Saturday 17th October - Friday 23rd October 2020

Intro:

The BTO’s October Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) on the 18^th produces a scarce wader and some exceptional counts …

Waders:

In terms of scarcity, a Wood Sandpiper at Traeth Dulas (18^th) takes top prize in the wader category.  Our estuarine sites include some excellent and important habitat for migrating waders as shown by some of the returns shared on social media.  Oystercatcher are a familiar sight along our coastline, but counts of 651 between the Inland Sea/ Beddmanarch / Cymyran (18^th) and a further 384 birds at the Alaw estuary (18^th) were noteworthy and show just how many birds depend on the Anglesey coastline.  Other species included 167 Curlew on Alaw estuary (18^th), over-wintering Whimbrel at Red Wharf Bay (1 on 18^th, 2 on 19^th) and Cemlyn (19^th), 26 Grey Plover on the Alaw estuary (18^th), 30 Grey Plover on the Cefni estuary (17^th), 22 Bar-tailed Godwit on the Alaw estuary (18^th) and 9 Knot on the Alaw estuary (18^th).  Greenshank are always a delight and there are some good numbers about which included 6 birds on the Alaw estuary (18^th), 1 bird at RSPB Valley Lakes (18^th), 11 birds between Cymyran and Four-mile bridge (18^th), 23 birds between the Inland Sea/Beddmanarch Bay/Cymyran (18^th) and 6 birds at Red Wharf Bay (19^th).  Jack Snipe were seen at Red Wharf Bay (18^th & 19^th), Cors Crugyll (18^th), The Range, Holyhead (21^st) and Cemlyn (22^nd).  It appears to be a good autumn for Purple Sandpiper – their visibility perhaps being helped by some big tides – and included up to 9 birds at Cemlyn (9 on 22^nd, 3 on 17^th & 19^th), 1 bird at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (17^th) and 5 birds at Trearddur Bay (19^th).

Purple Sandpiper at Cemlyn by Lewi Burgess

Purple Sandpiper at Cemlyn by Martin Jones

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

9 White-fronted Geese flew past Cemlyn (21^st), with 1 bird past Point Lynas (22^nd).  717 Brent Geese were counted as part of the WeBS count at Traeth Melynog (18^th) (aka Traeth Abermenai) – the highest ever count at this site - with a further 171 Pale-bellied Brent Geese on the Alaw estuary (18^th).  The lone Barnacle Goose was seen again at Cemlyn (17^th).  2 Goosander were on Llyn Maelog (18^th).  353 Shelduck were counted at Traeth Melynog (aka Traeth Abermenai) (18^th), whilst the first returning Goldeneye (3) were on the Inland Sea (18^th).  There were 165 Pintail at Malltraeth cob pool (17^th), 75 Pintail at Traeth Melynog (18^th) and 20 Pintail on the Alaw estuary (18^th).  Wigeon are present in good numbers with 1554 birds between the Inland Sea / Beddmanarch / Cymyran (18^th), 1448 birds at Traeth Melynog (18^th) and 125 birds on the Alaw estuary (18^th) – surely there must be an American Wigeon amongst them waiting to be found!.  Given some of the large numbers of duck counted, it is perhaps surprising that the most notable count for some was the first ever winter WeBS at Llynnau y Fali SSSI (part of RSPB Valley lakes) without any Tufted Duck at all and only 3 Pochard on the whole reserve. 

Divers & Grebes: 

Alongside the returning Goldeneye, the first report was received of returning Slavonian Grebe with 2 birds on the Inland Sea (18^th).  2 Great Northern Diver were seen a Traeth Melynog (aka Traeth Anermenai (18^th) and a Black-throated Diver flew past Point Lynas (22^nd).

Passerines:

The headline passerine was a Woodlark seen to fly west at Cemlyn (21^st).  There were up to 9 Lapland Bunting at Cemlyn (9 on 21^st, 1 on 22^nd) and a Snow Bunting at the start of the Holyhead Breakwater (23rd).  It was an excellent week for Black Redstart with birds near Pen-y-sarn (22^nd) and Soldier’s Point at the start of the Holyhead Breakwater (23^rd).  1, possibly 2, Yellow-browed Warbler were at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (20^th), with 1 the next day presumably being a bird that lingered.  The Breakwater Country Park also hosted a Firecrest (19^th – 20^th).   There were a number of Blackcaps about, with 2 birds at Octel, Amlwch (17^th), up to 4 birds at Soldiers Point, Holyhead (4 on 19^th, 2 on 20^th, 2 on 22^nd), 1 at South Stack (22^nd) and up to 6 at the Holyhead Breakwater Park (6 on 22^nd, 2 on 17^th, 1 on 19^th).  Likewise, there were a number of Chiffchaff about with up to 2 at South Stack (2 on 20^th, 1 on 17^th, 1 on 20^th, 1 on 22^nd) and up to 2 at Soldiers Point (2 on 20^th, 1 on 17^th, 1 on 19^th, 1 on 21^st, 1 on 22^nd).  There were 3 Cetti’s Warbler at RSPB Valley Wetlands (17^th & 18^th), with 2 at Llyn Maelog (18^th).  There are still a few summer migrants with 6 Barn Swallow at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th), 1 Barn Swallow at Bodorgan (18^th) and 2 at Cemlyn (21^st).  A late Northern Wheatear was at Cemlyn (17^th), with the same or another on the 21^st.  18 Rock Pipit were seen on the beach behind Holyhead breakwater (19^th) and 4 Brambling flew over Cestyll gardens, Cemlyn (17^th).  A Hooded Crow was at The Range, Holyhead (21^st) and another at Soldiers Point (23^rd).  A single Coal Tit was at South Stack (22^nd); a patch scarcity.

