Saturday 19th June - 25th June 2021.

Intro:

Quip-ip-ip … and a new breeding species for Anglesey.

Herons, Egrets and allies:

The highlight of the week for many of Anglesey’s birders was a calling Common Quail at Aberffraw Common (22^nd – 23^rd).  As a bird that is not quite annual on the island, it is always good to catch up with one and hear its ‘Quip-ip-ip’ or ‘wet my lips’ call https://www.xeno-canto.org/27535.

Less co-operative were 3 Spoonbills seen over RSPB Cors Ddyga (21^st & 23^rd).  There have now been several brief sightings since the spring, but the birds are still to be located at a site that would allow more prolonged viewing.

Waders:

Little Ringed Plover has been a scarce passage migrant to Anglesey, but over the past couple of years the wader fields at RSPB Cors Ddyga have produced a few birds with up to 4 being present on the 3^rd April.  Fast forward to this week and successful breeding has been confirmed with 3 young being seen (23^rd); the first known breeding record for Anglesey.

Elsewhere there is evidence of waders starting to return to the island’s estuaries, with 7 Lapwing seen on the Alaw estuary (20^th).  Also present at the Alaw estuary were 2 Bar-tailed Godwit (20^th) and 122 Oystercatcher (20^th).  3 Black-tailed Godwit were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (22^nd), a Whimbrel at Traeth Dulas (19^th) and 3 Sanderling at Traeth Llydan, Rhoscolyn (19^th).

Gulls and Terns:

Cemlyn has attracted a steady stream of birders hoping to see a Roseate Tern and most will have left successful with at least 1 bird being seen across the week, with a maximum of 3 birds (3 on 22^nd).  Cemlyn has also had Mediterranean Gulls across the spring / early summer and what was thought to be a Mediterranean Gull nest with 3 eggs was found during a survey.  An adult and a 1^st summer bird were at Cemlyn (24^th) and there was a probable sighting of two chicks although they remaining partially hidden in vegetation.  It would be good to receive any reports of fresh juvenile birds from this site over coming weeks.  Elsewhere, Traeth Dulas had a 2^nd calendar year Mediterranean Gull (19^th) and then 2 adults and 5 2^nd calendar year birds (23^rd).

Passerines:

Hooded Crows were seen at Newborough Warren - on the yellow trail (20^th) and at South Stack (24^th). A Stock Dove was on a cattle pasture, behind dunes at Traeth Llydan, Rhoscolyn (19^th) and a Lesser Whitethroat was at Pwll Pillo, Rhoscolyn (19^th).  A Grasshopper Warbler still ‘reeling’ off Lôn y Gors, RSPB Cors Ddyga (19^th).

Raptors:

An Osprey flew south over the Inland Sea (19^th), while sightings of Red Kite included birds over the A55 near the Rhosneigr turn off (21^st) and over the Pentre Berw to Newborough road (24^th).

Seabirds:

Black Guillemots are being seen around the coastline with 4 birds at Porth Eilian (20^th), 2 at Holyhead Harbour (21^st) and 2 at Cemlyn (21^st).  Manx Shearwaters can be seen passing coastal headlands.

Divers & Grebes:

No reports of note.

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Request for info: The UK’s Rare Breeding Birds Panel is interested in breeding records of Red-breasted Merganser.  If you see or have any other evidence of breeding on the island, please submit details to Steve Culley, Anglesey County recorder either via twitter @Zoobirder or e-mail at: SteCul10@aol.com.

 

The forthcoming week 26^th June – 2^nd July?

A quiet week, but the sparsity of records is compensated for by some real quality.  A European Bee-eater was at the Mariandyrys nature reserve, near Glan-yr-afon (26^th) in 2015, a Hoopoe was at Mynydd Eilian (26^th) in 2019, a Marsh Sandpiper at Malltraeth cob pool (30^th) in 1977 and a Squacco Heron at Cemlyn (30^th) in 2015.  A good week for rare terns, with a White-winged Black Tern at Llyn Maelog (1^st) in 1973 and one of Anglesey’s top records – a Bridled Tern at Cemlyn (1^st) in 1988.

There have been several sightings of Caspian Tern across the UK in the past week, with one over the past 2 days at the Llanelli Wetlands Centre WWT.  It has been a considerable while since there was one of Anglesey with the only two records having been at Cemlyn on the 26^th May 1980 and the 5^th Aug 1988.  Cemlyn would probably be the best bet for another, so fingers crossed that we get a bird locally that stays to delight an admiring crowd.

Saturday 12th June - 18th June 2021.

Intro:

The week TERNed out Rosy … ….

