Saturday 2nd January – Friday 8th January 2021.

Intro:

Wintering warblers!

Passerines:

The highlight of the week was the range of warblers sighted on Anglesey.  Cetti’s Warbler are resident in small numbers and 2 were reported from Llyn Maelog (3^rd).  Blackcap is a scarce winter visitor and a female/ juvenile was seen at a private residence near Cemlyn (2^nd).  Common Chiffchaff can usually be found at most of the water treatment plants on the island, but during this week 4-5 birds were reported from a small copse at the north-west end of Llyn Llywenan (2^nd).  More excitingly, a Yellow-browed Warbler was seen amongst them (2^nd).  It is not unusual for birds to be identified from photos posted on social media and this week a Lesser Whitethroat was identified from a photograph taken at Carreglefn (4^th).  So, 5 species of warbler in the depths of winter!

The wintering adult Rose-coloured Starling continues to be seen at Amlwch Port (2^nd – 8^th), whilst the now established Snow Buntings continue to be seen with 3 birds at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (2^nd- 8^th) and 3 birds at Cemlyn (2^nd – 4^th).  Circa 12 Lesser Redpoll were seen at Pentraeth forest (3^rd), 8 Skylark were seen on a stubble field between the Range and South Stack (6^th) and a small flock of Linnet were between the A5025 and Cleifog Fawr (3^rd).  Nuthatch were seen at Llangefni (3^rd), with Treecreeper at Llyn Parc Mawr (3^rd) and Cefni reservoir (6^th).  2 Dipper were displaying and singing by the Council Offices, Llangefni (2^nd).

Waders:

12 Purple Sandpiper were at Cemlyn (2^nd), with 3 birds on the rocks near Octel (8^th).  There are large numbers of Eurasian Golden Plover on fields between Bodorgan and Aberffraw, and a little further up the coast c. 1000 were seen on fields behind Porth Cwyfan (4^th).  3 Eurasian Golden Plover were with Lapwing on the Alaw estuary (3^rd).  2 Greenshank were at 4 Mile bridge (3^rd), as were c. 10 Knot (3^rd).  30 Bar-tailed Godwit were on the Alaw estuary (2^nd), a Woodcock was at Talwrn (2^nd) and a Jack Snipe on a marsh NWW of Talwrn (2^nd).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Sightings of Whooper Swan included 5 birds on fields between Bodedern and Llanddeusant (2^nd & 3^rd) and 20 birds near Tre-Ysgawen hall (3^rd).  There was a belated identification from photographs of 2 Tundra Bean Geese over Cemlyn (1^st), whilst a Pink-footed Goose was seen in fields behind Beaumaris Caste (4^th).  3 Barnacle Geese were at Llyn Llywenan (2^nd & 3^rd), and presumably the same birds were then seen at Llyn Trafwll (4^th).  The Long-tailed Duck remained at 4 mile bridge, Holy Island (3^rd-4^th), whilst another bird was seen on the lake at Cors Erddreiniog (6^th).  Up to 5 Greater Scaup continued to be seen on the Inland Sea from the Anchorage hotel (5 on the 4^th), with 2 viewable from the cob (7^th).  c.125 Northern Shoveler were noted at RSPB Cors Ddyga (3^rd).

Divers & Grebes: 

Great Northern Diver continue to be seen around the island with 1 off Beaumaris (3^rd-5^th), 1 on the Inland Sea (3^rd-5^th), 1 off Aberffraw (4^th) and 1 in Beddmanarch Bay (7^th).  A Red-throated Diver was in Holyhead harbour (3^rd), with 3 birds at Traeth Lligwy (6^th).  Up to 4 Slavonian Grebe were on the Inland Sea (4 on 2^nd), 1 bird was seen in Beddmanarch Bay (7th), whilst 1 was seen off Beaumaris pier (2^nd).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Great Egret was at Llyn Llywenan (2^nd & 3^rd).

Raptors:

After regular sighting during Spring and Summer, reports of Red Kite have become few in number so it was good to hear of 1 over Talwrn (6^th).  At RSPB Cors Ddyga, there was a male Marsh Harrier (3^rd), a ringtail Hen Harrier (3^rd), a Merlin (3^rd) and a Short-eared Owl (3^rd).  A Little Owl was on the Range, South Stack (6^th) and a Peregrine was on the Alaw estuary (3^rd).

Gulls and Terns:

Up to 2 Mediterranean Gull on the Inland Sea (2 on 3^rd).

Seabirds:

There were a number of reports of Gannet, with birds seen flying past Octel (2^nd) and the Range, South Stack (6^th).

Other:

A Common Kingfisher on the inland Sea (5^th).

 

Species – year to date:

The 2021 Cumulative year list is already up to 135; over 61% of last year’s total!

 

The forthcoming week 9^th – 15^th January?

A Forster’s Tern was at Holyhead (10^th) in 1988 and we are overdue another.  A Bonaparte’s Gull was at Traeth Lligwy (14^th) in 2010 and a Cattle Egret at Llyn Alaw (15^th) in 1981.

 

2020 Annual Report of Bird Sightings

A big thank you to those of you who have requested a copy of the 2020 Annual Report and made donations to the Bangor Bird Group’s Just Giving Page.  Donations, for both the report and more generally, now stand at £616 which will aid the Group in continuing to run a full program of lectures via zoom until such time as physical meetings can resume.

If you want a copy of the report, please email angleseybirdnews@gmail.com so that a PDF copy can be provided by return.  Donations to the Bangor Bird Group can be made at: https://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bangorbirdgroup