Saturday 9th January – Friday 15th January 2021.

Intro:

A fairly steady position given restrictions, but still 3 new species for the year list.

Passerines:

The wintering adult Rose-coloured Starling continues to be seen at Amlwch Port (9^th – 15^th), whilst Snow Bunting continue to be seen at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (3 on 10^th, 2 on 15^th).  The Black Redstart is still at Beaumaris (10^th & 11^th) and the Lesser Whitethroat of a presumed eastern form continues to be seen in a private garden at Carreglefn (11^th – 15^th).  Social media posts suggest a number of wintering Blackcap on the island – perhaps the big Garden birdwatch at the end of the month will give insight into just how many there are.  A Hooded Crow is being seen regularly near the Road King, Holyhead (12^th, 14^th) and often favours the construction area nearby.  Another Hooded Crow was seen to fly over Holyhead in the direction of the McDonald’s / Asda area (13^th).  8 Lesser Redpoll were seen at Valley (13^th) and 1 was at Gadfa (15^th).  The Dingle at Llangefni held 10 Nuthatches (10^th).

Waders:

After an absence of a week or more, a Green Sandpiper was again seen on the flooded field between Valley cemetery and A55 (13^th).  Up to 3 Purple Sandpiper were seen from the slipway at Trearddur Bay (3 on 14^th) and 200 Lapwing were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).  Greenshank were seen at Red Wharf Bay (9^th) and at Beddmanarch Bay (12^th).  Sightings of Black-tailed Godwit included 2 birds on the Inland Sea (9^th), 1 bird on the Gorad flood, Valley (12^th, 14^th) and 2 at RSPB Cors Ddyga.  4 Bar-tailed Godwit were seen in Beddmanarch Bay (9^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

25 Pink-footed Geese in fields east of Burwen, nr. Amwch (10^th) was a good count for the island.  Up to 27 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were near the outflow at Benllech (9^th), while up to 6 Common Eider were offshore (6 on 10^th).  The Long-tailed Duck continues to be seen from 4 mile bridge (12^th, 15^th), whilst up to 5 Greater Scaup remain on the Inland Sea (5 on 9^th & 12^th).  210 Shelduck were counted at Red Wharf Bay (9^th).

Divers & Grebes: 

Sightings of Great Northern Diver included up to 3 birds on the Inland Sea (3 on the 12^th), 1 in Beddmanarch Bay (11^th, 14^th), 1 off Beaumaris (13^th – 15^th) and 1 off Benllech (15^th).  Up to 4 Slavonian Grebe were in Beddmanarch Bay (4 on 9th), with up to 2 on the Inland Sea (2 on 15^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Water Rail was seen at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (15^th).

Raptors:

A Northern Goshawk was seen over the approach road to Cemlyn (9^th).  A Merlin was at the Inland Sea (12^th) and 2 Marsh Harriers were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).

Gulls and Terns:

Sightings of Mediterranean Gull included up to 2 birds on the Inland Sea (2 on 9^th) and 3 on the Gorad flood, Valley (14^th).

Seabirds:

Black Guillemot were seen at Beddmanarch Bay (14^th) and at Holyhead Harbour (15^th).

Other:

A Common Kingfisher was on the Inland Sea (12^th).

Species – year to date:

The 2021 Cumulative year list has risen to 138, with the addition of Goshawk (9^th), Common Eider (9^th) and a belated report of Sanderling in the Lligwy area (1^st).

 

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, both for the report and more generally, now stand at £745 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 – for the report, in recognition of the programme of lectures or more generally can be made at: https://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bangorbirdgroup

 

The forthcoming week 16^th – 22^nd January?

A Forster’s Tern was at Holyhead (19^th) in 1986 and presumably the same bird at Holyhead (21^st) in 1989.  A Surf Scoter was in Trearddur Bay (18^th) in 2003, an American Wigeon at Llyn Bodgylched (now seemingly an unwatched site) (21^st) in 1979 and a Little Bunting was at the Braint estuary car park (22^nd) in 2004.