Saturday 13th March - Friday 19th March 2021.

Intro:

Where to start; a vagrant American duck or early sea-watching opportunities?

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Let’s start with the vagrant American duck or to be more precise a pristine drake.

This winter has been a good one across the UK for Ring-necked Duck, but Anglesey had hitherto failed to register.  Certainly, the lock down restrictions will have reduced the scrutiny of lakes on the island, but the move to ‘stay local’ allowed a WeBS count (BTO Wetland Bird Survey) to take place.  Amongst up to 30 or so Tufted Duck on Llyn Maelog, near Rhosneigr was a splendid drake Ring-necked Duck (16^th-19^th).  Always a little distant, it was nonetheless a very welcome addition to the Anglesey year list.

Ring-necked Duck - Llyn Maelog, 16th March 2021

There are still a few Whooper Swans on the island for those wishing to catch up with them before they depart, including 4 seen over Cemlyn (15^th), up to 4 birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (4 on 17^th, 1 on 16^th), 1 at Llyn Llywenan (17^th) and 3 at Rhosgoch (18^th).   Likewise, there are still good numbers of Brent Geese, but numbers will no doubt soon reduce as birds start their migration north on route back to Arctic Canada.  This week there were still 100 at Penmon (13^th), 183 at the Alaw estuary (14^th), up to 27 at Red Wharf Bay (27 on 14^th, 20 on 15^th), 66 on the Inland Sea between Cymyran and 4 mile-bridge (14^th), 13 at Benllech and 83 at Lleiniog (19^th).  The Long-tailed Duck was seen again at 4-mile bridge (17^th-19^th).  Penmon Point is one of the best sites for Common Eider in the spring, with 50+ (19^th) and 5 birds close by at Traeth Lleiniog (14^th).  20+ Common Scoter were off Benllech (19^th).  35 Gadwall were on the Inland Sea between Cymyran and 4 mile-bridge (14^th), 9 Goldeneye were at Llyn Maelog (16^th) with the latter site also had a single Goosander (16^th).

Seabirds:

So on to seabirds, where the aftermath of last week’s strong winds provided an ongoing opportunity to catch up with an early Manx Shearwater, with 1 off Bull Bay (13^th), 6 off Cemlyn (13^th) and 6 off The Range, near South Stack (13^th).

The cliffs at South Stack are already holding good numbers of Auks, with 3500 Common Guillemot (17^th) and 100 Razorbill (17^th).  Sightings of Black Guillemot included up to 5 in Beddmanarch Bay (5 on 14^th, 2 on 14^th, 1 on 13^th), 5 in Holyhead Harbour (13^th), up to 6 at Holyhead fish quay (6 on 14^th, 5 on 13^th), up to 2 at Lleiniog (2 on 14^th, 1 at 13^th) and 2 at Penmon Point (19^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A Great Northern Diver was in Beddmanarch Bay (13^th) and Red-throated Divers were at Holyhead harbour (12^th & 14^th) and Penmon (19^th).  Up to 3 Slavonian Grebe were on the Inland Sea, Holy Island (3 on 14^th, 2 on 17th, 1 on 19^th) with up to 3 birds in Beddmanarch Bay (3 on 19^th, 1 on 13^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

Reports of 1 ‘booming’ Eurasian Bittern at RSPB Cors Ddyga (16^th-17^th), with another at Llyn Cerrig Bach (17^th) provided just a small window into the true number of birds.  A co-ordinated count of ‘booming’ males identified 6 separate birds (17^th), so here’s hoping that there are a similar number of females and that they have a good breeding season.  Clearly, the RSPB locally need to be congratulated on their habitat management which has made Anglesey’s wetlands so suitable for Bittern. 

The Cattle Egret that has been seen over several weeks 1 mile NE of valley was still present (14^th – 18^th), with 3 Great Egret at RSPB Cors Ddyga (3 on 16^th, 18^th &19^th) and 1 at Llyn Llywenan (19^th).  There was a report of a Glossy Ibis over Rhosneigr (17^th).  A Water Rail at Soldier’s Point (18^th).

