Week: Saturday 6th May - Friday 12th June 2026.

It was understandable that Anglesey birders had their heads turned during the week by the discovery of Britain’s first Western Reef Heron just across the Menai Strait at Y Foryd (6th-12th).  Subsequent information suggesting that the same bird had been seen on the 13th May in Pembrokeshire might offer a crumb of hope that it might move further north still and bless Anglesey with a visit.  If not, a prolonged stay around Caernarfon would not be that bad.   

While a notoriously quiet time of year (with the exception of occasional mega rarities!), the week nonetheless provided a few unusual records with unseasonal Great Northern and Red-throated Diver (both off Cemlyn) and a Black Redstart (Rhoscolyn).  The 2nd calendar year female Woodchat Shrike remained at South Stack to the 9th.

There were no new additions to the year list, which remains on 199 (LISTS) - subject to the appropriate records being accepted by the British and Welsh Birds Rarity Committees as applicable.  

Yellowhammer is still a gap in this year’s list, with perhaps the Llanddona area offering the best hope.  If you have seen one, please pass on details of the sighting.  

Wildfowl:

Nothing of note.

Waders:

Whimbrel

1, off Tyn Llan beach, Cemlyn (6th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

1, at Traeth Penial (10th).

Black-tailed Godwit

2, at Valley tidal doors (6th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Puffin

Up to 18, flew past Cemlyn (18 on 7th, 1 on 6th).

Black Guillemot

2, off Porth Amlwch (12th).

Kittiwake

197, flew past Cemlyn (6th).

Grebes & Divers:

Red-throated Diver

1, flew past Cemlyn (7th).

Great Northern Diver

1, on the sea off Cemlyn (6th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Nothing of note.

Raptors:

Marsh Harrier

1, at Llyn Llywenan (6th).

1, male over meadow near Llangefni water treatment plant (9th).

Red Kite

1, at Llyn Llywenan (6th).

3, over A5025 near Pentraeth (10th).

1, at Rhosmeirch (11th).

1, at Llangwyllog (12th).

Passerines & others:

Cuckoo

1, at Valley tidal doors (6th).

Stock Dove

Up to 6, on recently seeded turf fields at Gadfa (6 on 7th, 2 on 11th & 12th).

Kingfisher

1, at the Afon Cadnant (7th).

Woodchat Shrike

1, female at South Stack (6th-9th).

Hooded Crow

1, at Llanfechell (8th).

Cetti’s Warbler

1, at Llyn Llywenan (6th).

1, near Llangefni water treatment plant (9th).

Lesser Whitethroat

1, at Llyn Llywenan (6th).

1, at Valley tidal doors (6th).

1, near Llyn Alaw (6th).

Spotted Flycatcher

1, at Llanfairynghornwy (9th).

Black Redstart

1, female at Rhoscolyn (6th).

Yellow Wagtail - (Blue-headed)

1, at Tyn Llan, Cemlyn (6th).

Week: Saturday 30th May - Friday 5th June 2026.

Last week’s Woodchat Shrike stayed throughout this week - an impressive stay, especially as the previous six records were all just one day birds.
An adult Red-backed Shrike was reported from The Range, but regrettably could not be relocated.
Likewise, photos emerged on social media of an adult Rose-coloured Starling at a private garden in north Anglesey.  Subsequent social media posts pointed to the bird being in the Bull Bay area, but again it was unfortunate that there were no further sightings.
Red-backed Shrike and Rose-coloured Starling were both new for the year and took the cumulative year list up to 199 (LISTS) - subject to the appropriate records being accepted by the British and Welsh Birds Rarity Committees as applicable.  

Wildfowl:

Mute Swan

40+, at Llyn Llywenan (5th).

Shelduck

40, at Traeth Dulas (31st).

Waders:

Golden Plover

1, at the Alaw estuary (4th).

Ringed Plover

65, at the Alaw estuary (4th).

Whimbrel

5, at the Inland Sea (5th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

2, at the Alaw estuary (4th).

Black-tailed Godwit

7, at Valley tidal doors (3rd).

Snipe

1, at Cors Ddyga (5th).

Sanderling

12, at Rhosneigr (3rd).

Little Stint

1, at the Alaw estuary (31st).

Seabirds and gulls:

Puffin

3, off Cemlyn (4th).

Great Black-backed Gull

10, at Traeth Dulas (31st).

