Saturday 30th October – Friday 5th November 2021

Intro:

… Snow Buntings, Black Redstarts and Bramblings …

Passerines and others:

Perhaps the week’s highlight was further sighting of Snow Buntings with 1 seen in flight at South Stack (31^st) and up to 2 around the Trwyn at Cemlyn (2 on 31^st, 1 on 1^st).  

Snow Bunting, Cemlyn, 1st November - Martin Jones

The Black Redstart previously seen in a private garden at Beaumaris was seen again (1^st), whilst a female / juvenile plumage bird was in the walled garden opposite the Pilot’s cottage at Point Lynas (3^rd- 4^th).  A Firecrest was at South Stack (3^rd), a tristis - type Siberian Chiffchaff was at the Amlwch Port / Octel water treatment plant (2^nd), a collybita Common Chiffchaff was at Rhoscolyn (5^th), 6 Blackcap were at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (1^st) and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard calling at RSPB Cors Ddyga (4^th).  Brambling were seen in a number of private gardens, but the latest concentration of 20+ birds continued to be within the mixed finch flock near Llanddaniel (31^st).  3 Common Crossbill flew over Cemaes (30^th) and a Hooded Crow was at South Stack (3^rd).  There was a major arrival of Redwing and Fieldfare to the North East of the island (5^th), with significant numbers of both species from Benllech to Hen Borth.

Divers & Grebes:

Up to 2 Slavonian Grebe on the Inland Sea (2 on 3^rd, 1 on 30^th & 2^nd) and 1 was seen at Beddmanarch Bay (1^st, 2^nd).  43 Little Grebes were at the Cefni reservoir (5^th).  Sightings of Great Northern Diver included 1 off Moelfre (30^th), 1 at Borth Wen, Rhoscolyn (3^rd) and 3 past Cemlyn (5^th).  2 Red-throated Diver were in the bay at Cemlyn (5^th)

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Sightings of Whooper Swans included 5 seen west of Llanfachraeth (30^th), 9 on flooded fields at RSPB Cors Ddyga (4^th) and 9 at Llyn Llywenan (5^th).  Up to 257 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Beddmanarch Bay (257 on 2^nd, 195 on 1^st) with 62 birds on the Alaw estuary (1^st).  A White-fronted Goose – probably of the Greenland race – flew south at Trearddur Bay (2^nd).  The drake Long-tailed Duck was seen again off Benllech (31^st & 1^st), along with up to 20 Eider (20 on 4^th, 2 on 1^st).  The Cefni reservoir (5^th) held 74 Tufted Duck, 44 Gadwall, 37 Shoveler, 19 Wigeon, 5 Pochard, 3 Goldeneye and 221 Coot.  A Goosander was on the pool between the A55 and the Cob, near the Inland Sea (3^rd).

Gulls and Terns:

Sightings of Mediterranean Gulls included 5 at Penrhos Coastal Park (30^th), 2 on the Alaw estuary (1^st), 2 at Traeth Dulas (1^st, 2^nd) and 1 off Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (5^th).

Waders:

2 Green Sandpiper were on the flooded field near Valley cemetery (1^st), with 1 at Traeth Dulas (2^nd).  A Purple Sandpiper was seen off the headland between Silver Bay and Borth Wen, Rhoscolyn (3^rd), while 14 Dunlin were on the Alaw estuary (1^st) and 25 Dunlin were at Rhoscolyn (5^th).  Up to 8 Grey Plover were on the Alaw estuary (2 on 30^th, 8 on 1^st, 5 on 4th), 1 was at Cemlyn (1^st) and 1 was at Rhoscolyn (5^th).  There were 100+ Golden Plover at Cemlyn (1^st) and 78 Lapwing were on the Alaw estuary (1^st).  Up to 24 Bar-tailed Godwit were seen on the Alaw estuary (2 on 30^th, 19 on 1^st, 24 on 4^th) and 55 Black-tailed Godwit were at Gorad flood, Valley (2^nd).  Up to 4 Greenshank were on the Alaw estuary (4 on 30^th, 1 on 1^st & 4^th), while 12 birds were at Traeth Dulas (2^nd).  Traeth Dulas also held 38 Redshank (2^nd).  2 Woodcock were on The Range (30^th).

Raptors:

A Short-eared Owl was seen between Holyhead Breakwater Country Park and Soldier’s Point (1^st), while a Red Kite was seen north of Cefni reservoir (1^st).  A Merlin was seen to come in off the sea at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (1^st) and 2 others were seen hunting near the south side of Holyhead (4^th).  A juvenile Marsh Harrier was at the Cefni reservoir (5^th).

Seabirds:

A late Arctic Skua flew past Octel, Amlwch Port (3^rd).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

No records of note.

 

Forthcoming week – 6^th November – 12^th November?

A big reduction in the number of rare and scarce birds, with just the two records.  A Glossy Ibis was at Valley (7^th) in 2019 and there is a historical record of a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (10^th) at Menai Bridge in 1899.