Gulls and Terns:

It is a fair few years since Roseate Terns last nested at Cemlyn.  Over recent years, sightings at Cemlyn have been limited to just a handful of opportunities each year to see 1 or 2 birds either from the small number that continued to take up residence on the Skerries off the Anglesey coast or from further afield.  All that changed this week, with birds being seen daily and with a daily maximum of 4 (14^th).  Interestingly, many of the birds seen over the past decade were ringed on both legs.  Rockabill, County Dublin birds were ringed with a BTO ring on their left leg and a special ring on their right leg and vice-versa for birds at the Lady’s Island colony, Wexford (see Ring-A-Ring -A Roseate!).  Prior to 2017, birds at Coquet Island, Northumberland were ringed with an alpha-numeric ring on the left leg and a standard BTO ring on the right (See Coquet).  Since 2017, only special roseate rings have been used at Coquet and it is understood that the same has applied more generally.  Most of the sightings and photographs of birds at Cemlyn this week show birds that are ringed only on the right leg – certainly young birds and perhaps indicative of an Irish origin, but checks on this are continuing.

Roseate Tern x 2, Cemlyn, 13th June. Photo: J Martin Jones.

Clearly, there is always a potential for one of the island’s tern colonies to pull in a Mega at this time so it is always worth being alert to the possibility of something more unusual.  Previous highlights, mid-June to mid-July have included:

• Sooty Tern, Cemlyn – 13^th June 2020
• Bridled Tern, Cemlyn – 1^st July 1988
• Sooty Tern, Rhosneigr – 5^th July 2005
• Lesser-crested Tern, Cymyran Beach – 13^th July 1982

Aside from the terns, there were 2 Mediterranean Gulls at Cemlyn (17^th).

Passerines:

Continuing with the Rosy theme, we finally had a Rose-coloured Starling take up a more predictable routine so as to enable a fair few admirers to catch up with it.  Initially seen at Tregele late on the 11^th, the bird was seen well over 2 days, with the late afternoon – early evenings being best (13^th-14^th).   Another adult bird was at Valley, but was less helpful with just 2 brief sightings (12^th) and then at Bryn Afon, Valley (14^th).

Rose-coloured Starling, Tregele, 14th June. Photo: J Martin Jones.

The leucistic Common Whitethroat (a.k.a. Cemlyn Whitehead) was seen again (13^th) and a Grasshopper Warbler was near South Stack (17^th).  Sightings of Hooded Crows included 2 at The Range (12^th), 1 between South Stack car park and Ellin’s Tower (15^th) and 1 at South Stack (17^th- 18^th).

Raptors:

An adult White-tailed Eagle was reported from Fedw Fawr (13^th) and will be a first for Anglesey if accepted by the Welsh Birds Rarities Committee.  While sightings of Red Kites on Anglesey are not uncommon, there was a marked increase in reports on the 15^th.  It is difficult to be sure as to how many birds were involved – which is understood to have followed an influx into other parts of the UK, but there were 6 over Tregele, 5 over Llanfechell (probably same as Tregele), 1 over Benllech, 2 over RSPB Cors Ddyga, 2 at Gaerwen, 3 east end of Llanfairpwll, 1 over Llanfaelog, 1 over the A55 at Gwalchmai, 1 over Dulas and 1 between Llanfaes and Beaumaris.  There were 2 sightings of Hobby with 1 at Rhoscolyn (17^th) and 1 at The Range (18^th).  An Osprey was seen over the Inland Sea (17^th).

Waders:

There was a Green Sandpiper at Cemlyn (12^th) and a Knot on the beach at Cemlyn (18^th).

Seabirds:

873 Manx Shearwater were counted during a sea-watch off The Range (12^th).  Sightings of Puffin included 9 birds past The Range (12^th) and 1 at South Stack (14^th).  9 Black Guillemot were in the bay at Cemlyn (16^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

No reports of note.

Divers & Grebes:

No reports of note.

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Two pairs of Pochard were seen with broods at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (14^th).

 

The forthcoming week 19^th June – 25^th June?

A good week for rare and scarce waders, with a Kentish Plover at Rhosneigr (19^th) in 1984, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Cemlyn (20^th) in 2013, a Stone Curlew at Penmon (21^st) in 1997 and a Terek Sandpiper at Cemlyn (21^st) in 2005.  There was a Black Stork at Carmel Head (22^nd) in 1999 and a Black-crowned Night Heron at Malltraeth (23^rd) in 2005.  There is a historical record of an American Wigeon at Llyn Llywenan (21^st) in 1910, while passerines have included a Rose-coloured Starling at Valley (19^th) in 2012 and a Common Rosefinch at Porth Eilian (21^st) in 2013.