Grebes & Divers:

Nothing of note.

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Spoonbill

1, at Cors Ddyga (4th-5th).

Great Egret

1, at Cors Ddyga (4th).

Raptors:

Osprey

1, caught a fish at Cemlyn (2nd).

Hen Harrier

1, female photographed flying through Hen Borth, Cemlyn (30th).

Marsh Harrier

1, female at Llyn Llywenan (5th).

Red Kite

1, over Rhoscolyn (30th).

1, 1 km NE of Llangefni (30th).

1, over Talwrn (2nd).

1, over the A5025 between Llanrhuddlad and Ysgol Rhyd y Llan (5th).

Hobby

1, at Llanddona (30th).

1, over Holyhead mountain (31st).

Passerines & others:

Stock Dove

Up to 6, on recently seeded turf fields at Gadfa (6 on 4th, 3 on 5th).

Swift

3, over Cors Ddyga (4th).

Woodchat Shrike

1, female at South Stack (30th-5th).

Red-backed Shrike

1, at The Range (30th).

Grasshopper Warbler

1, at Cors Bodeilio (2nd).

Cetti’s Warbler

3, at Cors Bodeilio (2nd).

Rose-coloured Starling

1, adult at Bull Bay (30th-31st).

Spotted Flycatcher

2, at Carmel Head (30th).

Northern Wheatear

1, at the Alaw estuary (4th).

Yellow Wagtail - (not-identified, presumed flavissima)

1, flew over Pont Bulkeley, Cors Ddyga (2nd).

Crossbill

7, at Carmel Head (30th).

Siskin

1, male at a garden feeder at Talwrn (30th, 31st, 4th).

Week: Saturday 23rd May - Friday 29th May 2026.

The month of May continued to deliver with 5 new additions to the year list - Hobby, Great Skua, Quail, Little Tern and Woodchat Shrike.
Until fairly recently, Hobby was a rare bird on Anglesey but they have now become pretty much annual albeit still in small numbers.  Two lucky observers had a bird at Cors Ddyga, then another at Red Wharf Bay when it was seen to take a Swallow.
Great Skua are mainly seen on autumn passage, although there are occasional spring sightings.  A singing Quail can normally be expected somewhere at this time of year.  Little Tern is by no means guaranteed, but the past few years have seen regular records with Cemlyn being the most likely location.
Woodchat Shrike is very much a rare bird for Anglesey.  This week’s bird should become only the 7th accepted record.
The 5 new additions to the year list takes the tally up to 197 (LISTS) - subject to the appropriate records being accepted by the British and Welsh Birds Rarity Committees as applicable.  

Wildfowl:

Red-breasted Merganser

2, at Traeth Bychan (23rd).

1, flew past Point Lynas (26th).

Shoveler

4, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Gadwall

4, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Teal

8, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Waders:

Golden Plover

2, at Cemlyn (26th).

2, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Whimbrel

3, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

1, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Black-tailed Godwit

3, at the Inland Sea (27th).

3, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Sanderling

1, at Cemlyn (24th).

32, at Silver Bay, Rhoscolyn (26th).

38, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Dunlin

4, at Cemlyn (25th).

Little Stint

1, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Great Skua

1, flew past Cemlyn (25th).

Black Guillemot

1, flew past Point Lynas (26th).

Little Tern

1, seen in flight at Cemlyn (26th).

Roseate Tern

2, at Cemlyn (23rd, 29th).

Little Gull

1, at Cemlyn (23rd).

1, 2nd calendar year at the Inland Sea (27th).

Manx Shearwater

c. 100, per hour past Point Lynas (26th).

Grebes & Divers:

Nothing of note.

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Quail

1, calling from a cereal field to the east of Maenaddwyn (25th).

Spoonbill

1, at Cors Ddyga (23rd, 27th-29th).

Great Egret

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

Raptors:

Osprey

1, flew west over Cemlyn (24th).

Marsh Harrier

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

1, female over Gadfa (24th).

Red Kite

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

1, north of Llanfachraeth (24th).

1, over Benllech (25th).

Hobby

1, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

1, at Pentraeth end of Red Wharf Bay (27th).

Passerines & others:

Kingfisher

1, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Woodchat Shrike

1, female at South Stack (28th-29th).

Hooded Crow

1, near Eglwys St. Mihangel, Valley wetlands (24th).

Reed Warbler

2, at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (26th).

