Saturday 22nd May - Friday 28th May 2021.

Intro:

A gull heading for the Arctic tundra and the possibility of a ‘Pleased to meet you’ greeting.

Gulls and Terns:

The best bird of the week was undoubtedly the summer plumaged Sabine’s Gull seen heading north past RSPB South Stack (25^th) on route back to the Arctic Tundra.  Whilst both adult and juvenile birds are seen fairly regularly in the autumn, given the right conditions, spring records are far less common.  Seawatching also produced some good counts of Kittiwake going past RSPB South Stack with 589 (22^nd) and 517 (25^th).  Last week’s Black Tern continued its stay at Cemlyn (22^nd-23^rd) and a Roseate Tern was also seen again (28^th).

Seabirds:

2 Pomarine Skuas (22^nd), 5 Arctic Skuas (22^nd) and 1 Arctic Skua (25^th) were seen flying past RSPB South Stack.  There were also good numbers of commoner seabirds passing RSPB South Stack with up to 1494 Manx Shearwater (1494 on 22^nd, 822 on 25^th), up to 161 Gannet (161 on 25^th, 78 on 22^nd), up to 33 Fulmar (33 on 25^th, 32 on 22^nd).  Sightings of Puffin included 14 birds off RSPB South Stack (25^th), 1 off Cemlyn (23^rd) and 1 off Cemlyn (28^th).  6 Black Guillemot were in the bay at Cemlyn (28^th), with 1 seen flying past Cemlyn earlier in the week (23^rd).

Divers & Grebes:

2 summer plumaged Great Northern Diver were found in the bay a Cemlyn (28^th) and are well worth seeing if they stay into next week.  They spent most of their time in the middle of the bay, but it was still a treat to see birds in their summer plumage with the black heads, black and white stripped neck patch and checkerboard back.

Great Northern Diver, Cemlyn, 28/05/21 - Photo: J Martin Jones

Passerines:

Passage summer migrants continue to be seen in small numbers.  Sightings of Whinchat included 2 at Hen Borth (22^nd), a male at RSPB South Stack (27^th) and 1 at Cemlyn (28^th).  2 Spotted Flycatchers were seen near Tyn Llan farm, Cemlyn (28^th) with 5 just up the road at Cadfan (28^th).  A female Yellow Wagtail of an undetermined subspecies - possibly Grey-headed – was seen at Hen Borth before flying towards Tyn Llan fields (24^th).  A Stock Dove was seen in fields between South Stack and The Range (22^nd), while up to 2 Common Cuckoo were at Cemlyn (25^th- 27^th).  2 Hooded Crows were seen on fields between South Stack and The Range (22^nd), with another 2 birds at Hen Borth (22^nd).  There was also a Hooded x Carrion hybrid in fields between South Stack and The Range (22^nd).

Raptors:

Sightings of a Hobby at Cors Ddyga continue, with the bird being reported on two days (22^nd & 25^th).

Waders:

14 Sanderling were at Cemlyn (22^nd) and 6 Bar-tailed Godwit were seen flying past RSPB South Stack (25^th).  Counts of commoner waders at the Inland Sea included 120 Dunlin (23^rd) and 12 Turnstones (23^rd).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

2 late Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at the Inland Sea (23^rd), a drake Scaup was on Llyn Penrhyn (22^nd) and up to 12 Common Scoter were seen off RSPB South Stack (12 on 22^nd, 5 on 25^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Spoonbill was reported from RSPB Cors Ddyga (24^th)

 

The forthcoming week 29^th May – 4^th June?

This, and the following, week is a great time to look – or listen – for Common Rosefinch with their ‘Pleased to meet you’ song https://www.xeno-canto.org/27694. Previous records included birds at Cerrig-Man (29^th) in 2011 and a bird at Cemaes (31^st) in 2008.  It is also the week of the finding of one of Anglesey’s most infamous birds – the Black Lark at RSPB South Stack (1^st) in 2003.  Other good passerines have included at Bluethroat at RSPB South Stack (30^th) in 1991, a Red-breasted Flycatcher on the Skerries (1^st) in 1998 and a Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush at the dam end of Llyn Alaw (4^th) in 1986.  It is a good week for rare and scarce waders, with a Kentish Plover at the Alaw estuary (29^th) in 2007, an American Golden Plover at Cemlyn (30^th) in 2008, a Spotted Sandpiper at Malltraeth (2^nd) in 2009 and a Broad-billed Sandpiper at Malltraeth (4^th) in 1984.  Herons, Cranes and Crakes have included a Black-crowned Night Heron at Rhosneigr (31^st) in 1919, a Black-crowned Night Heron at Cefni reservoir (2^nd) in 1994, a Common Crane at the Alaw estuary (4^th) in 2007 and a Corn Crake at Penmon Priory (1^st) in 2015.