Most of us have  forgotten the  incessant storms of  last winter, but  seabird enthusiasts will  remember the thousands of  seabirds washed up dead onto  beaches in France, Wales and  England.

It will be several years  before the population effects  will be known, because the  birds killed may not yet have  been old enough to breed. 

However, early counts on  Skokholm in Pembrokeshire  indicate lower numbers of  Razorbills, with Guillemots  also down.

Wardens at North Wales  Wildlife Trust’s Cemlyn reserve  were also counting nesting  seabirds at the weekend.

They found 2,567 pairs of  Sandwich Terns, a 19% increase  at Wales’ only colony. These  birds were in west Africa when  the Atlantic storms hit Europe.

The survey also found 73  Common Tern, 36 Arctic Tern  and 370 Black-headed Gull  nests, and a single Roseate  Tern.

It’s a fantastic sight, a busy  place, so do visit before the  birds depart in July.

With the seabird count  complete, one warden found a  singing Blyth’s Reed Warbler  nearby.

Many hoped  this Russian  breeding bird would stay, as  the species has only occurred  once in Wales previously, but  it couldn’t be found on  Sunday.

Late last week Bardsey  hosted a singing Marsh  Warbler, and a Golden Oriole  on Sunday, while Ospreys  were at Malltraeth and Llyn  Brenig, and an unseasonal  Scaup has been at RSPB  Conwy since Friday.

BTO volunteers report good  broods of Pied Flycatchers this  summer, with 124 chicks in  nestboxes in just a single  woodland in the Conwy Valley,  and some eggs still to hatch.

The warm, damp weather is  ideal for birds to find food for  their chicks, but it’s only when  this local data is added to  thousands of other nest counts  and ringing records across the  UK, that we’ll be able to judge  whether 2014 really is a good  year for our birds.


SAT: Guided walk, RSPB Conwy, 11am.

SAT: Nightjar walk, Gwydyr Forest,  9pm, 01492 592247. Meet SH 798 614.

SUN: Spring Guided Walk, RSPB Lake  Vyrnwy, 11am. Book: 01691 870278.

SUN: Cemlyn Creature Count,  1.30pm-4pm.

SAT/SUN: Bird Art exhibition by  Judith Samuel, RSPB Conwy.

WED: Guided walk at RSPB South  Stack, 10am, 01248 681936.

WED: Guided walk, RSPB Conwy,  7pm.