the central fields today, which is new for the year.
We had our first Painted Lady a beautiful migrant butterfly appear on the top of Foel Fawr on the 22nd.
In other news, a few more flowering plants are starting to pop up on the island after the wet and wild weather last week. Including Ground Ivy, Lesser Celandines, Common Dog Violet and Thrift.
Until next week!
Alys Perry
Assistant Warden
Assistant Warden Ramsey & Grassholm Island
I'm looking forward to spending the week with you although it's never enough for me. Maybe next year.
Bye for Now
Gwyneth
Great blog guys. I will sort of miss the old kitchen in a crazy sort of way !!