Saturday 11th September – Friday 17th September.

Intro:

…Garganey galore …

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Garganey can be difficult to catch up with on Anglesey, so 6 birds was a particularly good weekly count with 1 on the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (12^th,16^th-17^th), 1 at Llyn Maelog (11^th) and 4 at the Cefni reservoir (16^th).  There were also good numbers of Teal with counts of 478 at Beddmanarch Bay (16^th) and 172 at the Alaw estuary (16^th).

Returning to Swans and Geese to maintain order, there were 13 Mute Swans at the Cefni reservoir (16^th), while sightings of returning Pale-bellied Brent Geese included 5 birds at Cymyran (12^th), up to 8 at the Inland Sea (8 on 15^th, 2 on 17^th) and 2 at Beddmanarch Bay (16^th).  The number of Wigeon continues to increase with 97 at Beddmanarch Bay (16^th), 22 at the Cefni reservoir (16^th), 5 at Malltraeth cob pool (15^th) and 3 at Llyn Maelog (11^th).  There was only the 1 report of Pintail, involving 3 birds at Malltraeth cob pool (15^th).  There were 17 Shoveler at the Cefni reservoir (16^th), with 6 on Malltraeth cob pool (15^th).  Cefni reservoir (16^th) also held 42 Gadwall, 309 Mallard, 1 Pochard, 11 Tufted Duck and 188 Coot.  81 Common Scoter flew past Cemlyn (12^th), 3 Goosander were on Llyn Maelog (11^th) and 19 Red-breasted Merganser were at the Inland Sea (13^th).

Passerines and others:

The juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was seen again at Amlwch Port (11^h – 13^th), while a Whinchat was near Tyn Llan, Cemlyn (13^th).  Northern Wheatears were seen at several locations including up to 18 on The Range, Holyhead (18 on 14^th, 2 on 11^th), 11 at South Stack, Holyhead (14^th), 6 at Cemlyn (11^th), 3 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (15^th) and 1 at Traeth Dulas (13^th). 

Turning to warblers, there was a Garden Warbler at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (15^th), a Common Whitethroat in Tyn Llan scrub, Cemlyn (11^th), 3 Blackcap at South Stack, Holyhead (14^th), 2 Blackcap at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (15^th), 5 Chiffchaff at South Stack, Holyhead (14^th), 1 Willow Warbler south of The Range, Holyhead (11^th) and 3 Cetti’s Warblers at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).

Further evidence of the changing of the seasons came in the form of the pre-migration gathering of Swallows with several hundred seen feeding over the sea off Rhosneigr before heading inland to roost (13^th) and c. 250 birds seen going to roost at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).  15 Mistle Thrushes were seen feeding on Rowan berries at Talwrn (16^th).  Hooded Crows were seen at The Range, Holyhead (14^th, 17^th) and at Henborth (15^th, 16^th).  Kingfishers were seen at Cemlyn (12^th) and RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).

Waders:

A Green Sandpiper was at the Cefni reservoir (16^th), 8 Sanderling were at Rhosneigr (11^th), while up to 12 Knot were at the Alaw estuary (12 on 11^th, 8 on 12^th, 6 on 16^th).  There were up to 140 Dunlin on the Alaw estuary (140 on 16^th, 64 on 11^th) and 125 on Malltraeth cob pool (15^th).  28 Ringed Plover were at the Alaw estuary (16^th), 1 Grey Plover was on the Inland Sea (17^th), while counts of Golden Plover included 7 on The Range, Holyhead (14^th), 6 at Rhosneigr (11^th) and 1 at Malltraeth cob pool (15^th).  The Alaw estuary was, as always, the best site for Bar-tailed Godwit with counts of up to 40 (40 on 16^th, 33 on 12^th, 22 on 12th, 19 on 11^th), with 2 at Cemlyn (16^th) and 1 at Rhosneigr (11^th).  The Alaw estuary also delivered on Black-tailed Godwit with counts of up to 27 (27 on 11^th, 6 on 12^th, 1 on 16^th), while Malltraeth cob pool held 15 (15^th).

