Saturday 10th July – Friday 16th July

Intro:

Cemlyn turns up a Phalarope for the 2^nd year running …

Waders:

Phalaropes are by no means annual on Anglesey, so Cemlyn has had a bit of a purple patch in turning up a Red-necked Phalarope (21^st) in 2020 and now a Grey Phalarope (16^th).  Regretably, neither stayed long enough for would be admirers to arrive on site.

One of the notable absences of the spring wader migration was that there weren’t any sightings of Wood Sandpiper, whereas many parts of northern England seemed to get good numbers.  That gap in the year list was filled by one being found at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th-13^th), which also had up to 2 Green Sandpipers (2 on 13^th, 1 on 12^th).  Up to 6 Common Sandpiper were on the Alaw estuary (6 on 10^th, 4 on 11^th).

The first returning Red Knot was on the Alaw estuary (11^th).  The Alaw estuary also held up to 12 Bar-tailed Godwit (12 on 10^th, 4 on 11^th, 2 on 14^th), while 6 summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit were at Traeth Dulas (16^th).  Up to 15 Greenshank were on the Alaw estuary (15 on 14^th, 13 on 10^th, 11 on 11^th) with just the 1 bird at Traeth Dulas (12^th).  Redshank numbers continue to build with 8 Redshank at the Alaw estuary (11^th) and 1 at Traeth Dulas (11^th,16^th).  Up to 3 Whimbrel were on the Alaw estuary (3 on 14^th, 2 on 11^th, 1 on 10^th).  222 Curlew were counted at the Alaw estuary (10^th) and 53 birds were counted from Penrhos Coastal Park (15^th).  Dunlin numbers remain quite low, with just the 10 birds being reported at the Alaw estuary (10^th).  8 Northern Lapwing were on the Alaw estuary (14^th).

Gulls and Terns:

The number of Mediterranean Gulls continues to grow with 19 birds at the Inland Sea (10^th), 14 at Beddmanarch Bay (14^th), 4 birds at Penrhos Coastal Park (15^th) and up to 3 birds at Traeth Dulas (3 on 12^th, 1 on 16^th).  Will we see 100+ birds around the Alaw estuary as happened last year or even surpass last year’s maximum of 136 birds at the Alaw estuary on the 14^th August?

The Elegant Tern continues its stay at Cemlyn (10^th – 16^th) and is now there for its 13^th day.  As the young Sandwich Terns start to fledge, birds will start to move away from the security of the island and later disperse more widely.  It is interesting to note that the Bridled Tern in 1988 stayed from the 1^st-23^rd July and the Sooty Tern in 2005 from the 5^th (Rhosneigr) until a last sighting on the 26^th July.  How long will the Elegant stay? 

Aside from the Elegant Tern, up to 4 Roseate Terns were noted (10^th).  Given a new high in the number of pairs breeding at Rockabill, it has to be hoped that birds might prospect for other potential sites; they would be assured a warm welcome back as breeding birds at Cemlyn.  Reporting of darvic colour ringed Sandwich Terns and locally flagged Common and Arctic Terns continues to turn up some interesting histories.

Seabirds:

Continuing with a ringing theme, 12 European Storm Petrels caught and ringed near Point Lynas (10^th-11^th) including 2 UK controls – 1 from the Calf of Man and 1 from Bardsey.  A further 2 birds were caught and ringed at Cemlyn (12^th).

18 Puffin were seen to fly past Cemlyn (10^th) and up to 5 Black Guillemots were in the bay at Cemlyn (5 on 15^th, 3 on the 10^th).

Passerines:

The Rose-coloured Starling at Moelfre was seen again on overhead wires (10^th).  Sightings of single Hooded Crows were reported from South Stack (10^th) and from a field south of Amlwch (10^th).  22 Chough were seen on fields and at a roost near South Stack (14^th).  2 Grey Wagtail that were seen to fly over South Stack (14^th) were the observer’s first sighting of this species on passage this summer / autumn.

Raptors:

An Osprey was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th). 

Herons, Egrets and allies:

2 Great Egret were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Nothing of particular note.

Divers & Grebes:

Nothing of particular note.

 

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

A very quiet time for past records, with just a Corncrake at Tregele (19^th) in 2012 and the aforementioned Red-necked Phalarope at Cemlyn (21^st) in 2020.