Saturday 7th – Friday 13th May 2022

Intro:

A 2^nd for Anglesey ….

Passerines and others:

A female Citrine Wagtail at Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (8^th) was a great find and is only the 2^nd record for the island.  A Blue-headed Wagtail was seen late morning at Hen Borth (8^th), before it relocated to Tyn Llan fields later in the day where it could be seen on the same wet field as the Citrine Wagtail.  10 White Wagtails were at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (7^th), while a single Tree Pipit flew over Carmel Head (8^th).

The excellent year for sightings of Whinchat continued with 1 at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (7^th), 2 at Carmel Head (8^th), 1 at Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (8^th), 1 near Cestyll Gardens, Cemlyn (8^th) and 1 near the cromlech, Rhoscolyn (9^th&11^th). 

Newborough Forest produced up to 3 Garden Warblers (3 on 7^th, 2 on 9^th), 4 Crossbills (9^th) and several singing Siskin were heard (9^th).

There was a marked increase in the reports of Swifts which included 2 over Amlwch Port (9^th), 4 over Cemlyn (11^th) and 10+ at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11^th).

2 Hooded Crows were at the Range (7^th) and 1 was at South Stack (8^th).  Away from their usual sites, 1 at Cors Bodeilio (8^th) was a site first for the observer, with the site also holding a single Wheatear (8^th). Elsewhere, double digit counts of Wheatears included 40 at Carmel Head (8^th) and 18 at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (7^th).   A Cuckoo was at the Alaw estuary (13^th).

Seabirds & gulls:

The vast majority of Skua sightings off the Anglesey coast are part of the return passage during late summer / early autumn, but a few are also seen during the northbound spring passage.  This week delivered the first of the year, with an Arctic Skua seen to fly east past Cemlyn (7^th).

This week also delivered the first sighting of Roseate Tern with 1, together with 2 hybrids, on the Skerries just off the Anglesey coast (12^th).  The number of Sandwich Terns at Cemlyn is c. 2500 (12^th), but that number can sometimes swell by a further 1000 as birds come in to roost.  There are c. 200 Arctic Terns at Cemlyn (12^th), but these numbers are dwarfed by the c. 4000 on the Skerries (12^th).  There are 100 Common Terns at Cemlyn (12^th) and 250 on the Skerries (12^th).  A pair of Mediterranean Gulls is still present at Cemlyn (12^th), with 3 seen on the Inland Sea (11^th).  30 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were at the Alaw estuary (12^th).

A 2hr and a 1hr seawatch from the Range, Holyhead (2hr on 7^th, 1 hr on 11^th) produced up to 310 Manx Shearwaters (310 on 7^th, 30 on 11^th), up to 11 Gannets (11 on 7^th, 2 on 11^th), 7 Fulmars (7^th), up to 72 Kittiwake (72 on 7^th, 19 on 11^th) and a single Puffin (7^th).  On the Skerries, Puffins appear to be present in good numbers with a recent survey indicating 730 occupied burrows (12^th). 

Waders:

A female Ruff (or Reeve) – was on the wet field at Tyn Llan farm (9^th&11^th) and a Little Ringed Plover was seen again at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th).  Counts of Ringed Plover included 20 + on Tyn Llan fields (10^th – 11^th) and up to 16 at the Alaw estuary (16 on 10^th, 10 on 11^th, 4 on 12^th).

A few Sanderling can usually be found during early May and so it was this week with 1 on the beach east of the Trwyn, Cemlyn (10^th) - with possibly the same bird then being seen on the wet field at Tyn Llan (11^th) - 1 at the Alaw estuary (10^th) and 3 at the Inland Sea (11^th).  Sightings of Dunlin included 200+ on the Inland Sea (11^th), 30+ on the wet field at Tyn Llan (11^th) and up to 18 at the Alaw estuary (18 on 11^th, 14 on 10^th).  Reports of Common Sandpipers included 1 at Cemlyn (7^th&13^th), up to 3 at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (3 on 8^th, 2 on 13^th) and 1 on the Skerries (8^th). 

23 Black-tailed Godwit were on Malltraeth cob pool (7^th), with 1 at Tyn Llan fields (11^th).  2 Bar-tailed Godwits were at the Alaw estuary (10^th).  24 Whimbrel headed north past Puffin Island (8^th), with up to 6 at Traeth Dulas (6 on 13^th, 1 on 8^th) and up to 5 at the Alaw estuary (5 on 12^th, 2 on 10^th&11^th).  19 Curlew were at the Alaw estuary (12^th) and a single Redshank was on the Inland Sea (11^th).

Up to 102 Oystercatchers were on the Alaw estuary (102 on 10^th, 77 on 11^th), with 24 seen at the Range (7^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

21 Mute Swans at Malltraeth cob (9^th) was a good count.  A late male Goldeneye was on the Inland Sea (11^th), while 24 Common Scoter flew north past South Stack (8^th).  80 Common Shelduck were on the estuary at Traeth Dulas (13^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Great Egret was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (11^th) and a ‘booming’ Bittern was heard at this site (12^th).

Divers & Grebes:

A Red-throated Diver flew past Cemlyn (7^th).

Raptors:

Sightings of Osprey included 1 over Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (8^th) - with presumably the same then seen over the Skerries (8^th) - 1 at Llyn Coron (8^th) and 1 at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th).  A Marsh Harrier was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (12^th) and a 1^st summer male Merlin was seen at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (7^th).

 

2022 Year List:

Citrine Wagtail, Arctic Skua and Roseate Tern were new for the year and takes the 2022-year list up to 192.