Intro:
… steady as she goes … a week of little change, but enough to keep the interest going.
Herons, Egrets and allies:
The 1st winter Glossy Ibis was reported on the field between
the railway line and caravan park, north of Llyn Maelog during the early part
of the week (22nd-26th).
RSPB wardens advise that there have recently been up to 3 Great Egrets
at RSPB Cors Ddyga, with specific reports during the week including 2 (26th)
and 1 (27th). 1 was also seen at Llyn Llywenan (22nd
& 25th), with 2 on wet fields north-west of the Rhosgoch turning
off the B5111 (28th). A showy
Water Rail was at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (25th-27th).
Passerines and others:
The first report of Yellowhammer for the year came from fields around
the Braint estuary (23rd), which also continues to hold up to 5
Brambling among a mixed finch flock of up to 600 birds together with 200+
Skylarks (23rd). RSPB wardens
advise that up to 7 Chiffchaff have recently been seen from the road between RSPB
Cors Ddyga and the Pentre Berw water treatment plant, with specific reports
during the week including 1 at the Pentre Berw Water Treatment Plant (23rd)
and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th).
2 Blackcap were in a private garden at Benllech (28th). A male Black Redstart was in the small cove
off the Salt Island car park, Holyhead Harbour (26th), while the
Benllech bird was seen again on ‘The Wendon’ at the seafront (28th). A Kingfisher was seen on the small pool
adjacent to the car park at Penrhos Coastal Park (26th&28th), and
both Dipper and Grey Wagtail were on the stream at Bodfordd (23rd). Hooded Crows were seen at RSPB South Stack (25th)
and on the Alaw estuary (27th).
Waders:
Up to 2 Green Sandpipers were on the Alaw estuary (2 on 27th,
1 on 25th), with Common Sandpiper being seen at 2 sites – 1 at Church
Island, Menai Bridge (22nd) and 1 at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (26th-27th). Sightings of Greenshank included 9 birds on
the Alaw estuary (27th), 6 birds at Traeth Dulas (23rd)
and 1 at the Braint estuary (27th).
645 Black-tailed
Godwit were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th), which also had a Ruff (25th-26th). A large flock of Golden Plover (>1000)
were on fields off the old Aberffraw - Bodorgan road (27th), with 1380 birds at Llyn
Maelog (22nd). Counts of
Lapwing included 193 at Llyn Maelog (22nd) and 277 on the Alaw
estuary (27th). Traeth Dulas
had 102 Dunlin and 10 Ringed Plover (28th), while 23 Ringed Plover
were at Holyhead Bay (28th). 37 Snipe were between Silver Bay and Borthwen,
Rhoscolyn (23rd), while sightings of Jack Snipe included 1 between
Silver Bay and Borthwen, Rhoscolyn (23rd), 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th&26th)
and 1 at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (25th).
Swans, Geese & Ducks:
The Whooper Swan herd was still on fields off the Llangefni –
Llanerchymedd road (24th), with other sightings including 4 on
fields north of RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th), 7 on fields east of the
Braint estuary (27th) and 9 at Llyn Lygeirian (28th). 28 Mute Swans were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th), with 23 on
the Alaw estuary (27th). 134 Pink-footed Geese flew
in from the north and landed
north of the Afon Cefni but flew off again after a few minutes heading in the
direction of Llyn Coron (25th). A single Pink-footed
Goose was with Canada Geese at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th). 128 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at the
Braint estuary (23rd).
The drake Long-tailed Duck was seen again off Benllech seafront (24th),
with the site continuing in its good form for Eider with 22 birds (22nd). 76 Common Scoter were off Benllech seafront
(25th), with 20+ close inshore off Penmon Point (27th). The female Scaup was seen again on the Cefni
reservoir (23rd). Sightings
of Goldeneye included 14 birds on Llyn Maelog (22nd) and 11 birds on the Cefni reservoir
(23rd). The Cefni reservoir
also held 97 Tufted Duck, 17 Gadwall, 213 Wigeon, 25 Shoveler and 129 Coot (23rd). There were 13 Goosander on Llyn Coron
(27th) and single birds at Llyn Llywenan (22nd) and on
the Afon Cefni, from Pont Bulkeley (26th).
Divers & Grebes:
3 Great Northern Divers were reported off Cemlyn (23rd), with
1 off Benllech seafront (22nd, 25th, 27th-28th). Benllech seafront also delivered a Black-throated
Diver (22nd & 27th) and up to 50 Red-throated Diver (50
on 23rd, 16 on 25th).
2 Slavonian Grebes were off Penrhos Coastal Park (26th, 28th),
21 Little Grebe were at the Cefni reservoir (23rd) and 46
Great-crested Grebes were off Benllech seafront (25th).
RSPB wardens advise that up
to 5 Marsh Harriers have recently been seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga, with specific reports
during the week including 3 (25th) and 2 (26th). Elsewhere, Marsh Harriers were seen at Llyn
Coron (22nd) and RSPB Valley (22nd). It was a good week for sightings of Hen
Harrier (all ‘ring-tailed’ – i.e. 1st winter or female birds), with
reports from 4 sites with 1 at Llyn Coron (22nd), 1 over the Cefni
estuary as viewed from the Newborough end of the cob (25th), 1 at
Cors Goch (27th) and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (27th). A Red Kite was seen from RSPB Cors Ddyga (26th). Peregrine Falcons were seen on the Cefni
estuary (25th), RSPB Cors Ddyga (26th) and from Penrhos
Coastal Park (28th).
Sightings of Merlin included 1 at Llyn Coron (22nd), 1 at
Llanfaethlu (22nd), 2 on the Braint estuary (23rd),1 at RSPB
Cors Ddyga (25th), 1 off Penrhos Coastal Park (26th) and
1 at Cors Goch (27th). There was
a belated report of a Goshawk seen by 2 wardens as it flew over RSPB Cors Ddyga
(18th). A Short-eared Owl was
seen hunting the fields north of the Afon Cefni between the two bridges
adjacent to RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th).
Seabirds:
A Black Guillemot was
seen off Benllech seafront (26th).
Sightings of Mediterranean Gulls included an adult winter bird off Penrhos
Coastal Park (26th), 3 on the Alaw estuary (27th), 1 at
4-mile bridge (28th) and 1 at Cemaes Bay (28th). A Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the Alaw
estuary (27th) – the first for the year at that site.
Other wildlife of note:
A pod of 11
Bottle-nosed Dolphins moved south off South Stack (27th), while an
Otter was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th).