Saturday 25th December - Friday 31st December 2021

Intro:

… The year ends with a few local surprises …

Passerines and others:

The unseasonably mild weather has had a number of Swallows hanging on in the UK, with 1 being seen and videoed at Craig y Rhwyd near Ynys Llanddwyn (25^th).  It has been a good year for Black Redstarts with 22 known sightings across 2021, with the latest being a rather showy bird favouring an area around the large white house to the north of the beach car park at Benllech (29^th).

 Photo: Black Redstart, Benllech, 29^th December – Martin Jones

Waders:

Avocet is a scarce bird on Anglesey, with sightings having been less than annual over the past 30 years or so.   The past 2 years have been rather good, with 2 birds at Malltraeth on the 9^th April 2020 followed by 1 on Malltraeth cob pool on the 27^th August this year.  This week produced an unseasonal record with 1 seen in flight over Porth Cywfan, heading in the direction of Malltraeth, which was later seen by another birder at the Braint estuary (27^th).  Up to 9 Purple Sandpipers were at Rhoscolyn (3 on 28^th, 1 on 30^th), a Greenshank at Traeth Dulas (27^th) and 500+ Black-tailed Godwits continue to be seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (31^st).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

7 Whooper Swans were on fields east of the Braint estuary (28^th), with 3 Pink-footed Goose remaining on fields south of Plas Cemlyn (26^th).  58+ Pale-bellied Brent Geese were reported from the Braint estuary (28^th), with 3 seen at Rhoscolyn (30^th), 50 at Penmon Pool (29^th)  and 70 from the beach at Newborough (31^st).

Divers & Grebes:

Sightings of Great Northern Divers included 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (26^th) and 2 off the south shore of Llanddwyn Island (31^st).  A Red-throated Diver was off Rhoscolyn (28^th) and 2 Slavonian Grebes were seen at Beddmanarch Bay (26^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

3 Great Egrets were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (26^th).

Raptors:

5 Marsh Harriers and 2 Hen Harriers were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (26^th).  A female Merlin was seen hunting on the Braint estuary (28^th).

Seabirds:

No sightings of note.

Gulls and Terns:

No sightings of note.

 

2021 Annual Report

A big thank you to everyone who has shared records, shared photographs or more generally shown an interest in the weekly updates. 

Last year I condensed the records into an annual report, which was available free of charge but with a suggestion that a donation be made to Bangor Bird Group if readers enjoyed the report and appreciated the effort.  I know that many were very kind and generous in making donations to the bird group which aided their programme of talks.

I’ve continued this work into 2021 and, given that darkness has now fallen on the 31^st, I have now made the 2021 available on-line so that those interested can download a copy (possibly the timeliest annual bird report in the World 😊).  I have suggested that any donations in appreciation of the report are made to the North Wales Wildlife Trust’s fundraising campaign for the wardening at Cemlyn.  It seems a fitting recipient at the end of a year where the wardens not only did a sterling job in protecting the tern colony, but also ensured that many got to see the Elegant Tern present over the late spring/early summer months.

A PDF copy of the 2021 Annual Report can be downloaded from:

https://sites.google.com/view/anglesey-bird-news/annual-reports/2021-annual-report

A PDF copy of the 2020 Annual Report can be downloaded from:

https://sites.google.com/view/anglesey-bird-news/annual-reports/2020-annual-report

 

Best wishes for the New Year

Finally, the very best wishes for the New Year and I hope that your birding year gets off to an excellent start on the 1^st. 

Saturday 18th December - Friday 24th December 2021

Intro:

… 100 not out; not sure that I thought this through ….

Firstly, I hope you and yours have a peaceful Christmas and New Year.

This is the 100^th consecutive week for the blog and I’d like to take the opportunity to thank all those who have contributed news & photographs and provided encouragement along the way.  I believe that the blog has built up into a valuable resource on birding on the island which can be dipped into as necessary.  

The discipline of writing a weekly blog helped enormously in the production of an annual report for 2020 that was well received.  Always a glutton for punishment, I have been working throughout the year on a 2021 report that is finished save for any last-minute additions as we near year end.  Further details on this will be shared next week.  So, without further ado, on to the weekly news.

