Saturday 9th July – Friday 15th July 2022.

Intro:

… tinged with sadness …

Seabirds & gulls:

Whilst we may have some good summer weather ahead of us, it is a little sad to have to acknowledge that the breeding season for some of our summer migrants is rapidly approaching a close.  Sandwich Terns are on the move, with 8 of this year’s 121 colour tagged Sandwich Tern chicks having already journeyed as far as the River Clwyd on the Conwy – Denbighshire border.  While the birds will remain feeding in Liverpool Bay for some time yet, Cemlyn will become progressively quieter and the majority of Sandwich Terns will have left by the end of July.  55 Sandwich Terns were seen to fly north past The Range in groups of 8, 31 and 16 (13^th) and it is interesting to speculate as to whether these are local birds or birds moving north towards Liverpool Bay from the large colony in Wexford.

There are still good numbers of Common and Arctic Terns at Cemlyn with a number of young birds being fed by parents on the seaward side of the shingle ridge.  Cemlyn is quite understandably the island’s best known tern colony due to both the range of species and its accessibility, but there are four other breeding colonies with RSPB wardened sites at the Skerries and Ynys Feurig and Common Tern colonies at the Inland Sea and in the Menai Strait.  The latter two are watched far less frequently and one wonders at what might possibly be drawn into those sites without our knowledge.  Several pairs of Common Tern were observed nesting on Ynys Welltog in the Menai Strait (10^th).

Sightings of Mediterranean Gulls included 6 on the Inland Sea (10^th), 1 on the Alaw estuary (13^th) and 1 at Traeth Dulas (14^th).  c.50 Manx Shearwater were seen feeding close inshore at Llanddwyn (12^th).

Passerines and others:

Just as with our departing Sandwich Terns, it won’t be too long before the majority of Swifts are gone, with this being one of the earliest summer passerines to commence its southbound migration.  Sightings this week included 7 over Holyhead (14^th) and 1 over Llyn Maelog (13^th). 

A female Yellow Wagtail flew over RSPB South Stack (11^th) and a Northern Wheatear was at The Range, Holyhead (13^th).  3 Common Crossbill were at Carmel Head (10^th), 4 Siskin flew over RSPB South Stack (11^th) and Lesser Redpoll was confirmed as having bred at Cors Goch (10^th).  A Grasshopper Warbler was still reeling at Gors Efail Newydd, near Benllech (9^th-11^th) and a Cetti’s Warbler was singing at Llyn Penrhyn (9^th).  A Kingfisher was at Church Island (10^th).  Sightings of Hooded Crows included 1 at the Alaw estuary (9^th) and 1 at Traeth Dulas (9^th, 13^th, 14^th).  There was also a Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow hybrid at Traeth Dulas (13^th).

Waders:

The Little Ringed Plovers at RSPB Cors Ddyga are understood to have a 2^nd clutch of eggs (9^th).  There were 2 Dunlin on the Alaw estuary (10^th).  Sightings of Common Sandpipers included 4 on the Alaw estuary (10^th), 4 at Hen Borth (10^th) and 1 at Llyn Maelog (13^th).

A Whimbrel at Cemlyn (9^th) was the 1^st report for some time.  Up to 5 Bar-tailed Godwit were on the Alaw estuary (5 on 10^th, 1 on 13^th) and 1 Black-tailed Godwit was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th).  Sightings of Greenshank included 9 on the Alaw estuary (10^th) and 1 at Church Island (10^th& 12^th), while sightings of Redshank included 6 at Church Island (10^th), 2 on the Alaw estuary (10^th) and 1 on the old brickworks pool, Traeth Dulas (13^th).  There were 2 Lapwing at Llyn Trafwll, RSPB Valley wetlands (9^th), up to 74 Curlew on the Alaw estuary (74 on 13^th, 45 on 10^th) and up to 263 Oystercatchers on the Alaw estuary (263 on 13^th, 121 on 10^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Great Egret was at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th).  Sightings of Little Egrets included 11 at Traeth Dulas (9^th&13^th) and up to 8 at the Alaw estuary (8 on 10^th, 5 on 9^th).

Raptors:

At least 1, possibly 2, Ospreys were at the Cefni estuary (10^th & 13^th).  5 Marsh Harriers were seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th), with a female / immature seen over fields at Valley (13^th).  A Peregrine was seen at RSPB Cors Ddyga (9^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

The 2 Black Swans that have visited several Anglesey sites were seen at Llyn Dinam, RSPB Valley wetlands (9^th).

Divers & Grebes:

No sightings of note.

2022 Year List:

There were no new additions to the 2022 year list which stubbornly stays put at 199.