15 Greenshank were at the Alaw estuary (16^th), with up to 6 at Traeth Dulas (6 on 13^th, 3 on 11^th).  There were 30 Redshank on the Alaw estuary (16^th), with 14 at Traeth Dulas (15^th).  It was a good week for sightings of Ruff, with 2 at Traeth Dulas (11^th), 1 at the Alaw estuary (11^th, 17^th) and 1 at Cemlyn (12^th).  Whilst numbers are quite low, Snipe were reported from multiple sites including 6 at Malltraeth cob pool (15^th), 3 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th), 2 at Llyn Maelog (11^th), 1 at the Cefni reservoir (16^th), 1 at the Alaw estuary (16^th) and 1 at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (17^th).  Just 2 reports of Lapwing, with 6 at Malltraeth cob pool (15^th) and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).  Counts of Curlew included up to 210 at the Alaw estuary (104 on 16^th, 210 on 12^th), while Oystercatcher numbers included up to 476 on the Alaw estuary (476 on 16th, 435 on 12^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

Great Egrets were seen at a number of locations including 2 at Llyn Maelog (11^th, 15^th), 1 flying NE over the dunes at Rhosneigr dunes (13^th), up to 2 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 14^th, 1 on 11^th), 1 at Cemlyn (16^th-17^th) and 1 at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (17^th).  There were 13 Little Egrets on the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (17^th) with up to 8 at Traeth Dulas (8 on 17^th, 7 on 13^th).  A Water Rail was at the Alaw estuary (13^th) and 18 Moorhen at the Cefni reservoir (16^th).

Gulls and Terns:

An adult Little Gull at Traeth Dulas (15^th) was the scarcest gull of the week.  Mediterranean Gulls were seen at several locations including up to 56 birds on the Inland Sea (13^th), up to 30 birds at the Alaw estuary (30 on 16^th, 6 on the 12^th), 2 birds off Rhosneigr (11^th), 1 bird off Penhos Coastal Park car park (11^th), 1 bird at Traeth Dulas (15^th), 1 bird off Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (15^th) and 2 birds at Cemlyn (16^th).  21 Sandwich Terns were on rocks off Rhosneigr (11^th).

Raptors:

An Osprey was seen to fly SE over Rhosneigr dunes (13^th), a Marsh Harrier was over Aberffraw dunes (15^th) and a Merlin was at Cemlyn (17^th).  A Barn Owl was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th), with another at Traeth Dulas (15^th).

Seabirds:

Cemlyn was the only site to record any skuas, with 5 Arctic Skuas (12^th), 2 Arctic Skuas (17^th) and a Great Skua (13^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A Red-throated Diver flew past Cemlyn (16^th), with 3 past the following day (17^th).  Sightings of Little Grebe included the 1^st returning bird to Holyhead harbour (15^th) and 66 birds at the Cefni reservoir (16^th).

 

Forthcoming week – 18^th September – 24^th September?

Four records of Ortolan Bunting, albeit that 3 of the records are from the 60’s, with birds at Brynsiencyn (18^th) in 1968, at South Stack (18^th) in 1968, on the Skerries (19^th) in 1961 and a more recent record of a bird at South Stack (24^th) in 2006.  A Bluethroat was at South Stack (23^rd) in 2001, a Barred Warbler was at the Breakwater Country Park (23^rd) in 2008, a Common Rosefinch was at Soldiers Point, Holyhead (19^th) in 2004 and an Isabelline Wheatear was at Mynachdy (22^nd) in 2006.

There are 3 records of Glossy Ibis with birds at Cemlyn (19^th) in 2020, at RSPB Cors Ddyga (19^th) in 2020 and at Llyn Park Mawr (22^nd) in 2009.  A Cattle Egret was at the Alaw estuary (19^th) in 2019.

There have been 2 records of Pectoral Sandpiper with birds at Malltraeth (24^th) in 1963 and at Llyn Alaw (19^th) in 1981.  A Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at Cemlyn (21^st) in 1977. 

 

Some other stuff that might be of interest:

1.        Anglesey’s Greenland White-fronted Geese – First winter of goose data.
2.        Songbird strikes against lit buildings in New York - https://twitter.com/MelissaBreyer/status/1437813494141886467?s=20  - several tweets with photos from @MelissaBreyer
3.        Weather and wind direction is always of interest to birders – Ventusky might be a useful resource.