Saturday 15th May - Friday 21st May 2021.

Intro:

Raptors and Terns.

Raptors:

It is a while since I have started with raptors, but this last week they have made a fair case to come first.

Hobby is a scarce summer migrant to Anglesey and until a few years ago you might have reasonably considered them rare.  The development of the RSPB Cors Ddyga reserve, with its associated dragonflies etc, seems to have provided a suitable habitat and many of last year’s sightings came from the reserve.  It shouldn’t, therefore, have been a surprise that the 1^st report of the year should come from that reserve, but the quality of the views was considerably better than might be expected.  Found on the morning of the 16th, the bird would often alight on the dead tree to the left of the path to the river and one field back (a.k.a Purple Heron tree, although we now have a dilemma).  It would make short flights in search of food and return to a favoured perch.  Although it went missing for some time, many caught up with its during its stay from the 16^th -18^th.

Hobby - RSPB Cors Ddyga, 16/05/21, Photo: J Martin Jones

Moving on to the not so obliging, a Rough-legged Buzzard was seen over Holyhead mountain having flown in from the direction of North Stack, it circled Holyhead and then flew off towards Rhoscolyn (19^th).  As a species that occurs, on average, less than 5 times a year in Wales, a description of the record will be submitted to the Welsh Birds Rarity Committee with the support of the Anglesey County Recorder.

With recent reports of migrant Short-eared Owls on the Great Orme, it was perhaps not too great a surprise that 1 or more would turn up on Anglesey and 2 duly did at the Alaw estuary (17^th) – an excellent find nonetheless.

Gulls and Terns:

Cemlyn has been a ‘buzz’ of activity over recent weeks with 1000’s of Sandwich, Arctic and Common Terns.  Once home to a small colony of Roseate Terns, sightings over recent years have been restricted to 1 or 2 birds putting in an appearance on occasion.  The first sightings of Roseate Terns came this week with 2 sightings of a single bird (19^th, 21^st).  While this would normally be the highlight of weekly tern sightings, this week it was eclipsed by a summer plumage Black Tern (21^st).  Whilst late summer / early autumn seawatches will usually guarantee an annual sighting from the Anglesey coast, spring records are far less frequent and the bird was enjoyed by many observers.

 Black Tern, Cemlyn, 21/05/21, Photo: J Martin Jones

Waders:

The wader passage continues with sightings of Sanderling including 1 at Cemlyn (16^th), 1 at the Alaw estuary (17^th) and then a mighty 16 at Cemlyn (21^st).  At least 1 Little Ringed Plover continues to be seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th), 3 Grey Plover were on the Alaw estuary (21^st) as were 2 Knot (21^st).  Up to 25 Bar-tailed Godwit were at the Alaw estuary (25 on 17^th, 24 on 21^st) and 11 Whimbrel were at RSPB Cors Ddyga.  A superb male Ruff was on the wet field at Hen Borth (21^st).  While most Common Sandpiper are busy on their breeding grounds, a late bird at Holyhead Harbour (21^st) necessitated a close grilling to ensure it didn’t have any spots!

Passerines:

Summer migrants continued to make an appearance with a male Whinchat at RSPB Cors Ddyga (15^th) and a Cuckoo calling near the Gadlys Hotel, Cemaes (16^th).  Sightings of warblers included a Lesser Whitethroat at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (15^th), a Cetti’s Warbler at Llyn Maelog (15^th) and a Garden Warbler at Llyn Cefni (16^th).  Hooded Crows were seen at their usual hotspots of The Range (15^th), over McDonald’s, Holyhead (16^th) and at Hen Borth (21^st).  Another was seen at Newborough Warren (16^th), north of the car park by the easy access trail for wheelchair users.  Two belated reports have been received of a Turtle Dove in the South-East of the island which may have been present for up to the past fortnight.  Efforts are being made to confirm whether this is just the 1 bird or whether there are 2 present in the area.

Seabirds:

2 Black Guillemots were in the bay at Cemlyn (16^th), with 155 Manx Shearwater, 18 Fulmar and 55 Gannet past The Range during a 2hr seawatch (17^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A Red-throated Diver flew past The Range (17^th) – will this be the latest bird of the winter/spring period?

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

A drake Garganey was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (16^th).  Late drake Wigeon included birds at RSPB Valley wetlands (15^th), RSPB Cors Ddyga (16th & 17^th) and the Alaw estuary (21^st).  A pair of Pochard were at Llyn Maelog (15^th).

 

The forthcoming week 22^nd May – 28^th May?

The 22^nd marks one of the outstanding birding discoveries on Anglesey, that of 4+ male Baillon’s Crakes calling at RSPB Cors Ddyga (22^nd) in 2012.  Rare waders include an American Golden Plover at Cemlyn (22^nd) in 2005 and a Red-necked Phalarope at Llyn Trafwll (27^th) in 1994.  There was a White-winged Black Tern at Llyn Alaw (23^rd) in 1985 and a Caspian Tern at Cemlyn (26^th) in 1980.  European Bee-eater were found on two occasions, at Penysarn (25^th) in 1993 and at Cemlyn (27^th) in 2012.  Cemlyn also had a Woodchat Shrike (26^th) in 2019 and nearby a Marsh Warbler was at Cadnan, Cemlyn (28^th) in 2018.  South Stack scored with a Short-toed Lark (25^th) in 1993 and a Lesser Grey Shrike (26^th) in 1961.