Saturday 10th April - Friday 16th April 2021.

Intro:

7 new additions to the cumulative year list, courtesy of 6 spring migrants and 1 winter visitor moving north.

Passerines:

The highlight this week was the return of a number of spring migrants, albeit still in relatively small numbers.  There were 6 new additions to the 2021 Anglesey year list courtesy of spring migrants, which included Ring Ouzel, Common Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Common Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, and Grasshopper Warbler.  The Ring Ouzel was a male seen and photographed at RAF Valley, on the Cymyran side (14^th- 15^th), while the Common Cuckoo was heard calling at Rhosneigr (14^th).  RSPB Cors Ddyga provided the remaining four new additions of spring migrants with a fly over Tree Pipit (16^th), a Common Whitethroat heard singing (13^th), a Reed Warbler heard singing (15^th) and 2 Grasshopper Warbler hearing ‘reeling’ (13^th).  Further reports of Grasshopper Warblers subsequently came from Llyn Maelog (14^th), Rhoscolyn (15^th) and Rhydwyn (16^th).  A second report for the week of Common Whitethroat came from the Alaw estuary (16^th).

Further to last week’s report of the first returning Sedge Warbler, there were several reports this week including 2 singing birds at RSPB Valley Lakes (12^th), RSPB Cors Ddyga (13^th), 2 at Llyn Maelog (14^th) and 1 at Rhydwyn (16^th).  Cetti’s Warbler were reported from 3 sites with 8 birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (13^th), 3 birds at Llyn Maelog (14^th) and 1 at Rhydwyn (16^th).

Passage migrants included some good counts of Northern Wheatear and white wagtails – the continental form of our Pied Wagtail.  Counts included 18 Northern Wheatear between Cestyll and Hen Felin (14^th) and 19 at The Range, Holyhead (15^th).  There were 58 White Wagtail between Cestyll and Hen Felin (14^th), 11 on the Alaw estuary (16^th) and 3 at Red Wharf Bay (14^th).  4 Crossbills flew over South Stack (11^th) .

There are still a few winter visitors being found with 1 possibly 2 Lapland Bunting at Cemlyn (11^th), with another flying east at Hen Borth (14^th).  After last week’s late Redwing at Cemaes, an even later bird was seen at South Stack (16^th).

Holyhead remains the top site for Hooded Crow with 1 seen at The Range, South Stack (16^th).

Waders:

At least 1 Little Ringed Plover remained at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th), with another near the west car park, Cemlyn (16^th).  There were c. 40 Golden Plover at RSPB Cors Ddyga (15^th) and a further c.150 birds at Cemlyn (11^th).  A Green Sandpiper was seen at Rhoscolyn (15^th), with Common Sandpiper being seen at Cemlyn (11^th) and on the Menai Strait (14^th).  2 Purple Sandpiper were at Cemlyn (11^th).  Whimbrel were seen at Porth y Wylfa (14^th), Rhoscolyn (15^th), Cemlyn (16^th) and 2 at Penmon Point (12^th).  A Ruff was on the cob pool, Malltraeth (14^th), a Greenshank on the pool at Traeth Dulas (14^th) and 3 Black-tailed Godwit on the cob pool, Malltraeth (14^th).

Seabirds:

Sightings of Puffin included 2 birds from Penmon Point (10^th) and up to 11 birds at RSPB South Stack (11 on 14^th, 2 on 16^th).  2 Black Guillemot were seen at Cemlyn (11^th), with up to a further 3 seen off Moelfre (3 on 16^th, 2 on 13^th).

Gulls and Terns:

A 2^nd calendar year Glaucous Gull flew west past Hen Borth (14^th) and was a new addition to the year list.  A Mediterranean Gull was at Cemlyn (11^th, 16^th), with the number of Sandwich Terns now > 100 (11^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A Red-throated Diver was in the bay at Cemlyn (11^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

The Pink-footed Goose was still on the fields beyond Penmon pool (10^th-12^th).

The drake Ring-necked Duck was still at Llyn Maelog (10^th, 14^th, 16^th), while the adult drake Long-tailed Duck that had gone absent returned to the bay at Cemlyn (10^th-11^th).  There were 12 Eider opposite Penmon Pool (11^th), c.24 at Penmon Point (12^th) and 1 off Ynys Moelfre (16^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

Up to 4 booming Bitterns were heard at RSPB Cors Ddyga (4 on 13^th, 2 on 16^th), with at least a further 2 booming males at RSPB Valley lakes (12^th).  Up to 2 Great White Egrets were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 14^th).

Raptors:

A good week for sightings of Osprey, with 1 seen from Bangor heading up the Menai Strait in the direction of Penmon (10^th), 1 over Dulas (12^th) and 1 seen fishing at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).  Up to 5 Marsh Harriers were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (13^th), along with a Merlin (14^th).  A Short-eared Owl flew over roman camp, Bangor and headed in the direction of Anglesey (10^th), with another seen at Rhoscolyn (13^th).

The forthcoming week 17^th April – 23^rd April?

The number of Rare and Scarce bird sightings increase as we move more into the peak time for spring migration.  A Green-winged Teal was at Holyhead (17^th) in 2014, while a Bonaparte’s Gull was at Cemlyn (17^th) in 2016.  A Golden Oriole was at Cemlyn and Henborth (18^th) in 2013 and a Kentish Plover was at Malltraeth cob pool (19^th) in 1977.  A Black Kite was seen at Llyn Llywenan (20^th) in 2001 and a Common Crane at Llanfairynghornwy (21^st) in 2011.  An American Golden Plover was at Cemlyn (21^st) in 2006, a Woodchat Shrike at the Aberffraw estuary (22^nd) back in 1968 and a European Bee-eater was at Malltraeth (22^nd) in 1985.