Saturday 15th August – Friday 21st August 2020

Intro:

A quiet week, but still good numbers of both waders and warblers on passage.

Waders:

Ruff is a scarce passage migrant on Anglesey, with occasionally a bird or two overwintering.  The last week has proved to be a very good one for this species with one on the Afon Cefni near the railway viaduct (15^th), 3 at Malltraeth / Afon Cefni (17^th) and up to 6 birds on the ‘gorad flood’, Valley (6 on 19^th, 5 on 20^th).  Greenshank continue to be present in good numbers with 12 birds on the Alaw estuary (19^th), 8 birds on the river up from Malltraeth (15^th) and up to 3 birds at Traeth Dulas (19^th).  Sightings of Bar-tailed Godwit included 2 on the Alaw estuary (15^th) and 1 on rocks on the east side of Beddmanarch Bay (15^th).  Reports of Black-tailed Godwit included 1 on the Alaw estuary (15^th), up to 4 birds on the ‘gorad flood’, Valley (3 on 19^th, 4 on 20^th) and one battling the high winds at Cemlyn (21^st).  Only 2 Whimbrel were reported, both birds being on the Alaw estuary (19^th).  In terms of the smaller waders, this is always a good time to catch up with Knot and there were 7 birds at the Alaw estuary (15^th), 1 at Cemlyn (15^th) and 1 at Traeth Dulas (19^th).  There was a good count of 20+ Sanderling at Traeth Cymyran (18^th).  Traeth Cymyran also had 20 + Dunlin and 50 Common Ringed Plover (18^th).  There were similar numbers of Dunlin at the Alaw estuary (15^th, 19^th) and Traeth Dulas (19^th, 20^th), with smaller counts of Common Ringed Plover.  There were 3 Common Sandpiper at the Alaw estuary (19^th).

Passerines:

The highlight was a Whinchat seen along field boundaries off South Stack road (15^th); a definite passage migrant.  Matters are less clear in respect of the flycatchers and warblers seen during the week, which may either relate to breeding birds on Anglesey starting to move or passage migrants from further afield.  Flycatchers were limited to Spotted Flycatchers with 2 at South Stack (15^th), 2 at the Breakwater Country Park (16^th) and 1 at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (19^th).  Blackcaps features strongly with 3 at South Stack (15^th & 19^th) and 8+ at the Breakwater Country Park (16^th).  Likewise, there were a number of reports of Common Whitethroats with 1 on the approach to Malltraeth cob pool (15^th), 2 at South Stack (15^th), 3 at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (19^th) and 3 at South Stack (19^th).  There was just the one report of Sedge Warbler; a bird near Malltraeth cob pool (15^th).  Sightings of Chiffchaff included 2 at South Stack (15^th), 6 at Breakwater Country Park (16^th), 2 at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (19^th) and 4 at South Stack (19^th).   Reports of Willow Warblers included 5 at South Stack (15^th), 2 at the Breakwater Country Park (16^th) and 2 at South Stack (19^th).  There were 2 Wheatear at Cemlyn (15^th) and a late Swift flew past Point Lynas (20^th).

Gulls and Terns:

Terns are starting to leave Cemlyn after their breeding season with a just a few hundred Sandwich Terns and a few pairs of Arctic and Common Terns remaining (15^th).  There were 52 Mediterranean Gulls on the Alaw estuary (19^th) and 2 juvenile birds at Traeth Dulas (20^th & 21^st). 

Herons, Egrets and allies:

There were two reports of Great Egret during the week with one sighting at RSPB Cors Ddyga (15^th) and another at Malltraeth / Afon Cefni (17^th).  

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Teal continue to increase in numbers with 5 birds in off the sea at Cemlyn (15^th) and 4 on the Alaw estuary (19^th).  The eclipse plumage male Eider moved from Hen Borth to Cemlyn (15^th).  A Gadwall was on the ‘gorad flood’, Valley (20^th).

Seabirds:

A single Arctic Skua flew past Cemlyn (21^st).

Divers & Grebes: 

No reports of note during the week.

Raptors:

No reports of note during the week.

Other:

A Kingfisher was seen at Malltraeth / Afon Cefni (17^th).

Species – year to date:

There were no new species for the 2020 Anglesey year list, which remains at 200. 

The forthcoming week 22^nd August – 28^th August?

After a few lean weeks for records of rare and scarce birds, this week marks a return to more respectable numbers.  In respect of waders there was a Temminck’s Stint at Malltraeth (22^nd) in 1970, a Black-winged Stint at Newborough Warren (23^rd) in 1965 and two Pectoral Sandpipers; one at Malltraeth (22^nd) in 1994 and another at the Alaw estuary (27^th) in 1994.  Some colour was added in the form of a European Bee-eater at South Stack (25^th) in 1984 and a Woodchat Shrike at Cemlyn (26^th) in 1981.  There are two records of Cory’s Shearwaters – both in 1985 and both off Fedw Fawr (24^th and 27^th).  Finishing off with the warblers, there was a Melodious Warbler at South Stack (22^nd) in 1987 and a Barred Warbler at South Stack (28^th) in 2004.

Want to know more about historical birding records in North Wales - see: Scarce and Rare Birds in North Wales by Robin Sandham @birdsandbike  ISBN: 978-0-9957428-0-2