Saturday 30th January – Friday 5th February 2021.

Intro:

Cumulative 2021 year list ticks up by 4 to 144. 

Herons, Egrets and allies:

The Cattle Egret is still 1mile NE of Valley (31^st – 2^nd), but perhaps the more interesting story is just how many Great Egrets are about.  Sightings of Great Egret included 1 on fields by the Rhosgoch turning (30^th, 1^st), 2 at Cors Erddreiniog (3^rd), 2 at Llyn Llywenan (4^th), 2 on Llangefni marshes (between Llangefni and RSPB Cors Ddyga) (4^th) and 1 at Llyn Llygerian (5^th).  Great Egret was only added to the list of British breeding birds as recently as 2012.  Given how many birds find Anglesey to their liking, speculation has already started as to how long it might be before a pair stay and breed. 

Passerines:

It has been a good year for Black Redstart, with a male (4^th) and a female/immature (31^st- 5^th) still present at the former Octel site, Amlwch Port.  The Rose-coloured Starling is still present close by at Amlwch Port (31^st- 3^rd) and 2 Chiffchaff are still at the water treatment plant, Octel, Amlwch Port (31^st).  A Firecrest at Pentraeth forest (30^th) was the first Anglesey record for 2021.  There are still 2 Snow Bunting at Soldier’s point at start of Holyhead Breakwater (30^th - 2^nd) and the Lesser Whitethroat is still at Carreglefn (1^st).  Sightings of Hooded Crow included birds at the Range, Holyhead (31^st - 3^rd) and at Roadking, Holyhead (31^st - 3^rd).  A singing Dipper was on the Afon Cefni in Llangefni town centre (31^st).

Waders:

The Green Sandpiper continues to be seen on the flooded field between Valley cemetery and A55 (30^th- 4^th).  Sightings of Jack Snipe included a bird in flight at Aberffraw common (30^th), 1 at the Range, Holyhead (3^rd), followed by 2 at the same site the following day (4^th) and 1 at Octel, Amlwch Port (5^th).  Also present at the Range, Holyhead were 20+ Common Snipe (4^th).  Purple Sandpiper were seen at Trearddur Bay with 10 birds (1^st) and 4 (3^rd).  A Greenshank was at 4-mile bridge, Holy Island (3^rd).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

The swan herd at Llanfigael has grown to 26 birds with 14 Mutes and 12 Whooper – 3 of which are juveniles (3^rd).  Elsewhere, 3 Whooper Swans were seen to fly over Bull Bay (31^st) and 3 were seen at Rhosgoch (4^th).  Another new addition to the 2021 year list comes from confirmation that 18 Greenland White-fronted Geese are wintering in the Cefni valley (31^st).  A single Pink-footed Goose was between Cae Elen and Llanfihangel yn Nhowyn road, north of Llyn Trafwll (4^th) and in the same mixed flock of Greylags and Canadas there were also 2 Barnacle Geese (4^th).  The Long-tailed Duck continues to be seen at 4-mile bridge, Holy Island (1^st-5^th) and another was seen again at Cors Erddreiniog (4^th).

Divers & Grebes: 

Sightings of Great Northern Diver included 1 off Beaumaris (31^st), 1 in bay behind the Holyhead breakwater (2^nd), and 1 in Beddmanarch Bay (3^rd).  There were 2 Red-throated Diver off Moelfre (3^rd) and 3 at Traeth Lligwy (5^th).  There were up to 4 Slavonian Grebe in Beddmanarch Bay, Holyhead (4 on 1^st), with at least 2 at the same time on the Inland Sea (1^st). 

Raptors:

An immature male Hen Harrier was seen hunting around Mynydd Bodafon (1^st), whilst a female was at Cors Erddreiniog (4^th).  There was a second sighting of a Goshawk near Cestyll gardens, Cemlyn (1^st).  A Red Kite was seen between Llangefni and RSPB Cors Ddyga (4^th), whilst presumably a 2^nd bird was seen feeding on the ground for over an hour at Coedana, near Llanerchymedd (4^th).  A Marsh Harrier was at Cors Erddreiniog (3^rd) and a Merlin was seen on a garden fenceline south of Llyn Trafwll (4^th).

Gulls and Terns:

A Yellow-legged Gull was seen at Penhesgyn tip (3^rd) and a Mediterranean Gull was at 4-mile bridge (3^rd).

Seabirds:

Sightings of Black Guillemot included 1 bird in Holyhead harbour (31^st) and 3 at Traeth Lligwy (5^th).  c. 200 Razorbill and Guillemot were seen off Moelfre (4^th), with an impressive count of 55 Cormorants and 30 Shags on Ynys Moelfre (4^th).

Species – year to date:

Firecrest, Greenland White-fronted Goose and Yellow-legged Gull were new for the year, plus there is a belated report of a Whimbrel from Cemlyn (17^th & 29^th) so 4 new additions to the 2021 Cumulative year list which increases to 144.

 

The forthcoming week 6^th – 12^th February?

A Black-crowned Night-Heron was at Menai Bridge (7^th) in 1960 and was considered as a likely escapee from the free flying colony at Edinburgh Zoo.  A Green-winged Teak was at Llyn Coron (11^th) in 2010 and a Bonaparte’s Gull was at Traeth Lligwy (12^th) in 2011.  Pride of place, however, must go to Ken Croft’s find of a Black-browed Albatross flying past the Range (12^th) in 2005 – just rewards for the commitment and determination of a sea-watch so early in the year.