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Bardsey is a small island off the coast of North Wales. The Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory was founded in 1953 by a group of distinguished Naturalists which included Ronald Lockley and William Condry. The activities of the early years are told in the daily Log book entries, written by visitors and wardens. Now the edited account describes in some interesting and amusing detail the day-to-day life of the fledgling Observatory. The text is lavishly illustrated with period photographs and current ones by the present warden, Steve Stansfield, along with illustrations by his artist wife, Emma.
Joan James is a native of North Wales, born and brought up on Anglesey. Her great-great-great grandmother was born on Bardsey in the 1780's. This fostered an interest in the island and she became a member of the Bardsey Island Trust and the Bardsey Bird and Field Observatory in 2007. In recent years she has visited annually, and has been a volunteer with the digitisation project of the Observatory census and ringing data.
"[...] For those of you who have visited the wonderful island of Bardsey, this book gives a great insight into the origin of the Observatory that we know and love. And for those of you who have yet to visit, hopefully it will inspire you to go and experience the island for yourself. {...]"
– Josie Hewitt, BTO book reviews
"[...] An extraordinary account of voluntary endeavour and fortitude; supplemented by photographs, both historic and more recent, and illustrations by Emma Stansfield, wife of the present long serving warden. If you have never been to Bardsey the book could well lure you there. [...]"
– David Saunders, British Birds
"On July 4, 1953, three men arrived on Bardsey and began the task of renovating Cristin Isaf, one of the island's empty farmhouses. [...] It wasn't much, but it was the start of Bardsey's now famous Bird and Field Observatory. For the next two years the venture's hardy pioneers kept meticulous notes in a logbook. Their reports, wisecracks and observations have now been reproduced in a book that gives a fascinating insight into the observatory's humble beginnings [...]"
– Andrew Forgrave, Daily Post, October 8, 2015
