Saturday 28th May – Friday 3rd June 2022.

Intro:

Pom Skua, a good number of Red Kites and a pair of non-natives that quite reasonably caused some interest nonetheless.

Seabirds & gulls:

A Pomarine Skua was seen and photographed 20 miles off the Anglesey coast (31^st), while a 1^st summer Little Gull was seen and photographed at Cemlyn (30^th).  A Roseate Tern – an un-ringed bird – was seen on several occasions at Cemlyn and photographed (31^st-3^rd).

A 3-hour seawatch off South Stack (30^th) produced 2242 Manx Shearwaters, 17 Fulmars, 136 Gannets and 91 Kittiwakes.  A 1hr sea-watch off The Range (1^st) produced 229 Manx Shearwaters. 26 Gannets, 80 Kittiwakes and 2 Fulmars.

Up to 11 Puffins were seen at or off South Stack (11 on 30^th, 5 on 1^st & 2^nd), with 3 off The Range (1^st) and 3 on the sea off Cemlyn (3^rd).  A Black Guillemot flew past South Stack (30^th), while 2 were at Holyhead Harbour (1^st).  Cemlyn had an adult Mediterranean Gull (31^st) and a 1^st summer bird (31^st, 1^st).

Waders:

Both a Curlew Sandpiper and a Little Stint were at the Alaw estuary (31^st).  Sightings of Sanderling included 8 at the Alaw estuary (30^th) and 3 at Porth Nobla (30^th).  Little Ringed Plovers have bred successfully again this year, with at least 1 – possibly 2 young seen with an adult at RSPB Cors Ddyga (1^st).  Counts of Ringed Plover included 14 at the Alaw estuary (30^th), 3 at Cemlyn (31^st) and 2 at the Alaw estuary (1^st).  Up to 6 Dunlin were at the Alaw estuary (6 on 2^nd, 5 on 30^th), with up to 3 at Cemlyn (3on 31^st, 2 on 1^st).  2 Turnstones were at Cemlyn (31^st).  Up to 3 Black-tailed Godwits were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (3 on 29^th, 2 on 1^st), while sightings of Bar-tailed Godwits included 2 at the Alaw estuary (2^nd) and 1 at Cemlyn (3^rd).  Up to 79 Oystercatchers were at the Alaw estuary (79 on 30^th, 15 on 2^nd), while 4 Curlew were at the Alaw estuary (2^nd) and 1 flew over South Stack (2^nd).

Raptors:

Over the last few years, late spring has brought some good counts of Red Kites which must involve some movement on to the island from either elsewhere in the UK or further afield  The week started with 1 over Brynsiencyn (29^th) and 1 at Tregele (31^st, 1^st).  Sightings then increased on the 2^nd, with 3 at Carmel Head, 2 over the Alaw estuary and 1 over Holyhead Mountain (2^nd).  Today (3^rd) has brought 4 over Llanddaniel, 1 over Llanerchymedd and 1 over Llantrisant church. 

An Osprey was seen on the Cefni estuary as viewed from Malltraeth (28^th, 1^st).

Passerines and others:

A ringed Grasshopper Warbler was seen near Cafnan farm, near Cemlyn (28^th) – with very little ringing of passerines on Anglesey the mind boggles as to where the bird had been caught and ringed.  Elsewhere, a Grasshopper Warbler was at Carmel Head (2^nd) and another at Cors Efail Newydd near Benllech (3^rd).

A Spotted Flycatcher was in the plantation at South Stack (2^nd), while there are still a few Wheatears being seen with 2 at Holyhead Mountain (2^nd) and 2 at Carmel Head (2^nd).  Sightings at South Stack included a Reed Warbler singing in a privet hedge (1^st) - somewhat out of place, a Tree Pipit (2^nd) and a Yellow Wagtail sp (3^rd).  At least 10 singing Cetti’s Warblers were at RSPB Cors Ddyga (1^st).  4 Swifts were seen over Llyn Llywenan (28^th), which also had a calling Cuckoo (28^th).  Another Cuckoo was at Carmel Head (2^nd).  Sightings of Hooded Crows around the Holyhead area included 1 at South Stack (28^th, 29^th, 1^st) and up to 2 at The Range (2 on 30^th, 1 on 28^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

The drake Garganey was seen again at RSPB Cors Ddyga (29^th) and 4 Common Scoter flew past South Stack (30^th).  2 Black Swans are journeying around the island – they were first seen at Malltraeth cob (31^st), then at Llyn Llywenan (2^nd) before being seen today at the Inland Sea (3^rd).  Whilst an introduced species and not on the British list, it is always worth making a note of such species if only to contribute to a wider understanding of their numbers, breeding success and possible implications for native species.  The Rare Birds Breeding Panel has been considered breeding records of rarer non-native species since 1996.

Divers & Grebes:

A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver flew past Cemlyn (3^rd) and a Red-throated Diver flew past South Stack (30^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

No sightings of note.

 

2022 Year List:

Little Gull and Pomarine Skua takes the 2022-year list up to 196.