Saturday 20th August – Friday 26th August 2022.

Introduction:

Now is the time …

Seabirds & gulls:

It is turning out to be a good year for sightings of Balearic Shearwaters with 16 sightings so far in 2022, compared with 3 in ’21 and 7 in ’20.  This week’s sightings included 1 past Cemlyn (20^th), 1 past Wylfa Head (21^st), 2 past Cemlyn (22^nd), 2 Cemlyn (23^rd AM), 2 past Llam Carw (23^rd PM), 1 past Wylfa Head (24^th), 1 past Point Lynas (25^th), 2 north past The Range (25^th) and 1 past Point Lynas (26^th).  It is impossible to know how many birds have been involved as it is conceivable that some birds may be on a feeding circuit in the Irish Sea / Liverpool Bay and may pass coastal viewpoints on a number of occasions. 

Despite the benign weather conditions, it seems that now is the time to get out there to look.  Following an online discussion on whether late August may be the best time to search for this species, Ken Croft @AngleseyBirdman looked back at both his personal records and those in published reports going back to 1974.  He found only 4 records in July, before numbers peaked in August at 97 then 93 in September then falling to 31 in October and 5 in November.  Breaking down the August and September numbers further showed that there were 6 records for the 1st week of August, 28 for the 2nd, 16 for the 3rd and a massive 47 for 4^th and final days of August. September breaks down to 36 in the 1st week, 24 in the 2nd. 24 in the 3rd and 9 in the last week.  So, if you are looking to see a Balearic Shearwater off the Anglesey coast the remaining few days of August and 1^st week of September look like your best bet.

Counts of Manx Shearwaters included 561 north past the Range (270 minutes on 25^th), 145 past Wylfa Head (150 mins on 23^rd), 48 past Wylfa Head (120 mins on 24^th) and 32 off North stack (60 mins, 20^th).  110 Gannets flew past The Range (25^th), with 44 seen off North stack (60 mins, 20^th).

Arctic Skuas were also very much being recorded along the north coast with 1 past Point Lynas (21^st), 2 past Wylfa Head (21^st), 1 past Cemlyn (21^st), 5 past Cemlyn (23^rd), 3 past Wylfa Head (23^rd AM), 1 past Llam Carw (23^rd PM) and 1 past Wylfa Head (24^th).  Whilst there may have been some potential for birds being counted at more than one site on some dates, it has nonetheless been a good week to catch up with one.

The highlight among the gulls was a juvenile Little Gull seen to fly west past Point Lynas (21^st).  The highest count of Mediterranean Gulls was 32 at the Inland Sea (21^st), with up to 2 juveniles at Cemlyn (2 on 20^th, 1 on 23^rd) and a up to 3 at Traeth Dulas (2 2^nd calendar year 25^th, 1 2^nd calendar year 20^th&22^nd and 1 juvenile on 25^th).  85 Sandwich Terns were counted flying west past Wylfa Head (150 mins on 23^rd) and 41 north past The Range (270 minutes on the 25^th).  252 Kittiwakes flew past The Range (25^th).  A juvenile Black Guillemot was off Cemlyn (20^th).

Divers & Grebes:

It has been a long while since the last Divers were seen off the coast, but this week’s seawatching produced the first returning birds for the summer / autumn period.  A summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was seen to fly past Point Lynas (21^st) and 2 Red-throated Divers flew SW past Wylfa Head (24th) and then presumably the same 2 past Cemlyn (24^th).

There were 2 good counts of Little Grebes with 42 at the Cefni reservoir (23^rd) and 37 at Llyn Llygeirian (21^st).

Waders:

2 Purple Sandpipers were at Cemlyn (20^th), up to 3 Green Sandpipers were at Llyn Llygeirian (3 on 21^st, 1-2 on 25^th) with 1 at Malltraeth cob pool (24^th) while counts of Common Sandpiper included 3 at Cemlyn (21^st), 2 at the Alaw estuary (22^nd), up to 2 at Traeth Dulas (2 on 24^th, 1 on 22^nd-23^rd) and 1 flew past Wylfa Head (23^rd).

6 Sanderling were at the Inland Sea (23^rd), with 1 was at the Alaw estuary (23^rd).  A Knot was at Cemlyn (20^th), with 1 at the Inland Sea (23^rd).  3 Golden Plover were at Cemlyn (23^rd), a Grey Plover was at Cemlyn (21^st-24^th) and double digit counts of Common Ringed Plover included 60 birds at Malltraeth (23^rd), 76 at the Inland Sea (23^rd) and 19 at the Alaw estuary (23^rd).  Up to 6 Lapwing at the Cefni reservoir (6 on 25^th, 5 on 23^rd).  Double-digit counts of Dunlin included 60 birds on the Inland Sea (23^rd), 80+ on the cob pool, Malltraeth (25^th) and 210 on Malltraeth cob pool (23^rd).  6 Turnstones were at The Range (21^st).  There were 13 Common Snipe at Cefni reservoir (23^rd), with 1 at Tyn llan pool, Cemlyn (25^th).