Raptors:

Up to 3 Marsh Harrier were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (3 on 16^th and 17^th), with a female at Llyn Trafwll (13^th).  Up to 2 ring-tailed Hen Harrier were at Cors Ddyga (2 on 16^th, 1 on 19^th), which also had up to 2 Short-eared Owl (2 on 19^th, 1 on 16^th & 17^th).  Another Short-eared Owl was seen and photographed at Aberffraw (17^th).  A Little Owl was seen at The Range, South Stack (15^th).

Sightings of Red Kite included 2 birds over Brynsiencyn – with probably the same 2 later over Newborough (13^th), 1 over Talwrn (16^th), 1 over RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th & 19^th) and 2 over Holyhead with presumably the same birds then over Trearddur Bay (19^th).  There was a possible sighting of a Goshawk over Penysarn, Anglesey (15^th) and a Merlin at RSPB Cors Ddyga (19^th).

Waders:

Up to 2 Green Sandpiper were still on the flooded field between Valley cemetery and A55 (2 on 13^th& 18^th, 1 on 16^th).  Sightings of Purple Sandpiper included up to 8 at Trearddur Bay (8 on 13^th, 7 on 14^th, 2 on 18^th), 12 at Cemlyn (13^th), and 6 at Octel shore, Amlwch Port (16^th) – with the latter site also having c.10 Turnstone (16^th).

21 Black-tailed Godwit were seen at Menai Bridge (14^th), with 2 at the ‘gorad’ flood, Valley (13^th – 14^th), 1 on the Inland Sea (14^th) and up to 6 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (6 on 19^th, 2 on 16^th).  66 Bar-tailed Godwit were on the Alaw estuary (14^th), with 30 birds on Inland Sea (17^th).  Most of our estuary habitats continue to hold Greenshank with 1 at Traeth Dulas (13^th), 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (14^th), 4 on the Inland Sea between Cymyran and 4 mile-bridge (14^th), 4 at Red Wharf Bay (14^th) and 4 on the Alaw estuary (14^th).  The wintering Whimbrel was seen again at Red Wharf Bay (14^th &15^th).

There was a good count of 34 Grey Plover on the Alaw estuary (14^th), with a further 3 birds at Cemlyn (14^th) and 3 on the Inland Sea between Cymyran and 4-mile-bridge (14^th).  There were c. 200 Golden Plover at Cemlyn (14^th) and c. 300 Glden Plover at RSPB Cors Ddyga (16^th&19^th).  Jack Snipe continue to be seen with 2 birds on the Inland Sea (14^th), 1 at The Range (15^th) and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga.

Passerines:

Belated news of a wintering Turtle Dove photographed in Cemaes Bay (6^th March).  Spring migrants included a male Northern Wheatear at South Stack (16^th), White Wagtails in same field as the Cattle Egret (16^th) with another at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th), a Willow Warbler at Llyn Maelog (16^th), 4 Sand Martin at Llyn Trafwll (19^th), 1 Sand Martin at RSPB Cors Ddyga (19^th), 2 House Martin at Llyn Trafwll (19^th) and a Swallow at Llyn Trafwll (19^th).  Cetti’s Warblers were singing at regular sites such as Llyn Maelog (16^th) and RSPB Cors Ddyga (16^th), with a sighting also at a new site at Cymyran near RAF Valley (17^th).  A Chiffchaff was singing in a withy at end of runway at RAF Valley (14^th), a pair of Siskin were on garden feeders in Benllech (13^th) and a Water Pipit was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th).  2 Dipper were on the Afon Cefni in the Dingle, Anglesey just below Llyn Pwmp (16^th). There were several sightings of Hooded Crow with 2 birds near the Road Chef, Holyhead (2 on 15^th, 1 on 18^th), 1 at The Range, South Stack (15^th) and 3 at South Stack (17^th).

Gulls and Terns:

There were 7 Mediterranean Gull at Cemlyn (13^th) and 2 at the Inland Sea (17^th).  98 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were counted on the lighthouse island, South Stack (15^th).

The forthcoming week 20^th March – 26^th March?

Still a quiet time for rare and scarce birds with only 2 notable records; a Ring-billed Gull on the Alaw estuary (20^th) in 2003 and a Snowy Owl at South Stack (24^th) in 2018.