Saturday 29th January – Friday 4th February 2022

Intro:

… Pinkfeets…

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

The headline bird, or birds to be more specific, was the unusually large number of Pink-footed Geese on fields to the north of RSPB Cors Ddyga.  Whilst this species is plentiful at sites as near as the Dee Estuary, it has been a scarce bird on Anglesey over the last 10 years or more.  While the last 2 years have offered better opportunities to catch up with them locally, none have surpassed this week’s where a flock of up to 197 birds were seen (1^st-3^rd, 197 on 3^rd).

While Anglesey has its small wintering population of Greenland White-fronted Geese, the presence of a Russian White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons albifrons among the flock of Pinkfeets created a bit of added interest.  Sightings of Whooper Swans included 7 birds on the Braint estuary (31^st), 1 among 23 Mute Swans on the Alaw estuary (31^st) and 4 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (3^rd).

The drake Long-tailed Duck was seen again off Benllech seafront (2^nd-3^rd), with a single drake Eider off Benllech seafront (2^nd) and 2 drakes off Trwyn y Penrhyn, Penmon (31^st).  89 Pintail were at the Alaw estuary (1^st), with c. 30 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd).  A female Goosander was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd-3^rd).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Cattle Egret, presumably the one seen earlier in the year north of Valley, was seen in a cattle field north of the B5109 Llanynhhenedl to Bodedern road (30^th – 4^th).  The same field held up to 18 Little Egrets (18 on 1^st).  A Great Egret was at Llyn Llywenan (30^th), with 2 birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd).  2 Water Rails were noted at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd).

Passerines and others:

The un-seasonal presence of Swallows continues, with reports of single birds near the school at Bodorgan (31^st) and near Aberffraw (3^rd).  Brambling continue to be seen in fields at the Braint estuary (31^st).  Up to 2 Cetti’s Warbler were heard at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 2^nd, 1 or 3^rd).  Sightings of Kingfisher included birds seen at low water on the seaward side of Cadnant bridge, Menai Bridge (31^st) and on the pool alongside the car park at Penrhos Coastal Park (31^st).  22 Chough were in a field south of Llyn Trafwll (1^st), while sightings of Hooded Crow included birds at South Stack (30^th) and on the Alaw estuary (1^st).  A large murmuration of Starlings was seen between Llyn Trafwll and Llyn Penrhyn (2^nd).

Waders:

A Green Sandpiper was at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (31^st), while last week’s Common Sandpipers were seen again at the freshwater outfall at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (30^th-1^st, 4^th) and at Church Island, Menai Bridge (31^st).  Up to 6 Purple Sandpipers were at Trearddur Bay (6 on 4^th, 4 on 2^nd).  1000+ Knot were on the Braint estuary (31^st), with 24 birds on the Alaw estuary (1^st).  The Alaw estuary also held 23 Ringed Plover (1^st).  Two Ruff were seen, 1 at the Braint estuary (31^st) and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd-3^rd).  c. 400 Black-tailed Godwit were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd), with 55 Bar-tailed Godwits on the Alaw estuary (1^st).  Greenshanks were seen at multiple locations including 1 on the Braint estuary (31^st), 1 at Church Island, Menai Bridge (31^st), 1 at Traeth Dulas (31^st), 1 at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (31^st), 2 at Beddmanarach Bay (1^st) and 1 at Aberffraw (2^nd).  1000+ Lapwing were on fields north of Tywyn Trewan Common (1^st) – as were 13 Curlew (1^st) - with c. 400 Lapwing birds at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd).  The was a single Jack Snipe at the Braint estuary (31^st), with 30 Common Snipe counted at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd).

Divers & Grebes:

Sightings of Great Northern Diver included 1 in Holyhead Harbour (1^st-2^nd) and 1 in Beddmanarch Bay (2^nd).  2 Red-throated Diver were in Holyhead harbour (31^st).  2 Slavonian Grebes were at Beddmanarch Bay (1^st-2^nd).

Raptors:

A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was seen over the Cefni estuary (2^nd), with 2 Marsh Harriers at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd) and a female Marsh Harrier over the Llyn Trafwll area (4^th).  A Red Kite was seen over at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2^nd).  Sightings of Peregrine Falcon included 2 birds at RSPB South Stack (3^rd) and 1 at RSPB Valley lakes (3^rd).  The latter site also produced a Merlin (3^rd).  A Short-eared Owl was at Llyn Coron (29^th).

Seabirds:

8270 Common Guillemots were counted on the cliffs at RSPB South Stack (3^rd).  There were 5 Black Guillemots in Holyhead harbour (31^st, 2^nd), with a further 3 in Beddmanarch Bay (1^st).  A Mediterranean Gull was off Penrhos Coastal Park (1^st-2^nd).  While there are good wintering populations of Lesser Black-backed Gulls elsewhere in the UK, it is a surprising rare bird on Anglesey during the winter months.  It is, however, our first real migrant of the year and this week saw 1 on the roof of old factory buildings, Laird’s, Llanfaes (31^st), 1 on a roadside pool at Llandrygan (31^st) and 4 on the Alaw estuary (1^st).