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Despite their numbers on the Dee estuary, Pink-footed Goose is a scarce bird on Anglesey.  This week brought a number of small flocks to the North Wales coast, with up to 42 birds being found on the fields south of Plas Cemlyn (42 on 20^th, 35+ on 21^st, 5 on 24^th).  The elusive flock of Greenland White-fronted Geese were caught on camera, with 21 birds photographed in flight near at Llyn Coron (18^th) – 3 of which had neck collars.  Sightings of Whooper Swan included singles over Porth Wen (18^th) and South Stack (18^th), with 4 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (20^th).  5 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Benllech (18^th), with 100+ Shelduck and 600 Common Scoter at Red Wharf Bay (18^th).  6 Eider were in Red Wharf Bay (18^th), while 3 flew west past Soldiers Point, Holyhead (18^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A Black-throated Diver was seen at Red Wharf Bay (18^th), while sightings of Red-throated Diver included 90 at Red Wharf Bay (18^th), 17+ off Traeth yr Ora (21^st) and 1 at Holyhead Harbour (18^th).  A Great Northern Diver was in Beddmanarch Bay (21^st), with another at Holyhead Bay (22^nd).  Up to 3 Slavonian Grebes were at Beddmanarch Bay (3 on 20^th&21^st, 1 on 22^nd).

Passerines and others:

A tristis type Chiffchaff was in willow scrub behind the beach at Traeth Lligwy (18^th), with a vocal Common Chiffchaff in the willows at Llyn Coron (20^th).  A Twite was heard at Ynys Leurad, Inland Sea (19^th) and a Hooded Crow was at Henborth (24^th).  c. 300,000 Common Starlings were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

No reports of any Spoonbills this week, but up to 2 Great Egrets were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th) with 1 at Llyn Llywenan (22^nd).  A Water Rail showed well at Trewan Common (20^th).

Waders:

A Jack Snipe was near Ynys Leurad, Inland Sea (19^th) and a Greenshank was seen at Beddmanarch Bay (19^th).

Seabirds:

8 Black Guillemot were in Holyhead harbour (18^th), with 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (21^st).  70 + Common Guillemots were seen at Red Wharf Bay (18^th).

Gulls and Terns:

There was a report of a Tern, that couldn’t be assigned to a species, between the Menai and Britannia bridges (22^nd).

Raptors:

5 Marsh Harriers were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th), with sightings of Hen Harriers including ring-tailed birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th) and at Parc (23^rd).  Red Kites were reported over Pentraeth (18^th) and at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th).  There was a report of a Short-eared Owl near Llyn Coron (18^th) and a Barn Owl was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (20^th).

 

Forthcoming week – 25^th December – 31^st December?

5 Cattle Egrets were at Pont Marquis (25^th) in 2016, a Killdeer was at Holyhead (30^th) in 1994 and a Cirl Bunting was at Moelfre (31^st) in 1968.

Saturday 11th December - Friday 17th December 2021

Intro:

… Oh where, oh where, are the Spoonies hiding?  ….

Herons, Egrets and allies: 

Spoonbill is a scarce migrant to Anglesey with 1 or 2 records in most years.  There were just the 2 reports in 2020, a bird at Valley on the 16^th May and then the same or another at Plas Bog, near Bryngwran on the 24^th June.  2021 has been somewhat of a bumper year with sightings of 15 birds albeit that some duplication is possible or indeed likely.  This year’s sightings started off with 2 seen over RSPB Cors Ddyga on the 29^th April which then appeared to land near Llangaffo.  There was then a sighting of just 1 bird at RSPB Cors Ddyga on the 7^th May and 1 at the same site on the 24^th May.  2 were then seen at 4-mile bridge on the 30^th May, then 3 in flight over RSPB Cors Ddyga on the 23^rd June, with 1 seen over Holyhead Bay and then Beddmanarch Bay on the 23^rd August.  An immature bird was then seen on the 16th October, firstly on the mitigation pool, Inland Sea before moving on to the shores of the Inland Sea itself as viewed from the Anchorage Hotel.  Returning to RSPB Cors Ddyga, 3 were seen in flight on the 8^th November then this week 1 was seen there in flight on the 15^th December.  All of which begs the question, have there been birds on the island since the spring and if so, where have they been hiding?