A Spotted Redshank was at Cemlyn (21^st-22^nd), while sightings of Redshank included 64 birds at the Inland Sea (21^st), 26 at the Alaw estuary (22^nd) and 18 at Traeth Dulas (24^th).  Reports of Greenshank included 18 at the Alaw estuary (22^nd), up to 3 at Traeth Dulas (3 on 21^st, 1 on 20^th&24^th), 2 at Cemlyn (21^st) and 1 at the Cefni reservoir (25^th).  2 Black-tailed Godwits flew in off the sea at Cemlyn (20^th), while up to 14 were at the Inland Sea (14 on 21^st, 9 on 23^rd), 4 were on the river at Malltraeth (23^rd) and 5 at Malltraeth cob pool (23^rd&24^th).

Sightings of Whimbrel are on the up with up to 6 at Cemlyn (6 on 25^th, 2 on 23^rd), 3 at the Alaw estuary (22^nd), 2 at The Range (21^st), up to 2 at Traeth Dulas (2 on 24^th-25^th, 1 on 20^th-21^st) and 1 flew past Wylfa Head (23^rd).

Up to 128 Curlew were at the Alaw estuary (128 on 22^nd, 82 on 23^rd), while 50+ were on the estuary at Malltraeth (25^th) and 41 were at Traeth Dulas (24^th).  Up to 325 Oystercatchers were at the Alaw estuary (325 on 23^rd, 233 on 22^nd).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

Up to 3 Garganey were still at the west end of the Cefni reservoir (3 on 24^th, 1 on 23^rd&25^th), with 1 at Malltraeth cob-pool (25^th).  Teal are featuring more often in sighting reports, with 9 at Traeth Dulas (22^nd), 6 at the Alaw estuary (22^nd) and 10 that flew past Wylfa Head (24^th).  5 Wigeon were at Cefni reservoir (23^rd) and 2 were on the Inland Sea (23^rd).  Goosander are starting to return to the island for the winter with 1 on the Alaw estuary (22^nd) and 1 at Malltraeth (23^rd).  Up to 60 Common Scoter flew past Wylfa Head (60 during 150 mins on 23^rd, 4 during 120 mins on 24^th) with 9 past The Range (25^th) and 18 past Point Lynas (26^th).  The 3 Black Swans continued their stay at the Inland Sea (21^st-23^rd).  48 Mute Swans were at Cefni reservoir (23^rd) and 58 Greylag Geese were noted at Traeth Dulas (21^st).

Passerines and others:

There were still a few warblers to be seen, which included a Sedge Warbler at Cemlyn (23^rd), 3 Blackcaps at Breakwater Country Park – BCP (20^th), 2 Chiffchaff at BCP (24^th), 3 Willow Warblers at BCP (24^th), 3 Cetti’s Warbler at Cors Ddyga (22^nd) and a Lesser Whitethroat at Ynys y Fydlyn (21^st).  Common Whitethroats were the most reported warbler with up to 8 at Cemlyn (8 on 25^th, 2 on 23^rd), up to 4 at The Range (4 on 21^st, 2 on 25^th), 4 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (24^th) and 1 at Ynys y Fydlyn (21^st).

A Whinchat continues to be seen at Cemlyn (20^th-25^th), with sightings of Northern Wheatears including up to 9 at The Range (9 on 21^st, 1 on 20^th&25^th) and 2 at Cemlyn (24^th). 

40 House Martins flew past Wylfa Head (150 mins on 23^rd), while an estimated 10,000 Swallows came into roost at Cors Ddyga (22^nd).  Finches are also starting to form large flocks with c.60 Linnets and 60 Goldfinch seen by the Pilot’s building at Point Lynas.

The 1^st Grey Wagtail was back at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (24^th).  Kingfishers were reported from multiple sites with 2 at Cemlyn (2 on 21^st, 1 on 22^nd), 1 at Traeth Dulas (22^nd&24^th), 1 at the Alaw estuary (22^nd) and 1 at Cefni reservoir (26^th).  A juvenile Cuckoo was at Hen Borth (21^st), with another at Llyn Llywenan (23^rd).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

19 Little Egrets were at Cemlyn (25^th), with 15 at Traeth Dulas (22^nd) and 12 at the Alaw estuary (22^nd).  3 Water Rail were heard calling at Cors Ddyga (22^nd).

Raptors:

A Hobby flew north over Cors Ddyga (21^st), a Merlin was at Ynys y Fydlyn (21^st) and a Goshawk flew over between Pentre Berw and Llangaffo (23^rd).  Sightings of Marsh Harriers included 1 at Llyn Llywenan (20^th&23^rd), 2 at Cors Ddyga (22^nd) and 1 at Llyn Maelog (25^th).  A Red Kite flew over Talwrn (22^nd).

 

2022 Year List:

There were no new additions to the 2022 year list which remains on 204.

 

Thanks to all contributors:

A big thanks to all those who share details of their sightings to enable this summary to be put together.  It always seems quite incredible just how many species of birds are seen on Anglesey each week.  We are fortunate to enjoy such a range of habitats and species.