Grasshopper Warbler

1, reeling from the marshy area between Cafnan farm and Pencarreg, Cemlyn (24th).

Garden Warbler

1, at Llyn Parc Mawr (28th).

Lesser Whitethroat

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

Spotted Flycatcher

1, at Hen Borth (23rd).

1, rear Cafnan farm, Cemlyn (24th).

1, at Carmel Head (27th).

Redpoll

1, at Hen Borth (23rd).

Crossbill

8, at Carmel Head (27th).

Siskin

1, male at Porth Eilian (26th).

c. 4, at Llyn Parc Mawr (28th).

Week: Saturday 16th May - Friday 22nd May 2026.

The 18th provided a bit of a spurt to the year list with three new additions - Curlew Sandpiper, Pomarine Skua and Spoonbill.  It also produced a late Hen Harrier.
A Little Stint (21st) made it four new additions to the year list, while a second Bee-eater for the year (22nd) was noteworthy.  The last two days of the week saw a significant arrival of Spotted Flycatcher, with good numbers of Crossbill on the Friday. 
The four new additions to the year list takes the tally up to 192 (LISTS) - subject to the appropriate records being accepted by the British and Welsh Birds Rarity Committees as applicable.  

Wildfowl:

Eider

Up to 18+, at Moelfre (18+ on 22nd, 16 on 16th).

Common Scoter

5, flew NW past Porth Nobla (19th).

Red-breasted Merganser

2, at Moelfre (16th).

Waders:

Ringed Plover

c. 20, at Malltreath (18th).

12, at Porth Nobla (19th).

Little Ringed Plover

1, flew west over the main scrape at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Whimbrel

2, at Moelfre (16th, 17th).

1, at Cefni estuary (19th).

1, at Traeth Dulas (20th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

1, at Cefni estuary (19th).

Black-tailed Godwit

Up to 10, at Malltraeth cob pool (10 on 19th, 7 on 17th).

Turnstone

3, at Moelfre (18th).

9, at Porth Nobla (19th).

4, at Cemlyn (21st).

Curlew Sandpiper

Up to 2, at Cemlyn (2 on 21st, 1 on 18th-20th).

Sanderling

11, at Porth Nobla (19th).

Up to 2, at Cemlyn (2 on 20th, 1 on 21st).

Dunlin

2, at Porth Nobla (19th).

19, at Cemlyn (21st).

Little Stint

1, around the smaller of the two islands in the lagoon, Cemlyn (21st).

Seabirds and gulls:

Pomarine Skua

1, photographed by swimmers on the beach at Porth Trecastell (18th).

Razorbill

8 pairs, which appear to be breeding on Ynys Moelfre (22nd).

Roseate Tern

2, at Cemlyn (20th).

Grebes & Divers:

Nothing of note.

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Spoonbill

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (18th-19th), with presumably the same at Cors Ddyga (21st-22nd).

Raptors:

Osprey

1, flew west over Carmel Head (22nd).

Hen Harrier

1, female photographed flying through Rhoscolyn (18th).

Marsh Harrier

1, female Cors Ddyga (22nd).

Red Kite

1, over the minor road between Cemlyn and Hen Borth (17th).

Passerines & others:

Cuckoo

1, at Cors Ddyga (22nd).

1, at Carmel Head (22nd).

1, calling at Cemlyn (22nd).

Bee-eater

1, flew west over Carmel Head - photographed (22nd).

Kingfisher

1, along the Afon Cefni, Llangefni (22nd).

House Martin

100+, flew over Carmel Head with good numbers also noted over Cestyll gardens (22nd).

Spotted Flycatcher

7, at Cemlyn (21st).

5, at Hen Borth (21st).

1, along the Afon Cefni, Llangefni (22nd).

8, at Carmel Head (22nd).

1, at Porth yr Ogof, Wylfa (22nd).

Northern Wheatear

1, at Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (17th).

7, on the coastal path between Porth yr Ogof and Porth Wylfa (22nd).

Yellow Wagtail - (not identified to race, presumed flavissima)

1, at Carmel Head (22nd).

Redpoll

10, at Cemlyn (16th).

4, over Cestyll gardens (22nd).

6, at Tyn Llan, Cemlyn (22nd).

Crossbill

14, over Cestyll gardens (22nd).

20+, flew over Carmel Head (22nd).

3, flew over Mynydd Bodafon (22nd).