Bardsey 2025 - the seal rookeries at pupping time

The main grey seal haul-out on Bardsey. Mostly mature females, some with pups tucked away on the adjacent shore.

I was again delighted to visit Bardsey Island on the northwest corner of Wales to take a look at the seals during their Autumn pupping season. The highly varied shores of the island provide many nursery sites for them. Here are some images. A major storm (Storm Amy) came in during this visit.

Looking east towards 'the mountain' and the Bird Observatory from the south end of the island.

Welcome signs at the landing site.
The lower sign is an encouragement not to disturb the seals.

Some of the locals.

The island is famous for its birds (here is a cormorant)
and its Bird and Field Observatory.

The ancient walls blessed by clean air host a richness of lichens.

Here a recently moulted seal pup shares a big rock pool with some mallards. This is a good opportunity to build swimming muscles before he makes his first trip out into the open sea.

A whiskery kiss - mother and her white-coated pup.

Looking west to the lighthouse as the light starts to fade.

A very new pup - still with a little bit of umbilical cord showing. This will shrivel and fall off soon. 
This particular little pup also has some interesting dark markings on his face and paws. 

Red-billed choughs are an island speciality. These two were gently preening each other.
They pair for life.

Domestic ducks at the island farm. 

Another of the island's rarer life forms.

The Bird and Field Observatory.

The window in the old school house.

A raven passes high overhead.
Their distinctive - gronk, gronk, gronk - call is one of the island's characteristic sounds.

Chough feeding on the strandline.

A recently moulted pup perhaps thinking about what to do next. 

The beautiful innocent face of a recently moulted pup.
At this age they know no fear.

Mother and pup.

A fat little white-coated pup rests between feeds.

A sandy little pup after the storm.

Storm Amy made 'marine snow' - the combination of wind and rotting seaweeds making a foam which blows across the island including the sites where the seals and their pups are living.

High seas off the island.

Sea foam or 'snow'.

A European shag.

Tracks in the sand - people and birds.

A mature bull calls out to warn off a competitor - he then chased him from the shore.

A magnificent bull seal sleeps in the shallows. 

A wonderful new addition to this island with its creator Malcolm Hastings. 

This work of art can be found in the boat house at the landing site. 

Here the ferry comes to take us away.

View from the ferry as we leave. The boat house to the right. 

View of the island from the boat - many friends and colleagues will recognise 'the cliff' viewing site from which teams of researchers used to scan for porpoises and dolphins.

On the mainland - the walk from the landing site is decorated with autumn berries,
including those of the dodder and the black thorn.

Farewell Bardsey!

View from the island across The Sound.

With grateful thanks to Mick Green for facilitating this visit and to the Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory for hosting. More about the Observatory HERE