Intro:
Scarce
waders continue to dominate sightings …
Waders:
A Curlew Sandpiper seen and
videoed on the Alaw estuary (23rd-24th) was a good early
record. Most of Anglesey’s records
relate to juveniles during the autumn, so all spring records are
noteworthy. A Wood Sandpiper was seen
for just 10 minutes at RSPB Cors Ddyga (29th) between 0655 and
0705hrs in the electrified field by Tai'r gors before
it flew towards the A55 and landed out of view at back of electrified
field. There have been no further
sightings by late evening. The Range, Holyhead is Anglesey’s
premiere site for Dotterel on passage and it delivered once more with one seen and
photographed (25th). It is
turning out to be a bumper year for sightings of Avocet with 2 at Cemlyn (28th)
being the 3rd and 4th records for the year.
The best of the plovers
included up to 2 Little Ringed Plover at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 25th-27th,
1 on 24th), a Grey Plover at the Cemlyn (23rd) and 4 Ringed
Plover at Malltraeth (26th). Common
Sandpipers were reported from a number of sites including 4 at the Alaw estuary
(24th), up to 4 at Cemlyn (4 on 29th, 1 on 23rd&26th),
3 at Hen Borth (23rd), 2 at Traeth Dulas (24th) and 1 on
the pool near the former school at Llandrygan (25th). 4 Purple Sandpipers were at Cemlyn (23rd)
and sightings of Sanderling included up to 6 birds at the Alaw estuary (6 on 24th,
5 on 23rd) and 2 at Traeth y Gribin (25th). 45 Dunlin were at Malltraeth (26th),
with 40 birds on the Alaw estuary (23rd) and 4 at Cemlyn (29th).
Up
to 2 Ruff were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 25th, 1 on 26th),
26 Bar-tailed Godwits were on the Alaw estuary (24th) while
sightings of Black-tailed Godwits included up to 115 at Malltreath (115 on 26th,
109 on 23rd) and 3 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (26th). A Greenshank was at Malltraeth (23rd)
as were 5 Redshank (23rd). A
Common Snipe was at Cors Bodeilio (26th), with another at Tyn Llan
fields, Cemlyn (26th).
Whimbrel
were reported from multiple sites including up to 15 + at Hen Borth (15+ on 26th,
12 on 25th), up to 11 on the Alaw estuary (11 on 23rd, 7
on 24th), up to 6 at the Alaw estuary (6 on 26th, 4 on 24th),
5 at Cemlyn (23rd & 26th), up to 5 at Malltraeth (5
on 26th, 3 on 23rd), 4 at the Inland Sea (23rd)
and 3 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th).
Passerines and others:
A
Tree Sparrow was at a bird table in a private garden near Bryngwran (26th)
– the first record for the year following an earlier erroneous report. It is a great shame that a bird that once could
quite reasonably be expected to be seen during the course of the year has
reduced in number to such a small remnant population. A Black Redstart was seen near the entrance
gates to Lighthouse at South Stack (25th), while both a male and a female
Ring Ouzel were seen on fields between the coastguard lookout and St Gwenfaen’s
well, Rhoscolyn (26th & 29th). Sightings of Whinchat included 1 at Carmel
Head (24th), 1 between Hen Borth and Carmel Head (25th),
1 at Pont Marquis (25th), 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th) and
1 around Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (29th).
A
Garden Warbler was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25th), a Lesser Whitethroat
at Cors Bodeilio (25th), while sightings of Grasshopper Warblers
included 2 birds east of Cemlyn (23rd), 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (26th)
and 1 at Newborough (27th).1
2
Yellow Wagtail were seen at Hen Borth (26th) and a Blue-headed type -
which is causing some discussion as to the exact sub-species - was at Tyn Llan,
Cemlyn (29th). 4 Tree Pipits
were noted at Carmel Head (24th), with up to 4 flying through calling
at Cemlyn (4 on 25th, 1 on 29th). 50+ White Wagtail were at Tyn Llan, Cemlyn
(26th). Several Siskin were
seen at Llyn Parc Mawr (23rd).
19 Wheatears were at Cemlyn (29th), with 12 at the Range,
Holyhead (25th).
Sightings
of Hooded Crows included up to 3 at Hen Borth (3 on 23rd, 2 on 25th),
2 at Cemlyn (23rd), 2 at Carmel Head (24th), 2 at South
Stack (25th) and 2 on the Range, Holyhead (27th). A Kingfisher was seen in flight over the Afon
Cefni, adjacent to RSPB Cors Ddyga (26th) and a Cuckoo was at Cemlyn
(29th).
Swans, Geese & Ducks:
While the origin of Egyptian Geese is that of an introduced species, it
is still on the British list courtesy of a classification of having a
self-sustaining population. It is a rare
bird nonetheless on Anglesey although there are successful breeding records as
close as RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands, Cheshire.
One seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (24th – 26th) caused
some local interest and was last seen flying down the Menai Strait (29th)
before later being reported at RSPB Conwy.
A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was still at Traeth Dulas (28th),
a drake Wigeon was at Traeth Dulas (28th), 10 Teal were at Malltraeth (23rd)
and 4 Goosander were at Malltraeth (23rd). Last week’s Black Swan was seen again, flying
with the Egyptian Goose down the Menai Strait (29th).
Seabirds & gulls:
The
first Arctic Terns have returned to Cemlyn with 2 off the Trwyn, Cemlyn {25th)
with 2 on the bricks around the main island in the lagoon (26th). Wardens advise that the number of Sandwich
Terns have been as high as 4000 (largest numbers at dusk), with up to 60 Common
Terns and up to 10 Arctic Terns. Up to 2
Mediterranean Gulls were at Cemlyn (2 on 23rd & 29th,
1 on 26th). A Common Gull was
seen at the Alaw estuary (27th)
5
Puffins were seen off Puffin Island (28th) with at least 1
photographed at RSPB South Stack (26th). A Black Guillemot and several Eider were seen
from Penmon Point (28th).
A pair of Little Grebes were
seen at Llyn Parc Mawr, Newborough (23rd).
Herons, Egrets and allies:
2 Great Egrets were at RSPB
Cors Ddyga (23rd), while a ‘booming’ Bittern as heard at RSPB Cors
Ddyga (25th).
Raptors:
A Hobby seen over Wylfa woods (28th), was
the 1st for the year. An
Osprey was seen over Malltraeth, with the same or another being seen over the Alaw
estuary (23rd). There was a
further sighting at Malltraeth (25th) and another was seen drifting east
over Cemlyn (26th). A Red
Kite was seen at Llyn Llywenan (23rd). A Merlin was seen from the east car park,
Cemlyn (25th), with the same or another at Hen Borth (26th).
2022 Year List:
Curlew Sandpiper, Egyptian Goose, Arctic Tern, Tree
Sparrow, Hobby and Wood Sandpiper were all new for the year and takes the 2022-year
list up to 187.