Snow Bunting at start of Holyhead Breakwater by Steve Culley

Black Redstart, near Pen-y-sarn by Martin Jones

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Great Bittern was seen in flight at RSPB Valley Lakes (17^th), whilst a Great White Egret was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th).  64 Little Egrets were counted as part of the WeBS count between the Inland Sea/ Beddmanarch Bay/ Cymyran (18^th).

Seabirds:

A seawatch off Point Lynas by 1 hardy observer produced a Balearic Shearwater (22^nd), a Manx Shearwater (22^nd) and a Leach’s Petrel (22^nd).  2 Razorbill were on the Inland Sea (18^th), whilst a Common Guillemot was seen feeding in the tidal area of Afon Cefni, just up from road bridge at Malltraeth (17^th).  It was clearly visible underwater and was seen to catch sand eels and the like.

Gulls and Terns:

A single Mediterranean Gull was seen off Soldiers Point (17^th & 19^th).  25 Common Gulls were seen from the sea wall on the Llandonna side of Red Wharf Bay (21^st).

Raptors:

A Merlin was at Porth Llydan / Silver Bay (17^th), and another was over the marsh near Llangefni sewage works (21^st).  2 Barn Owls were seen in the Llanddaniel area (date not noted) and another was accidentally flushed near the stables on Plas Road, Holyhead (21^st).  A Short-eared Owl was seen to fly in over the sea at Cemlyn (21^st).

Other:

A Common Kingfisher was seen at Malltraeth cob pool (17^th).

 

Species – year to date:

The cumulative Anglesey year list for 2020 has risen by 1 to 217 with the addition of Woodlark. 

 

The forthcoming week 24^th October – 30^th October?

A quite week for scarce and rare birds, but some exceptional quality.  A Ring-billed Gull was seen at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (24^th) in 2003, an Isabelline Shrike at Holyhead (25^th) in 1985, a Great Shearwater (25^th) at Point Lynas in 1998, a Blyth’s Reed Warbler at Porth Eilian (27^th) in 2019 and a Green Heron at Red Wharf Bay (30^th) in 2005.

 

What is the WeBS Count? – for those who might not be familiar with the details:

 

Copied from BTO website at: https://bto.org/our-science/projects/wetland-bird-survey

 

 

The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) monitors non-breeding waterbirds in the UK.

WeBS surveyors monitor the UK's internationally important non-breeding waterbirds. Following a tradition begun in 1947, wetland sites are counted once per month, providing data for population and trends in abundance and distribution. The network of sites legally protected for their importance to wintering waterbirds depends fundamentally on the WeBS counts.   "Waterbirds" includes wildfowl (ducks, geese and swans), waders, rails, divers, grebes, cormorants and herons. Gulls and terns are optionally included. In a typical year over 220 waterbird species, races or populations are counted in WeBS, including non-native, feral and vagrant species. National trends are produced for the most numerous 110 of these.

Over 3,000 volunteer counters contribute to the survey, making over 40,000 visits each year to 2,800 sites. Each counter adopts a place to count monthly. Non-breeding waterbird numbers peak in different numbers for different species, so counting is done year-round and reported on WeBS years running from July to June. As non-breeding waterbirds can be very mobile, the Counts are nationally synchronised, with counters requested to visit during the day on priority Core Count dates (Sundays) if at all possible. At coastal locations, counting is done at high tide. At large sites, several counters will be working as a team. Each counter surveys the whole of their defined count area, known as a WeBS sector, identifying all the waterbird species present and counting the number of individuals of each species. Counters can also add supplementary data, such as evening roost counts of gulls, or casual counts of notable numbers of passage species that are higher than those present on their Core Count visits.

Waterbird indices and trends are produced every year for the annual report, "Waterbirds in the UK".  All of these can be viewed on the WeBS Report Online application, with a wealth of other information including the total number of birds recorded at each site, and the peak numbers of each species per year. Results of the Low Tide Counts are also published here, where extra counts are made at Low Tide at certain estuaries each year. For more specialised information, for example for site management, research or environmental impact assessments, there is a bespoke WeBS data request service.

If you are interested in taking part as a counter, the first step is to use the WeBS Vacant Sites tool to see if there are any sites in need of help near you. You need to be able to confidently identify and count all the waterbirds at the site - this might be a few common species at a small lake or river, or it might be a wide range of species at a coastal site with many habitats present. Filling out the online form will put you in touch with your volunteer Local Organiser. There are 140 of these, each covering a region such as a county or estuary. If there are no vacant sites near you but you are keen to get involved, contact the relevant Local Organiser who may be able to set up a new site for you or add you to an existing team.

When you have been assigned a site as a new counter you will receive a new starter pack with more details of the methods. After registering for the WeBS Online data entry system you will be set up for your count sector by your Local Organiser and be able to add your counts each month and see all the previous data for the site. All counters receive a summary annual report and an annual newsletter by post each year and are contributing to the understanding and conservation of our internationally important waterbird populations.