Saturday 17th April - Friday 23rd April 2021.

Intro:

A whopping 9 additions to the 2021 year list – Dotterel, Hawfinch, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail, Garganey, Iceland Gull, Arctic Tern and Common Tern.

Waders:

One of the hotly anticipated birding highlights of the spring and late autumn is the sighting of Dotterel, which are invariably found a) on The Range and b) by Ken Croft.  Whilst the main window for the spring passage is still to come, 2 early birds were found on The Range (17^th) – the 2^nd earliest record over the past 40 years or so, only beaten by 1 found on the 16^th in 1998.  The birds stayed for 3 days, allowing many to catch up with them before they carried on with their migration to destinations further north.

Eurasian Dotterel, The Range, Holyhead 18/04/21 - Photo - J Martin Jones

Whilst there have been at least 3 Whimbrel wintering at the likes of Cemlyn and Red Wharf Bay, this week marked the start of the spring passage of birds with records coming in from across the island including 16 at Traeth Dulas (18^th), 12 south of Traeth y Ora (18^th), 2 between Moelfre and Lligwy (18^th), 1 at Rhoscolyn (18^th), 10 at Cemlyn (19^th), 9 at Cymyran (21^st), 3 on the Cefni estuary (21^st) and 3 at The Range, Holyhead (22^nd).  Sightings of Common Sandpiper also increased and included 1 at South Stack (17^th, 20^th), 2 at Cemlyn (19^th) and 1 at Holyhead Harbour (23^rd).  There was just the 1 report of Green Sandpiper which was of a bird flying over Cemlyn (23^rd).

There was a Ruff at RSPB Cors Ddyga (21^st), a Jack Snipe at The Range, Holyhead (17^th) and good numbers of smart summer plumaged Golden Plover including 182 birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th) and 68 at Cemlyn (19^th).

Passerines:

Hawfinch is a less than annual migrant through Anglesey, so it was good to hear of the news, and see a photograph, of a bird at a garden bird table at Llanfairynghornwy (19^th).  

Hawfinch, Private residence, Llanfairynghornwy 19/04/21 - photo by property owner

Last year was an exceptional year for records of Common Redstart with 5 sightings reported; this year the first has come courtesy of a bird seen around the marshy area between Pencarreg and Cadfan, near Cemlyn (20^th).  Cemlyn also provided the first Whinchat for the year with a smart male seen at Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (20^th-21^st).  Yellow Wagtail is a scarce passage migrant, albeit that it has bred at Cemlyn in the past, with just 7 sightings in 2020.  Perhaps it has something to do with the easterly component to the wind over recent days, but whatever the reason it has been an exceptional start to the migration period with at least 6 birds which included 1 between Hen Borth and Cemlyn (20^th-23^rd), 1 at Llyn Alaw (21^st), 1 over The Range, Holyhead (22^nd-23^rd) and 3 at Caim, near Penmon (23^rd).

Yellow Wagtail, Cemlyn, 23/04/21 - Photo - J Martin Jones

In addition to the 4 ‘new for the year’ birds listed above, there were also a number of other notable ‘seconds’ following earlier sightings in the month.  These included a Common Cuckoo at Cemlyn (21^st), 3 Tree Pipit at Cestyll (20^th), 3 Tree Pipit at The Range, Holyhead (23^rd), 2 Ring Ouzel at South Stack (21^st), a Ring Ouzel at Cemlyn (23^rd) and a female Ring Ouzel at The Range, Holyhead (22^nd-23^rd).

In terms of our more common summer migrants, there was a notable increase in reported of the likes of Grasshopper, Sedge and Reed Warblers.  Records of Grasshopper Warblers included 1 at Rhoscolyn (17^th, 21^st), 3 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th), 1 at RSPB Valley wetlands (21^st) and 6 at The Range, Holyhead (23^rd).  Reports of Sedge Warblers included birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th,19^th), RSPB Valley wetlands (21^st) and at the Rhoscolyn reedbed (21^st).  Reed Warblers were reported from RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th, 19^th), RSPB Valley wetlands (21^st) and the Rhoscolyn reedbed (21^st).

Following the wintering Lesser Whitethroat at Carreglefn, a calling male bird was at St David’s Park, Red Wharf Bay (23^rd) and in all probability was a newly arrived spring migrant.  Sightings of Common Whitethroat increased markedly with 4 at Cemlyn (20^th), 2 at South Stack (20^th), and up to 18 at The Range, Holyhead (8 on 22^nd, 18 on 23^rd).  Reports of Cetti’s Warblers included 1 at Llyn Llywenan (18^th) and 5+ at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th). 

A House Martin flew north at The Range, Holyhead (17^th), with further sightings at Cemlyn (20^th).  Sightings of White Wagtail included 19 birds at Cemlyn (19^th) and 12 at The Range, Holyhead (22^nd).  10 Northern Wheatear were seen at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (22^nd).

Whilst spring migrants dominated, there were still some winter visitors to be found which included a late Brambling at Cestyll (20^h), a late Redwing at Cestyll (20^th) and 2 even later Redwing over The Range, Holyhead (22^nd).

In terms of one of our scarce residents, Hooded Crows were seen at Cemlyn (20^th), South Stack (20^th), Henborth (21^st) and at The Range, Holyhead (20th, 22^nd).

Seabirds:

Nothing of particular note, albeit that we are getting close to the start of the spring skua passage.  If the winds blows from the right direction, get out to a coastal headland.

Gulls and Terns:

After a fallow year for Glaucous and Iceland Gulls in 2020, we had a Glaucous last week and this week a 2^nd calendar year Iceland Gull was seen west of Hen Borth (17^th-19^th).  2 Mediterranean Gulls were seen at Cemlyn (23^rd), while 2 were seen following a plough at Maenaddwyn (19^th).

There have been plenty of Sandwich Terns over the past weeks, but these have now been joined by the first returning Arctic and Common terns, with an Arctic Tern seen flying past South Stack (22^nd) and a Common Tern seen on the bricks around the main island at Cemlyn (23^rd).

Divers & Grebes:

Up to 2 Red-throated Diver at Cemlyn (2 on 19^th, 1 on 23^rd).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

A Whooper Swan flew low over Crigyll and towards Valley lakes, then the same or another was seen at the Alaw estuary (17^th).

A drake Garganey was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th-21^st) and was enjoyed by many over its stay.

Herons, Egrets and allies:

Bitterns were seen or heard at RSPB Cors Ddyga (19^th) and RSPB Valley wetlands (21^st).  A late Water Rail was at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (22^nd).

Raptors:

Red Kites were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th) and over the Inland Sea (18^th).  A female Merlin was at Traeth Llydan, Rhoscolyn (18^th), with another at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th).  A Little Owl was at The Range, Holyhead (17^th), with another at Cemlyn (23^rd).

 

The forthcoming week 24^th April – 30^th April?

A Black Kite was at Coed Cefn, Llansadwrn (24^th) in 1987, a Bluethroat at Cemlyn (24^th) in 2009 and a Golden Oriole at Penmon (29^th) in 1984.  If you need any encouragement at all to keep garden feeders stocked as the weather warms up, look no further than the Indigo Bunting seen feeding at a garden feeding station at Llansadwrn (30^th) in 2013.