Saturday 7th November – Friday 13th November 2020.

Intro:

A tale of large white birds, late hirundines and the one that got away …

Herons, Egrets and allies:

Over the past 20 years there has been a marked increase in the number of Great White Egrets seen in the UK and this has been mirrored on Anglesey albeit that the frequency of sightings has increased more recently.  Whilst RSPB Cors Ddyga is known to have had up to 4 birds in the past, the sight of at least 6 birds on wet fields to the east of Llyn Alaw as viewed from the Rhosgoch road (7^th) was - in the view of seasoned observers - a new high count for any Anglesey site.  In addition to sightings around the wider Llyn Alaw area, other reports of Great White Egrets came in from near Cemlyn (9^th), RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th) and the Inland Sea (12^th).  Little Egrets are very much an established part of Anglesey’s avifauna – 12 were reported from RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th).  Sightings on Great Bittern have been few of late, so it was good to receive news of a bird seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th & 12^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Continuing with the large white bird theme, Whooper Swans were reported from several sites across the week with 13 birds on the Inland Sea (7^th), 3 in flight over Cors Goch (7^th), 2 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th) and another near Llanerchymedd (9^th).  

Whooper Swans over Inland Sea by Steve Culley

There were 283 Brent Geese on Inland Sea (7^th), with 27 birds at Traeth Lleiniog (9^th) and up to 37 at Red Wharf Bay (37 on 11^th).  The Inland Sea and Llyn Coron are probably our two best sites for Greater Scaup and both delivered during the week with up to 6 birds on the Inland Sea (6 on 13^th) and 1 at Llyn Coron (10^th).  13 Eider were seen to fly over the Inland Sea and on over the embankment (7^th), while 18 Pintail (7^th) and 10 Goldeneye were more settled on the Inland Sea itself (7^th).  There are good numbers of Teal wintering with c. 300 seen on a farmland pool near Talwrn (7^th).

Passerines:

The relatively mild November weather has produced some late hirundines, with a Swallow at Carmel Head / Mynachdy (10^th), a House Martin at Carmel Head / Mynachdy (10^th) and a Sand Martin at Cemlyn (11^th).  However, the most intriguing bird - and the one that got away - was the sighting of a Swift at the former Octel site, Amlwch (10^th).  The late date and a few stills taken from brief video footage suggested the possibility of a Pallid Swift, but alas the bird was not present the following morning - much to the chagrin of those who had assembled, whilst maintaining social distance, for first light.

A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Benllech (13^th), 3 Cetti’s Warblers were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (10^th), a Chiffchaff was at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (13^th) as was a Blackcap.  A Firecrest was near the water treatment plant, Octel, Amlwch (7^th) with another at Llangoed (13^th).  Black Redstart were seen near Amlwch (9^th) and at Carmel Head / Mynachdy (10^th).  Lapland Bunting were seen and heard to fly over Carmel Head / Mynachdy (10^th) and Cemlyn (11^th), with 2 Snow Bunting on the rough ground at the start of Holyhead Breakwater (13^th).  A Water Pipit was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th), whilst a Hooded Crow was at the The Range, South Stack (9^th), with another at Henborth, near Cemlyn (9^th & 11^th). 

Black Redstart near Amlwch by Martin Jones.

Divers & Grebes: 

Up to 4 Great Northern Diver were in the Beddmanarch Bay / Inland Sea area – with 2 seen in each area (8^th).  Up to 4 Slavonian Grebe on the Inland Sea (8^th), with up to 3 birds at Beddmanarch Bay (3 on 13^th) – as with the Great Northern Divers there is always the possibility of movement of birds between the two sites.  There were 14 Little Grebe on the Inland Sea (7^th).

Waders:

Purple Sandpipers were reported from 3 locations, with 1 on the Inland Sea (7^th), 3 at Trearddur Bay (11^th) and 3 at Cemlyn (11^th).  Up to 3 Greenshank were at Red Wharf Bay (3 on 12^th) and 1 was on the Inland Sea (7^th).  The Inland Sea (7^th) also held 19 Grey Plover, c.50 Common Ringed Plover, 5 Knot, and c.160 Dunlin.  Building on last week’s first reports of Woodcock, further birds were seen with 5 flighting out of wet scrub north of Talwrn (7^th), 2 over the Cefni estuary (8^th) and 1 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (13^th).  2 Jack Snipe were seen on The Range, South Stack (9^th), with 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th).  RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th) also held 75 Common Snipe, 200+ Lapwing and 15 Black-tailed Godwit (9^th).  4 Bar-tailed Godwit were at Beddmanarch Bay (8^th) and a Whimbrel was at Red Wharf Bay (13^th).

Raptors:

An excellent week for records of Hen Harrier and Merlin.   A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was at Henborth (7^th), a male was on the Cefni estuary (8^th), a male was at Aberffraw (10^th) and a ring-tailed was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (10^th).  Up to 2 Marsh Harriers were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 12^th), whilst a Red Kite (first to be reported for some time) was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th).  Merlin were seen on the Cefni estuary (8^th), The Range, South Stack (9^th), RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th & 10^th) and Red Wharf Bay (11^th).  A

Little Owl was at The Range, South Stack (9^th).

Gulls and Terns:

5 Mediterranean Gulls were on the Inland Sea (7^th), with 2 at Beddmanarch Bay (8^th).

Seabirds:

No seabirds of note were reported.

Other:

A Kingfisher was seen on the Afon Cefni (9^th), with another on the old brickworks pool, Traeth Dulas (10^th).

Species – year to date:

No new species were seen this week, with the cumulative 2020 year list remaining on 218.  Oh, a Pallid Swift would have been most welcome …

The forthcoming week 14^th November – 20^th November?

There was a Bean Goose at Llyn Coron (14^th) in 2011, a Glossy Ibis at RSPB Cors Ddyga (15^th) in 2011, a Purple Heron at Cors Crygill (18^th) in 2014 and a Green-winged Teal (19^th) in 1984.  And just to prove that the magic of autumn migrant warblers is not completely behind us, there was a Pallas’s Warbler at South Stack (15^th) in 1987.