Since Cemlyn's first warden, Tom Gravett, stood out on the ridge, 40 years ago, there have been 51 wardens. For many years now there has been a second warden, thanks to additional funding secured from a variety of sources, most recently the Roseate Tern LIFE project. Some wardens return for a second stint – and occasionally several times - enjoying the opportunity for some of the best bird watching Wales can offer. David Wright is one of these “frequent flyers” returning to Cemlyn after stints at other tern colonies around the UK.

Cemlyn has provided a step up the ladder on a career in nature conservation for many former wardens: they have moved on to work for other Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, as researchers for the British Antarctic Survey and also with the statutory conservation agencies in Wales and the rest of the UK.

Chris Wynne, the 10^th warden is now NWWT’s Senior Reserves Manager and a regular visitor through the summer months for those all important liaison meetings with wardens. Julian Thompson now manages the Pensychnant Nature Conservation Centre, near Conwy. One former warden, Mike Dilger, went on to a career in television and visited Cemlyn in the summer of 2021.  But Tom, recently retired from Conwy Council, returned to Cemlyn this Summer with his son to see the elegant tern – a vagrant from the Pacific coast of North America. 

The gallery below highlights a few of the wardens over the years. 

Paying for the summer wardening is a perennial headache but for a number of years the costs were covered by the generosity of a Trust member the late Colin Harrington. During the early 1990's Colin was a regular sight at the reserve, volunteering and generally helping out.

Ever since 1981, the wardens have been supported by volunteers – helping to keep an eye on the tern colony and providing information to the many visitors. And of course helping to set the reserve up for the tern season ... and a few months later put everything away. This work includes putting nest boxes out the islands for the terns, installing the weir logs (read the earlier blog on this subject!) and more recently erecting the electric fence that protects the tern colony.

In the late 1980s and the 1990s egg collecting was a constant worry – particularly when Roseate terns were nesting among the other species – 24 hour watches were common. But the local police were very efficient at catching the culprits and there were several successful prosecutions. Fortunately, that problem seems to have gone but there is always something – particularly predation which can be devastating to the colony.

Over the years since the reserve was established, the help and co-operation we have received from numerous organisations and individuals has been invaluable and much appreciated. John Williams and Bryn Jones the National Trust’s former Anglesey wardens were always generous with their advice and support. Gwynfor Owen, recently retired from the National Trust, was also a great help to the wardens and the Trust alongside his other duties. NRW staff (and its fore-runners) and those from the RSPB on Anglesey have provided advice and practical help over the years.

A special mention should be made of our neighbours and particularly the late John and Nancy Jones, of Plas Cemlyn and more recently their son Tom, who have looked out for our wardens. Looking back to the twentieth century, Jack Parry and his wife Olwen very kindly allowed wardens to survey the colony from the top of the Bryn Aber wall as well as providing more cups of tea and coffee. Every year our neighbours make the wardens, whether new or returning, very welcome and our a key part of our work at Cemlyn.

As well as helping on working parties for many years, Michael Smith carried out winter wildfowl counts and with his friend Stan Baber were regular visitors during their lunch breaks from their work at Wylfa Power Station. Many people, Wildlife Trust members and others, have helped with wardening and working parties. The volunteers often provided help in other ways – being a link to the outside world in pre-mobile ‘phone days – and giving lifts to the supermarkets before most wardens had their own transport! More recently many well-known people from the local birding world have provided advice and help to the wardens – particularly when it comes to spotting unusual (bird) visitors.

And we should not forgot all the many visitors and those who support our work at Cemlyn . For the wardens being able to share their knowledge and passion with others - and then learn from them as well is one of the joys of the job.

Next year will no doubt bring new challenges, perhaps new wardens, and of course many visitors. Find out how you can support our work to protect Cemlyn, spread the word about its wonderful wildlife  and inspire the next generation of conservationists on our Support Us page