Saturday 12th March – Friday 18th March 2022

Intro:

… another harbinger of spring …

Seabirds & gulls:

Another harbinger of spring came in the form of the first Manx Shearwater of the year that was seen off RSPB South Stack (13^th).  Last year’s earliest was on the 11^th, with 2 past North Stack and 6 past Cemlyn – so they are pretty consistent in the timing of their return from their wintering grounds off South America.  

It was a good week for sightings of Mediterranean Gulls with up to 8 at Hen Borth (12^th), 5 off Penrhos Coastal Park – 3 adults and 2, 2^nd winters (13^th) and up to 8 at Cemlyn (8 on 16^th, 2 on 12^th, 1 on 14^th & 15^th).

Sightings of Black Guillemots included 2 off Traeth yr Ora (15^th), 1 off Cemlyn (12^th), 1 off Benllech (18^th) and 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (18^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

When putting together a 1^st draft of the news update on Thursday evening I mused over whether we would get another Ring-necked Duck this spring.  One has wintered on Llyn Tegid, Bala in Snowdonia over at least the past 2 winters and last spring there was some speculation as to whether the drake found by Ken Croft on Llyn Maelog on the 16^th March 2021 was the Bala bird.  I suggested in the draft that any flock of Tufted Duck should be given a good looking over, just in case there was something better among them.  Move forward less than 18 hours and David Wright finds a drake in the North-east corner of Llyn Cefni (18^th). 

Up to 4 Whooper Swans were still at RSPB Cors Ddyga (4 on 12^th, 2 on 14^th), with 6 in fields near Rhosgoch (16^th).  Sightings of Pale-bellied Brent Geese included 19 at Traeth Bychan and then Benllech (12^th) and 10 that flew north off Traeth yr Ora (15^th).  Following an absence over recent weeks, there were 2 reports of Pink-footed Geese with 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th) and then 20 that were seen to fly in from the north and land on fields to the north of the Afon Cefni adjacent to RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).

A splash of colour came in the form of a drake Mandarin Duck at Llyn Parc Mawr, Newborough (14^th).  Whilst breeding on the River Dee and present in small numbers on the Afon Glaslyn, this had until recently been a very scarce bird on Anglesey – but it has now been recorded in each of the last 3 years.  Originally an introduced species from China, they have now become widely established across the UK.  Opinions on introduced species are likely to vary enormously, but there would no doubt be some local birders who would warmly welcome the establishment of a small breeding populations on the island if only to avoid an annual trip to Llangollen to add them to a year list.  

Sightings of Eider included up to 10 birds off Benllech seafront (10 on 12^th).  Ducks at Llyn Maelog (15^th) included 7 Pochard, 27 Tufted Duck and 6 Goldeneye, while at Llyn Cefni there were 15 Gadwall, 45 Tufted Duck, 21 Wigeon and 6 Goldeneye (15^th).  There were 12 Pintail at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).

Passerines and others:

Small numbers of Sand Martins continued to arrive including up to 2 at South Stack (2 on 18^th, 1 on 12^th) and 2 that flew over Tyn Llan pool, Cemlyn and then off in the direction of Hen Borth (15^th).  Likewise, there were further sightings of Northern Wheatears with up to 6 at Cemlyn (6 on 15^th, 2 on 14^th), 1 at RSPB South Stack (15^th) and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (15^th).  3 White Wagtails were seen on Tyn Llan fields (14^th), with a further 2 at the west car park for Cemlyn (14^th).  The small number of wintering Chiffchaffs were joined by a noticeable arrival of migrant birds at various sites including 3-4 at the Breakwater Country Park (13^th) and 8 singing at Llyn Cefni (15^th), while 3 Cetti's Warblers were singing at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th).  2 Crossbills flew South-west over RSPB South Stack (17^th).  Sightings of Dippers included up to 2 on the Afon Cefni by Market Place, Llangefni (2 on 12^th, 1 on 18^th), with another on the stream close to the water treatment plant at Bodffordd (15^th).  Reports of Grey Wagtails included 1 at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (13^th), 2 at Cemlyn (14^th) and 1 on the stream at Bodffordd (15^th).  A Kingfisher was at Holyhead Harbour (16^th).  Sightings of Hooded Crows included up to 2 at South Stack (2 on 18^th, 1 on 12^th & 14^th) and 1 at Cemlyn (15^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

The Cattle Egret was seen again NE of Valley, but is ranging from fields next to and up to 3 fields back from the A5025 (15^th & 16^th).  Up to 3 Great Egrets were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (3 on 14^th, 2 on 12^th, 1 on 15^th & 18^th).  A Water Rail was at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (13^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A Great Northern Diver was off Llanddwyn (14^th), a Black-throated Diver was off Benllech (18^th) and 4 Red-throated Divers were off Traeth yr Ora (15^th).  Up to 3 Slavonian Grebes were seen off Penrhos Coastal Park – up to 2 of which were in summer plumage (3 on 16^th, 1 on 12^th, 13^th& 15^th) with a winter-plumaged bird being seen at the Alaw estuary (18^th).  12 Little Grebes were seen at Llyn Cefni (15^th).

Waders:

The wintering Common Sandpiper was seen again at Holyhead harbour (12^th & 16^th), with a further bird at Malltraeth (15^th).  12 Purple Sandpipers were at Llanddwyn (14^th) and up to 10 were at Cemlyn (10 on 14^th, 5 on 17^th, 2 on 16^th).  2 Dunlin were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th) and 2 were at Traeth Dulas (17^th).  Up to 10 Grey Plovers were at Cemlyn (10 on 14^th, 7 on 17^th, 2 on 16^th, 1 on 12^th), while sightings of Golden Plover included 374 at the Alaw estuary (18^th), up to c.300 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (c. 300 on 14^th, 35 on 12^th) and 150 at Cemlyn (17^th).  Up to 2 Ruff were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 12^th, 1 on 16^th & 18^th).  Black-tailed Godwits continue to be present in good numbers with up to c.300 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (c. 300 on 14^th, 22 on 16^th) and up to 170 at Malltraeth cob (170 on 18^th, 21 on 14^th), while 71 Bar-tailed Godwits were on the Alaw estuary (18^th).  Up to 5 Greenshank were on the upper reaches of Traeth Dulas (5 on 15^th, 4 on 17^th) and 3 were of the Alaw estuary (18^th).  Counts of Redshank included 125 at Malltraeth (18^th) and up to 60 at Traeth Dulas (60 on 17^th, 52 on 15^th).  A Whimbrel was seen at Cemlyn (12^th, 15^th, 16^th, 18^th), while 3 ‘bubbling’ Curlews were heard and seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (14^th) which also held c. 20 displaying Lapwing (14^th).  A Jack Snipe was on The Range, Holyhead (16^th), with another seen at Cemlyn (18^th).

Raptors:

Up to 3 Marsh Harriers were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (3 on 14^th, 2 on 12^th), while a Hen Harrier was also seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th).  Sightings of Red Kite included 1 above the Church at the bottom of the Dingle, Llangefni (12^th), 1 over the A55 near Pentre Berw (14^th), 1 at Dolmeinir near Llangefni (17^th), 1 at Llyn Cefni (17^th) and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (18^th).  A Merlin was seen at RSPB South Stack (18^th).

2022 Year List:

Manx Shearwater, Ring-necked Duck, Mandarin Duck and Crossbill were all new for the year and takes the 2022 year list up to 157 – 72% of the mean of the annual total for the previous 2 years.