Saturday 5th June - 11th June 2021.

Intro:

Despite 2 Rose-coloured Starlings, which in any other week would have been a pretty good return, it felt a little bit like the calm after the storm given last week’s notable tally.

Passerines:

Sightings of Rose-coloured Starlings continued with probably two different adult birds.  Firstly, one was seen and photographed as it circled high and called a few times over the coastal path at Cemlyn (5^th).  Secondly, sightings have continued around Cemaes Bay with potentially one mobile bird being involved in sightings at a horse paddock west of Cemaes Bay and then during the evening at Cemaes Bay itself (8^th).

While Rose-coloured Starlings are always noteworthy, they were somewhat outshone by a leucistic Common Whitethroat seen near Cadnan, Cemlyn (5^th) that quite rightly secured a lot of positive comments on social media.

 

Common Whitethroat (leucistic), Cadnan, 5^th June.  Photo: Mark Sutton (finder).

A Grasshopper Warbler was seen and was still ‘reeling’ at RSPB Cors Ddyga (7^th, 11^th).

Waders:

10 Bar-tailed Godwit were at the Alaw estuary (5^th, 11^th), with 7 Black-tailed Godwit at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11^th).  Sightings at Cemlyn included a late Turnstone (6^th) and a Whimbrel (11^th) on rocks off the coast.  The Alaw estuary held a good number of Oystercatcher, with 163 counted (5^th). 

Gulls and Terns:

2 2^nd calendar year Mediterranean Gulls were at Traeth Dulas (11^th).  Hopefully, these are the forerunners of a larger movement as part of a post-breeding dispersal to the west coast, which last year included a count of 136 on the Alaw estuary on the 14^th August.  22 Kittiwake on the lagoon at Cemlyn (11^th) was an unexpected sight, while a Roseate Tern was reported (10^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

2 Great White Egret were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11^th).  A belated report of a Common Quail that was found freshly dead on the 1^st June near Capel Gwyn, south of Bryngwran.  There haven’t been any reports of singing birds so far this year, but there is still time.

Seabirds:

A pair of Black Guillemot were seen between Amlwch Port and Llaneilian (7^th).  51 Manx Shearwater were seen to fly past South Stack (8^th), with 15 birds flying into Holyhead Bay in the misty and murky weather (10^th)

Raptors:

Red Kites continue to be seen across the island with 2 over the A55 near Cors Ddyga (8^th), 1 at Malltraeth (8^th), 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11^th) and 1 over the A55 near Bryngwran (11^th).  3 Marsh Harriers were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11th).

Divers & Grebes:

Nothing of particular note.

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Nothing of particular note.

 

The forthcoming week 12^th June – 18^th June?

A good week for rare and scarce warblers with a Savi’s Warbler at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th) in 2019, a Marsh Warbler at Llanfachraeth (15^th) in 1986, a Great Reed Warbler at RSPB Cors Ddyga (15^th) in 2010 and a Blyth’s Reed Warbler at Cestyll (15^th) in 2019.  Other passerines have included a Black-headed Bunting (12^th) in 1994, a Rose-coloured Starling at Church Bay (13^th) in 2011, a European Bee-eater at Cemlyn (13^th) in 2010 and a Golden Oriole at Llanfairynghornwy (18^th).  It has also been a good week for terns, with a White-winged Black Tern at Cemlyn (16^th) in 2014 and a Whiskered Tern first at Llyn Trafwll (18^th-19^th) and then at Cemlyn (20^th-23^rd) in 1993.  Last, but not least, waders have included a Wilson’s Phalarope at Malltraeth (15^th) in 1958, and a Stone Curlew at Rhoscolyn (18^th) in 1986.  Egrets and Heron have included a Cattle Egret at Plas Bog (12^th) in 2009 and a Purple Heron at Cors Bodeillo (12^th) in 2016.

Saturday 29th May – 4th June 2021.

Intro:

… the month of June arrived and it all kicked off …

Passerines:

One of the glaring gaps in the Anglesey County Bird list was that there had never been a Subalpine Warbler of any form even though they have been fairly regular at sites as close as Bardsey Island.  Now recognised as three distinct species of Eastern Subalpine Warbler, Western Subalpine Warbler and Moltoni’s Warbler, we are now part of the way to filling the gap by the finding of a male Eastern Subalpine Warbler at a small conifer plantation at Mynachdy (1^st).

