Saturday 23rd April – Friday 29th April 2022

Intro:

Scarce waders continue to dominate sightings …

Waders:

A Curlew Sandpiper seen and videoed on the Alaw estuary (23^rd-24^th) 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 (29^th) 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 (25^th).  It is turning out to be a bumper year for sightings of Avocet with 2 at Cemlyn (28^th) being the 3^rd and 4^th records for the year.

The best of the plovers included up to 2 Little Ringed Plover at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 25^th-27^th, 1 on 24^th), a Grey Plover at the Cemlyn (23^rd) and 4 Ringed Plover at Malltraeth (26^th).  Common Sandpipers were reported from a number of sites including 4 at the Alaw estuary (24^th), up to 4 at Cemlyn (4 on 29^th, 1 on 23^rd&26^th), 3 at Hen Borth (23^rd), 2 at Traeth Dulas (24^th) and 1 on the pool near the former school at Llandrygan (25^th).  4 Purple Sandpipers were at Cemlyn (23^rd) and sightings of Sanderling included up to 6 birds at the Alaw estuary (6 on 24^th, 5 on 23^rd) and 2 at Traeth y Gribin (25^th).  45 Dunlin were at Malltraeth (26^th), with 40 birds on the Alaw estuary (23^rd) and 4 at Cemlyn (29^th).

Up to 2 Ruff were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (2 on 25^th, 1 on 26^th), 26 Bar-tailed Godwits were on the Alaw estuary (24^th) while sightings of Black-tailed Godwits included up to 115 at Malltreath (115 on 26^th, 109 on 23^rd) and 3 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (26^th).  A Greenshank was at Malltraeth (23^rd) as were 5 Redshank (23^rd).  A Common Snipe was at Cors Bodeilio (26^th), with another at Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (26^th).

Whimbrel were reported from multiple sites including up to 15 + at Hen Borth (15+ on 26^th, 12 on 25^th), up to 11 on the Alaw estuary (11 on 23^rd, 7 on 24^th), up to 6 at the Alaw estuary (6 on 26^th, 4 on 24^th), 5 at Cemlyn (23^rd & 26^th), up to 5 at Malltraeth (5 on 26^th, 3 on 23^rd), 4 at the Inland Sea (23^rd) and 3 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25^th).

Passerines and others:

A Tree Sparrow was at a bird table in a private garden near Bryngwran (26^th) – 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 (25^th), while both a male and a female Ring Ouzel were seen on fields between the coastguard lookout and St Gwenfaen’s well, Rhoscolyn (26^th & 29^th).  Sightings of Whinchat included 1 at Carmel Head (24^th), 1 between Hen Borth and Carmel Head (25^th), 1 at Pont Marquis (25^th), 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25^th) and 1 around Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (29^th).

A Garden Warbler was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25^th), a Lesser Whitethroat at Cors Bodeilio (25^th), while sightings of Grasshopper Warblers included 2 birds east of Cemlyn (23^rd), 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (26^th) and 1 at Newborough (27^th).1

2 Yellow Wagtail were seen at Hen Borth (26^th) and a Blue-headed type - which is causing some discussion as to the exact sub-species - was at Tyn Llan, Cemlyn (29^th).  4 Tree Pipits were noted at Carmel Head (24^th), with up to 4 flying through calling at Cemlyn (4 on 25^th, 1 on 29^th).  50+ White Wagtail were at Tyn Llan, Cemlyn (26^th).  Several Siskin were seen at Llyn Parc Mawr (23^rd).  19 Wheatears were at Cemlyn (29^th), with 12 at the Range, Holyhead (25^th). 

Sightings of Hooded Crows included up to 3 at Hen Borth (3 on 23^rd, 2 on 25^th), 2 at Cemlyn (23^rd), 2 at Carmel Head (24^th), 2 at South Stack (25^th) and 2 on the Range, Holyhead (27^th).  A Kingfisher was seen in flight over the Afon Cefni, adjacent to RSPB Cors Ddyga (26^th) and a Cuckoo was at Cemlyn (29^th).

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 (24^th – 26^th) caused some local interest and was last seen flying down the Menai Strait (29^th) before later being reported at RSPB Conwy.

A Pale-bellied Brent Goose was still at Traeth Dulas (28^th), a drake Wigeon was at Traeth Dulas (28^th), 10 Teal were at Malltraeth (23^rd) and 4 Goosander were at Malltraeth (23^rd).  Last week’s Black Swan was seen again, flying with the Egyptian Goose down the Menai Strait (29^th).

Seabirds & gulls:

The first Arctic Terns have returned to Cemlyn with 2 off the Trwyn, Cemlyn {25^th) with 2 on the bricks around the main island in the lagoon (26^th).  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 23^rd & 29^th, 1 on 26^th).  A Common Gull was seen at the Alaw estuary (27^th)

5 Puffins were seen off Puffin Island (28^th) with at least 1 photographed at RSPB South Stack (26^th).  A Black Guillemot and several Eider were seen from Penmon Point (28^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A pair of Little Grebes were seen at Llyn Parc Mawr, Newborough (23^rd).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

2 Great Egrets were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (23^rd), while a ‘booming’ Bittern as heard at RSPB Cors Ddyga (25^th).

Raptors:

A Hobby seen over Wylfa woods (28^th), was the 1^st for the year.   An Osprey was seen over Malltraeth, with the same or another being seen over the Alaw estuary (23^rd).  There was a further sighting at Malltraeth (25^th) and another was seen drifting east over Cemlyn (26^th).  A Red Kite was seen at Llyn Llywenan (23^rd).  A Merlin was seen from the east car park, Cemlyn (25^th), with the same or another at Hen Borth (26^th).

 

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.