Saturday 12th December– Friday 18th December 2020.

Intro:

Frohe Weihnachten! – Merry Christmas!

Waders:

Why the German I hear you ask?  Well, it provides a link into an account of a German ringed Eurasian Curlew seen and photographed by Tony White in fields around the east car park at Cemlyn on the 8^th December.  The colour-ringed bird was 1 of 54 birds feeding in adjacent fields.  Details of the ringing only emerged this week, where the ringing scheme coordinator advised that the bird had been ringed as a hand raised chick on the 04/07/2012 by his father – Manfred Kipp – at the zoo in Nordhorn, Germany.  The bird was subsequently released into the wild at Hestrup, Germany.  There had been no previous sightings of the bird until that at Cemlyn.  An amazing account.

Photo: Colour-ringed Eurasian Curlew, Cemlyn, 8th December by Tony White.

Up to 2 Green Sandpiper continue to be seen on the flooded field between the Valley cemetery and the A55 (2 on 14^th).  9 Purple Sandpiper were seen from the lifeboat slipway at Trearddur Bay (14^th), with 6 Purple Sandpiper at Cemlyn (17^th).  Sightings of Greenshank included 11 birds recorded during the WeBS count that took place at the Inland Sea / Beddmanarch Bay / Alaw estuary and Cymyran (12^th), 4 at Red Wharf Bay (17^th), 2 at the old brickworks pool, Traeth Dulas (17^th) and 1 at Malltraeth (12^th).  Sightings of Godwits included 11 Black-tailed Godwit at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th) and 61 Bar-tailed Godwit on the Alaw estuary (12^th).  Grey Plover sightings included 19 birds at the Alaw estuary (12^th), 15 birds between Cymyran and Four mile bridge (12^th), 9 at Cemlyn (12^th) and 1 at Red Wharf Bay (12^th & 17^th).   Sightings of Knot included 94 at the Alaw estuary (12th) and 45+ at Red Wharf Bay (12^th).  Jack Snipe were seen at a marsh north of Talwrn (12^th), at Red Wharf Bay (15^th) and at the former Octel site, Amlwch (17^th).  5 Woodcock were at the aforementioned marsh north of Talwrn (12^th), as well 50 Common Snipe (16^th).  A further 60 Snipe were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th).  The overwintering Whimbrel was again at Red-Wharf Bay (17^th).

The WeBS count data for the past 4 months for the Inland Sea / Beddmanarch Bay / Alaw Estuary / Cymyran area shows some interesting variation in the number of particular species seen.  Lapwing wasn’t recorded during September, numbers rose to 126 in October, more than doubled to 280 in November before a whooping rise to 1434 in December.  Likewise, Dunlin numbers have were fairly steady at 120 in September and 117 in October before more than doubling to 352 in November and more than doubling again to 794 in December. 

Passerines:

The adult Rose-coloured Starling continues to be seen in a private garden at Amlwch Port (12^th – 18^h).  Also holding on are the 3-4 Snow Bunting at Soldiers Point that favour the rough ground at start of breakwater (12^th – 14^th), with a further 3 Snow Bunting on the beach at Llandonna (15^th).  Red Wharf Bay also held 2 Water Pipit (15^th) and a Twite (15^th), the latter being a new bird for the Anglesey 2020 year list.

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

4 Whooper Swan were near Rhosgoch (12^th), while the 3 Barnacle Geese continued to be seen at Llyn Llywenan (12^th).  14 Brent Geese were at Red Wharf Bay (12^th).  Up to 7 Greater Scaup remain on Inland Sea (7 on the 12^th).  The Long-tailed Duck was reported again at Four-mile bridge (17^th), with 7 Greater Scaup on the Inland Sea (12^th).  Llyn Maelog held 14 Goldeneye (12^th), 14 Pochard (12^th) and 2 Goosander (12^th).  There were 34 Pintail on the Alaw estuary (12^th), 400 Wigeon between Cymyran and Four mile bridge (12^th) and 146 Tufted Duck on Llyn Cefni (15^th).  52 Red-breasted Merganser were recorded during the WeBS count that took in the Inland Sea / Beddmanarch Bay / Alaw estuary and Cymyran (12^th). 

Divers & Grebes: 

Great Northern Diver continue to be seen at various sites around the coast with 1 at Cemlyn (12^th & 17^th), 1 on the Inland Sea (12^th) and 1 at Red Wharf Bay (15^th). There were 3 Red-throated Diver on Inland Sea (12^th) and 1 at Cemlyn (12^th & 17^th).  3 Slavonian Grebe were at the Inland Sea (14^th).  Little Grebe numbers have been in double figures at Llyn Cefni with 10 (12^th) and 17 (15^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Great Egret was in fields at the Rhosgoch turnoff (15^th), with another bird at Llyn Llywenan (17^th).

Raptors:

A male and a female Marsh Harrier were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th).  RSPB Cors Ddyga also produced a Merlin (12^th), a Short-eared Owl (12^th) and a Barn Owl (12^th).  Another Barn Owl was seen north of Talwrn (16^th).

Gulls and Terns:

No particular sightings of note.

Seabirds:

No particular sightings of note.

Other:

A Common Kingfisher was at the mouth of the Afon Nodwydd, Red Wharf Bay (12^th).

 

Species – year to date:

The Twite at Red Wharf Bay (15^th) was a new addition to the Anglesey 2020 year list, taking the cumulative total to 220.

 

The forthcoming week 19^th December – 25^th December?

5 Cattle Egret were near Pont Marquis (25^th) in 2016.