Saturday 16th October – Friday 22nd October

Intro:

… an arrival of Black Redstarts …

Passerines and others:

The week’s highlight was probably the continuing arrival of scarce passage migrants / wintering species.  Chief among these were 4-5 Black Redstarts with a female / immature type at South Stack (17^th), 1 in a private garden at Beaumaris (20^th), 1 at the top of Holyhead mountain (21^st) and 2 at the base, south side, of Holyhead mountain (21^st).  There was a fly-over Snow Bunting at Point Lynas (22^nd) and a fly-over Brambling at Rhoscolyn (22^nd).  26 Siskin flew over Point Lynas (22^nd), with 2 at Porth Dafarch (20^th) along with a Lesser Redpoll (20^th).  2 Northern Wheatear were west of Porth Dafarch (19^th), with another at Newborough beach car park (21^st).  A female Blackcap was at Wylfa Head woods car park (20^th), while 5 Swallows flew past Rhoscolyn (20^th).  A Hooded Crow was still at South Stack (20^th), whilst European Jays continued to be seen across the island which included 5 at Rhoscolyn (20^th) and 8 at Tregele (20^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

The Cattle Egret was seen again, but had relocated to a field west of Llanynghenedl (16^th).  An immature Spoonbill was on the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (16^th) and was later relocated on the Inland Sea as viewed from near the Anchorage Hotel (16^th).  2 Great Egrets were at Llyn Alaw (16^th) and c. 25 Little Egrets were at the Inland Sea (16^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Whooper Swans were reported from several locations including 2 at Llyn Alaw (16^th), 9 past Cemlyn (18^th), 15 east over Holyhead (19^th), 1 on Inland Sea (19^th) and 1 on the lagoon at Cemlyn (22^nd).  12 Mute Swans were on the Inland Sea (16^th).

Up to 165 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Beddmanarch Bay (165 on 20^th, 122 on 19^th), with 7 at the Alaw estuary (19^th).  A Greater Scaup flew past Point Lynas (21^st), 3 Eider flew past Point Lynas (21^st) and 4 past Cemlyn (22^nd).  A number of observers reported their first sightings of Goldeneye at particular sites with 2 drake Goldeneye on the lagoon at Cemlyn (19^th) and 1 at the Inland Sea (22^nd).  Wigeon numbers continue to increase with c.200 at Llyn Alaw (16^th) and 89 at the Alaw estuary (19^th).  There were 22 Pintail at Llyn Alaw (16^th), 41 Pintail at the Alaw estuary (19^th), 100 Pochard at Llyn Alaw (16^th) and 800 Coot at Llyn Alaw (16^th).  Llyn Alaw held an impressive estimate of 1200 Tufted Duck (16^th).  The first 16 Shelduck returned to the Alaw estuary (19^th).  Sightings of Goosander included 15 birds at Llyn Alaw (16^th), 1 on the Alaw estuary (19^th) and 1 at Beddmanarach Bay (22^nd).  There were 25 Red-breasted Mergansers on the lagoon at Cemlyn (19^th), with 3 on the Alaw estuary (19^th).

Divers & Grebes:

4 Red-throated Divers flew past Point Lynas (22^nd), while 2 were in the bay at Cemlyn (22^nd).  c. 30 Great-crested Grebes were seen on the Inland Sea (16^th).

Seabirds:

With the wind coming in from a NW-N direction at the end of the week it provided some late skua action at Point Lynas with a Long-tailed Skua (21^st), 4 Arctic Skuas (21^st) and a Great Skua (22^nd).  A Black Guillemot was in Holyhead harbour (21^st).

Gulls and Terns:

A Sabine’s Gull flew past Point Lynas (21^st) and a Little Gull fed among other gulls at Traeth Lligwy (16^th).  15+ Mediterranean Gulls were off Penrhos Coastal park (20^th) with 6 on the gorad flood at Valley (19^th).  2 Arctic Terns flew past Point Lynas (20^th).

Waders:

There were 14 Sanderling at Traeth Lligwy (16^th), with up to 12 Purple Sandpipers seen at Trearddur Bay (12 on 19^th, 2 on 21^st).   3 Knot were on the Alaw estuary (19^th), 11 Turnstones were on the Alaw estuary (19^th) and sightings of Dunlin included 17 birds at the Alaw estuary (19^th), 8 at Traeth Lligwy (16^th) and 1 at Traeth Dulas (16^th).  There were 80-100 Golden Plover at Cemlyn (22^nd) with 6 Grey Plover on the Alaw estuary (19^th) and 2 off Penrhos Coastal Park (20^th).  16 Ringed Plover were at Traeth Lligwy (16^th), with 2 at Porth y Mor (16^th).

A fairly stable number of Bar-tailed Godwits on the Alaw estuary with 52 birds reported this week (16^th).  There were 22 Black-tailed Godwit at the Inland Sea (16^th) and 12 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (16^th).  There were 8 Greenshank on the old brickworks pool, Traeth Dulas (16^th) and a single Ruff at Llyn Alaw (16^th).  232 Oystercatcher were counted on the Alaw estuary (19^th), while Woodcock were seen at Llynon Mill (16^th) and at Parc (18^th).

Raptors:

A Goshawk was seen over Mynydd Bodafon (16^th), a Merlin was seen at The Range (21^st) and a Short-eared Owl flew south at Traeth Cymyran (16^th).  Red Kites were seen at several locations including 1 following a tractor at Coedanna (16^th), 1 over the A5 just south of Rhostrehwfa (16^th) and 3 were over Llangwyllog (20^th).

Forthcoming week – 23rd October – 29^th October?

For a third week, Richard’s Pipit features - with 3 records – a bird at Penmon Point (24^th) in 1972, a bird at Cemlyn (28^th) in 2011 and a bird at South Stack (29^th) in 2019.  There was a Wood Lark at The Range (27^th) in 1987 and a Pallas’s Warbler at South Stack (23^rd) in 1988.  Rarer still were a Isabelline Shrike at Holyhead (25^th) in 1985, a Dusky Warbler at Wylfa woods (26^th) in 2002 and a Blyth’s Reed Warbler at Porth Eilian (27^th) in 2019.  A Great Shearwater at Point Lynas (25^th) in 1998 shows that seawatching may still offer a few surprises and a Ring-billed Gull was at Soldier’s Point (24^th) in 2003.  Finally, there was a Cattle Egret at Cemlyn (29^th) in 2018.