There is perhaps a danger of becoming a little blasé about sightings of Great Egrets; it wasn’t so long ago that they were a major rarity on the island, but now they might be expected when starting off a new year list on New Year’s day!  This week, birds were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 11^th & 17^th, 1 on 13^th&15^th), 1 in a field north of the B5111 between Llannerchymedd and Rhosybol (12^th) and 1 in a field near Llyn Llywenan (15^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Sightings of Whooper Swans included up to 4 birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (4 on 13^th & 17^th, 2 on 11^th) and 6 near Trewan Common (15^th).  A coordinated low water count by 6 individuals of the Inland Sea/Beddmanarch Bay/Holyhead Bay areas (14^th) produced 445 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 110 Shelduck, 642 Wigeon, 125 Teal, 196 Pintail, 25 Goldeneye and 27 Red-breasted Mergansers.  Elsewhere, 3 White-fronted Geese – presumably of the Greenland sub-species – flew over Coedana (15^th).  There was some 200+ Northern Shoveler at RSPB Cors Ddyga (17^th), 13 Goldeneye at Llyn Maelog (13^th) and 3 drake Goldeneye at Beddmanarch Bay (16^th).  Sightings of Goosander included 1 at Llyn Maelog (13^th) and 9 - 5 males and 4 females - at Llyn Coron (15^th).  8 Red-breasted Mergansers were seen in Beddmanarch Bay (16^th).

Waders:

400+ Black-tailed Godwits were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (400+ on 11^th, 250+ on 17^th).  5 Purple Sandpipers were on the rocks off the slipway at Trearddur Bay (15^th), a Green Sandpiper was seen near Trewan Common (15^th) and a Ruff was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (13^th).  69 Bar-tailed Godwits were at the Alaw estuary (16^th), 200 Lapwing were on the fields with electrified fencing at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11^th), while 2 Woodcock, 3 Jack Snipe and 75 Common Snipe were at Talwrn (17^th).  The aforementioned coordinated low water count of the Inland Sea/Beddmanarch Bay/Holyhead Bay areas (14^th) produced 64 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 31 Grey Plover, 2 Ringed Plover, 5 Snipe, 8 Greenshank, 553 Redshank, 814 Dunlin, 333 Curlew and 637 Lapwing.

Divers & Grebes:

Sightings of Great Northern Diver included 1 in Holyhead Harbour (12^th), 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (15^th-16^th) and 1 at the Inland Sea (14^th-16^th).  A Red-throated Diver was seen in Holyhead harbour (17^th).  Up to 2 Slavonian Grebes were seen at Beddmanarch Bay (2 on 16^th, 1 on 15^th), with 1 on the Inland Sea (14^th, 15^th).  4 Little Grebes and 13 Great crested Grebes were in the Inland Sea/Beddmanarch Bay/Holyhead Bay areas (14^th).

Passerines and others:

A slow week, but last week’s Snow Bunting remained in the vicinity of Holyhead Harbour (11^th-12^th), while Hooded Crows were seen at South Stack (13^th) and the Alaw estuary (16^th).  c. 200,000 Starlings were seen early morning to leave their roost at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11^th).

Seabirds:

Sightings of Black Guillemot included 7 at Holyhead Harbour (12^th), 4 off the green at Beaumaris (12^th) and 1 off Benllech seafront (13^th).  Whilst Common Guillemots and Razorbill are a common sight off the Anglesey coastline, records this week included 1 at the Inland Sea (15^th) and 1 in the harbour at Amlwch Port (17^th).

 

Photo: Common Guillemot, Amlwch Port harbour, 17^th December – Martin Jones.

Gulls and Terns:

The aforementioned coordinated count of the Inland Sea/Beddmanarch Bay/Holyhead Bay areas (14^th) produced 2 Little Gulls, 3 Mediterranean Gulls, 158 Black-headed Gulls, 87 Common Gulls, 391 Herring Gulls and 18 Great Black-backed Gulls.  10 Mediterranean Gulls were seen at the Alaw estuary (16^th).

