Saturday 31st October – Friday 6th November 2020.

Intro:

A good selection of sightings despite the firebreak lockdown, with the late autumn/early winter weather heralding a changing of the guard.

Passerines:

The first two weeks of November are the last hurrah in respect of migrant passerines, before many observers will turn to wintering divers and duck.  This week didn’t disappoint with a Yellow-browed Warbler in trees near St David’s Park from coastal footpath between Benllech and Traeth Coch (1^st), a Firecrest at South Stack (2^nd), a Ring Ouzel on a field at Mynydd Bodafon (2^nd), a Black Redstart on a house at Mynydd Bodafon (6^th) and a Snow Bunting over Elin’s Tower, South Stack (6^th).  Brambling are still being recorded at coastal migration sites with 4 at South Stack (6^th), but are also now being seen at garden feeding stations with a female at Talwrn (1^st) and another bird at a garden in Benllech (6^th).  10 Siskin were at Cefni Reservoir (6^th) and there were Hooded Crows at South Stack (6^th) and Henborth (6^th).  A Chiffchaff was at South Stack (2^nd) and there was a belated report of the Rosy Starling at garden feeders in Bull Bay as recently as the 29^th so the bird may still be in the area.  Is it too much to hope that it stays into the New Year for the 2021 year list?

Divers & Grebes: 

There was a marked increase in the number of reports of Great Northern Diver.  Birds at Beddmanarch Bay and Inland Sea are probably moving between the two locations, with 2 Great Northern Diver at Beddmanarch Bay (3^rd) and 2 Great Northern Diver on the Inland Sea (4^th & 6^th).  Elsewhere, there was a Great Northern Diver on the sea off Bull Bay (1^st), 1 at Cemlyn (4^th) and 1 off Moelfre (4^th).  2 Slavonian Grebes were seen on the Inland Sea (31^st & 6^th), with 1 in the mouth of the Alaw estuary (5^th).  17 Little Grebes were counted on Cefni reservoir (6^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

5 Whooper Swans were seen over Traeth Dulas (4^th), with 4 Whooper Swans (part of same group?) then seen flying east past Amlwch (4^th).  A further 2 Whooper Swans were on the Inland Sea (6^th).  A Snow Goose, along with 3 Barnacle Geese, was seen with a flock of Greylag Geese south of Llyn Trafwll (2^nd).  A Long-tailed Duck was seen to fly over the Cefni estuary (31^st), with 2 Long-tailed Ducks being seen and photographed on the Menai Strait at Brynsiencyn (3^rd).  5 Greater Scaup were on the Inland Sea (6^th).  30+ Common Scoter were seen off Benllech (1^st).  A female Goosander was on the Afon Crigyll at Rhosneigr (6th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

3 Great White Egrets were in a sheep field adjacent to Afon Alaw east of Llanerchymedd; viewed from St Ceidio’s church, Rhodogeidio (5^th & 6^th).  A Water Rail was on a marsh north of Talwrn (5^th).

Waders:

The wintering Whimbrel was seen again at Bull Bay (1^st).  8 Purple Sandpiper were seen at Cemlyn (3^rd), with a further 3 Purple Sandpiper seen at Trearddur Bay (3^rd).  2 Jack Snipe were at Cemlyn (4^th) and 1 was on a marsh north of Talwrn (5^th).  On the Alaw estuary there were 3 Greenshank (5^th), 19 Bar-tailed Godwit (5^th), 2 Grey Plover (5^th) and 110 Lapwing (5^th).   Woodcock have returned, with 2 at South Stack (6^th) and 1 at Wylfa woods (6^th).

Seabirds:

A Black Guillemot was seen at Beddmanarch Bay (3^rd) and 5 Razorbill were on the Inland Sea (3^rd).

Raptors:

A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was seen, from Bangor pier, to fly east on to Anglesey (4^th). A Barn Owl was seen over a marsh north of Talwrn (5^th). 

Gulls and Terns:

The heady days of July and August when Mediterranean Gulls regularly exceeded a 100 birds are now well behind us, with most sites just reporting single birds.  Single birds were reported from Trearddur Bay (3^rd), the mouth of the Alaw estuary (5^th) and on the Inland Sea (6^th).  The only report of multiple birds involved 4 (3 adults and 1 2nd year) at Beddmanarch Bay (5^th).

Other:

115 Red-legged Partridge were counted on a single 4 acre-field near Cefni reservoir (6^th).

 

Species – year to date:

There were no new additions to the Anglesey 2020 year list, with the cumulative Anglesey year list remaining at 218. 

 

The forthcoming week 7^th November – 13^th November?

Some of the historical records are probably of limited use in predicting vagrancy in modern times, but nonetheless birders may hope wishfully for a repetition.  A Yellow-billed Cuckoo would be a case in point, with the only Anglesey record – and the 1^st for Wales – being at Menai Bridge on the 10^th November 1899.  In more recent times by comparison, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at Cemlyn on the 13^th November 1977.