Eastern Sub-alpine Warbler, Mynachdy, 1st June Photo: Mark Sutton (finder)

Following last week’s prediction of a Common Rosefinch, a 2nd calendar year bird was duly found at Cemlyn (2^nd).  Initially in the walled garden at Bryn Aber (click for a little bit of Bryn Aber’s history), the bird helpfully moved out into Tyn Llan scrub before commuting between the scrub and Tyn Llan farm until mid-afternoon at least.  

Common Rosefinch, Tyn Llan farm, 2nd June Photo: Mark Sutton (finder)

Common Rosefinch, Tyn Llan scrub, 2nd June Photo: Tony White

Whilst the Cemlyn bird wasn’t there the following day, another bird heard calling at a private garden at Holyhead (3^rd) was presumably a second bird. There was a belated report of a Golden Oriole singing for 20 minutes at Llanfairynghornwy (3^rd).

Next week’s prediction was to be a summer plumaged Rose-coloured Starling, given that there had been 3 in previous years (see later) and there having been a good movement of birds across Europe over the past few weeks.  That plan was blown completely out of the water by the arrival of adult birds a little earlier than would have been predicted for Anglesey, with 3 at Holyhead (2^nd), 1 at Valley (2^nd), 1 at Cemaes Bay (3^rd-4^th) and 1 at Beaumaris (3^rd).

Aside from these headline birds, there was a Yellow Wagtail at Cemlyn (30^th), 9 Lesser Redpoll at RSPB South Stack (29^th), 12 Siskin at RSPB South Stack (29^th) and a reeling Grasshopper Warbler at RSPB Plas Bog (29^th).  Notable local counts included 54 House Martin that flew north past RSPB South Stack (29^th) and 12 Swifts over Holyhead (2^nd).  Records of Cuckoo included 1 at Plas Bog (29^th), 2 at Carmel Head (29^th) and 1 probably 2 at Cemlyn (30^th).  Hooded Crows were reported from Hen Borth (30^th) and Newborough beach car park (30^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

A drake Mandarin was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (31^st - 2^nd) and is a very scarce bird on the island.  A late Wigeon on the Alaw estuary (29^th) and 20 Common Scoter flew past RSPB South Stack (29^th).

Waders:

Sightings of Sanderling included 1 bird at Beddmanarch Bay (29^th) and 35 birds at the Alaw estuary (30^th).  There were 7 Bar-tailed Godwit on the Alaw estuary (29^th) and 6 Black-tailed Godwit at RSPB Cors Ddyga (31^st).  Greenshank were seen at the Alaw estuary (29^th & 30^th) and at RSPB Cors Ddyga (30^th).  35 Common Ringed Plover were at the Alaw estuary (29^th) and a Whimbrel was at Cymyran (3^rd).

Seabirds:

Sightings of Puffins included 2 birds at South Stack (29^th) and 6 which flew past Cemlyn (30^th).  2 Black Guillemot were seen at Bull Bay (29^th) and 10-12 birds were at Holyhead harbour and Fish Quay (30^th).

Divers & Grebes:

Summer plumage Great Northern Divers were off the Trwyn, Cemlyn (29^th) and at Beddmanarach Bay (29^th).

Raptors:

Sightings of Osprey included birds over Penysarn (30^th), Cemlyn (1^st) and over the Alaw estuary (3^rd). Reports of Red Kite included 1 south of Llyn Trafwll (2^nd), 1 over fields near Llanfachraeth (2^nd), 1 over Tyddyn Isaf caravan park (2^nd & 3^rd) and  2 over Port Eilian (3^rd).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

2 Spoonbills reported south of 4 mile Bridge (30^th).

Gulls and Terns:

Up to 3 Mediterranean Gulls were at Cemlyn (2^nd).

The forthcoming week 5^th June – 11^th June?

Another good week for Common Rosefinch, with birds at Cemlyn (5^th) in 2010 and at Carmel Head (10^th) in 2012.  It has also been a good week, as previously mentioned above, for Rose-coloured Starling with birds at Cemlyn (9^th) in 2001 and near Valley (9^th).  Other rare or scarce passerines include a Savi’s Warbler at RSPB Cors Ddyga (8^th) in 1999, an Alpine Swift at Fedw Fawr (5^th) in 2003, a Golden Oriole at Cemlyn (9^th) in 2007 and a Woodchat Shrike at Porth Dafarch (6^th) in 1928.

Waders include a Red-necked Phalaropes at Penmon Park (5^th) in 1902 and more recently at Cemlyn (8^th) in 2006.  A Collared Pratincole was at Rhosneigr (6^th) in 1983.

Rare and scarce Herons and Egrets include a Squacco Heron at Cemlyn (11^th) in 1988.