Raptors:

3 Marsh Harriers were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (4 on 11^th, 3 on 13^th, 2 on 15^th), with a male at Trewan Common (15^th).  A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was seen over Mynydd Bodafon (14^th), while sightings of Red Kites included birds over Mynydd Bodafon (14^th), at Dolmeinir (14^th) and south-west of Llanbedrgoch (15^th).  Merlins were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (13^th) and at Henborth, South Stack (13^th).  A Short-eared Owl was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (15^th), a Little Owl was at the Range, South Stack (13^th) and a Barn Owl was at Talwrn (17^th).

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

Their have been no records of any rare or scarce birds being found in this week; an opportunity to make some local birding history!

Saturday 4th December - Friday 10th December 2021

Intro:

… Green 236 …

Passerines and others:

Perhaps the most interesting bird of the week was a Scandinavian Rock Pipit that was found on the wrack zone adjacent to the road bridge at Malltraeth (5^th-6^th).  The bird had a dark green darvic ring on its right leg with the inscription 236 in white and a metal ring on its left.  Subsequent checks established that it was part of a ringing scheme in Norway, with the bird having been ringed as an adult male on the 1st April 2021 at Maletangen – a distance travelled of some 787 miles.  It is the 3^rd return of a Rock Pipit from this scheme for Wales, with 64 from England and 20 from Scotland.  Also present on the same patch of wrack was a Dutch ringed Chaffinch.

 Photo: Scandinavian Rock Pipit, Malltraeth, 6th December - Martin Jones

Snow Buntings were seen at Traeth yr Ora (7^th) and Holyhead Harbour (6th, 9^th, 10^th), while Black Redstarts were seen at Moelfre (4^th) and Silver Bay, Rhoscolyn (5^th).  2 Water Pipit were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (5^th) and a very late Barn Swallow was at Malltraeth village (5^th).  Hooded Crows were seen at South Stack (5^th) and Henborth (10^th).  A Great Spotted Woodpecker seen flying along Holyhead Breakwater (9^th) was out of its natural habitat!

Waders:

The number of Black-tailed Godwits at RSPB Cors Ddyga continues to increase to what are unprecedented numbers in respect of Anglesey, with the latest estimate being of 560 birds and a count of just part of the flock amounting to 431 birds (6^th).  Purple Sandpipers were seen at a number of sites with 4 at Moelfre (4^th), 3 at Trearddur Bay (5^th), 1 at Silver Bay, Rhoscolyn (5^th) and 1 at Soldiers Point, Holyhead (6^th).  Holyhead Bay held 35 Grey Plover (6^th) and 3 Knot (6^th), while nearby there were 2 Greenshank in Beddmanarch Bay (9^th).

Divers & Grebes:

Great Northern Divers were seen at a number of locations including 1 on the Menai Strait between Plas Newydd and the Britannia Bridge (4^th), 1 in Holyhead Harbour (4^th – 10^th), 1 past RSPB South Stack (9^th) and 3 between Holyhead Bay and Penrhos (9^th).  A Red-throated Diver was at Silver Bay, Rhoscolyn (5^th).  A Slavonian Grebe was seen on the Inland Sea (5^th) and up to 33 Great-crested Grebes were in Holyhead Bay (33 on 9^th, 30 on 8^th, 22 on 6^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

12 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at the mouth of the Dulas estuary (9^th), while 17 were seen to fly in from the North-West towards Holyhead Bay (9^th).  5 Eider were off Benllech seafront (7^th).

Seabirds:

Up to 9 Black Guillemots were in Holyhead Harbour (9 on 10^th, 6 on 9^th, 3 on 8^th) and 1 was seen in Holyhead Bay (8^th).

Gulls and Terns:

Sightings of Mediterranean Gull included adult birds at Holyhead Bay (6^th & 8^th) and at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th).   Following Storm Barra, 156 Kittiwake passed west through Holyhead Harbour in 1 hour (8^th), with others lingering at the more sheltered west end of the harbour.

Raptors:

RSPB Cors Ddyga was the raptor hotspot with 2 Marsh Harriers (5^th) and 2 Red Kites (5^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

Sightings of Great Egrets included 2 birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (5^th) and 1 at Llyn Llywenan (5^th).

 

Forthcoming week – 11^h December – 17^th December?

Previous records have included a Cattle Egret at Pont Marquis (11^th) in 2018, a Richard’s Pipit at Malltraeth Cob (12^th) in 1977, a Rough-legged Buzzard at Cemaes (12^th) in 2012 and a Pallas’s Warbler at Soldier’s Point (17^th) in 2006.

Saturday 27th November - Friday 3rd December 2021

Intro:

… Storm Arwen delivers a phalarope and multiple Little Gulls  …

Waders:

In terms of scarcity, a Grey Phalarope found in Red Wharf Bay (28^th) was the scarcest bird and it was Anglesey’s 2^nd record of the year after a bird found at Cemlyn on the 16^th July. 

 

Grey Phalarope, Red Wharf Bay, 28^th November – by Rhys Jones

Good numbers of Black-tailed Godwits continue to be seen with the most easily accessible birds being on the Gorad flood, Valley where up to 70 birds were reported (29^th).  The Common Sandpiper previously reported in Holyhead Harbour was seen again near the outflow at Soldier’s Point (1^st) and a Purple Sandpiper was at Borthwen, Rhoscolyn (3^rd).

Gulls and Terns:

Good numbers of Little Gulls were seen with 6 seen in the lee of Ynys Moelfre (27^th) and later 8 birds, including 3 1^st winter birds off Traeth Bychan (27^th).  Whilst it is likely that some of the same birds may have been seen from both sites, they nonetheless represents very good counts for the island.  Elsewhere an adult winter plumaged Little Gull was seen in a mixed flock of gulls in the more sheltered waters off Gallows Point, Beaumaris (27^th) with the flock also including 1 adult Mediterranean Gull – all ‘scoped from the relative comfort of the car from the layby west of the point (a handy site for inclement weather, with an impressive high tide roost of Oystercatchers and always with the possibility of a scarce grebe or seaduck).

Seabirds:

Up to 4 Black Guillemots were seen in Holyhead Harbour (4 on 3^rd, 3 on 30^th).  A possible arcticus sub-species of Black Guillemot was seen and photographed off Bangor pier (2^nd) and would have been viewable from the Anglesey site around the Gazelle.

Divers & Grebes:

2 Great Northern Diver were seen off Penmon (28^th), with another in Holyhead Harbour (30^th).  The harbour also held a Red-throated Diver (30^th, 3^rd).  Up to 2 Slavonian Grebes were seen in Beddmanarch Bay (2 on 3^rd, 1 on 28^th) and 1 on the Inland Sea (2^nd), although local birders believe that there have been at least 5 birds in the area.

Passerines and others:

Up to 2 Snow Buntings were on the shingle ridge at Llanddona beach (2 on 28^th, 1 on 29^th) and the male Black Redstart was seen again at Octel, Amlwch Port (3^rd).

Snow Bunting, Llanddona beach, 29^th November – by J Martin Jones

A late Barn Swallow was at Rhoscolyn (28^th) and a leucistic Common Starling was at Gorad beach, Valley (28^th).  Common Kingfishers were seen on the seaward side of Cadnant bridge, Menai Bridge (27^th), on the Afon Cefni at The Dingle, Llangefni (27^th) and at Holyhead harbour (3^rd).   A Hooded Crow was at The Range, South Stack (29^th) and another was at the Alaw estuary (2^nd).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Sightings of Whooper Swans included 23 birds off the Llangefni to Llanerchymedd road (1^st), 5 at Cemlyn (28^th) and 4 seen to fly over RSPB South Stack (29^th).  23 Greenland White-fronted Geese were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd), while reports of Pale-bellied Brent Geese included 32 birds at Lleiniog (27^th) and 8 at Traeth Lligwy (28^th).  The drake Long-tailed Duck was seen again off Benllech seafront (29^th-30^th), with sightings of Eider including birds off Lleiniog (27^th), Trwyn y Penrhyn, Penmon (27^th) and 3 off Benllech seafront (30^th).  182 Pintail were counted at the Alaw estuary (2^nd).

Raptors:

A Ring-tailed Hen Harrier was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (30^th), as were 3 Marsh Harriers (30^th).  A Merlin was seen at Amlwch Port (3^rd).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

No particular reports of note.

Forthcoming week – 4^th December – 10^th December?

There is a historical record of Wales’ first Little Bustard being short at Llanabo (9^th) in 1884, while more recently a Royal Tern was found at Traeth Dulas (10^th) in 2018.