Saturday 5th November – Friday 11th November 2022.

Introduction:                                         

…  a new species for the county list …

Passerines and others:

Water Pipit is not an easy bird to catch up with on Anglesey, so 1 at Cemlyn (9^th) was a good find.  Some of the scarcer birds from last week carried over into this week, with the Great Grey Shrike being seen again at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (5^th).  The number of Snow Buntings on the rough ground at the base of Holyhead breakwater increased to 8 before falling back a little (8 from 5^th-6^th, 6 on 9^th, 4 on 11^th).  Also present were up to 2 Lapland Bunting (2 from 5^th-6^th, 1 on 8^th-11^th) and up to 2 Twite (2 from 5^th-6^th, 1 on 8^th).

It has been an exceptional year for Firecrest, with sightings this week including 2 at Wern-y-Wylan, near Llanddona (6^th), 1 in the garden of a private residence at Benllech (7^th) and 1 Pentre Berw water treatment plant (8^th).  There have been at least 21 reported this year (4 in winter/spring, 17 in autumn), compared in just 4 in 2020 and 5 in 2021.  Likewise, the good run for Black Redstarts continued with 1 on the roof of a private residence on Mynydd Bodafon (5^th), 2 in the quarry at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (6^th) and 1 at Cemlyn (9^th).  2 late Swallows flew over Rhoscolyn (8^th) and headed off in a south-westerly direction.

Whilst sightings of Ring-necked Parakeet may be of birds of suspect origin, they have been counted in the totals for ’20 and ’21 so 1 seen at the outskirts of Benllech (5^th) will be treated the same and added to this year’s list.  A Cetti’s Warbler was by the disused railway on the cycle track, Llangefni marshes (5^th) and a Chiffchaff was at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (11^th).  10,000 Starlings flew over Cors Ddyga (5^th), while a Kingfisher was seen at Cemlyn (8th).  11 Siskin were at Cae Llyn, Rhoscolyn (10^th) and 30 Greenfinches were seen at Church Island (6^th).

Waders:

A Grey Phalarope was seen briefly on the sea off Tyn Llan beach, Cemlyn (9^th).  10 Purple Sandpipers were at Cemlyn (9^th), 3 were on the rocks by the lifeboat slipway at Trearddur Bay (8^th) and 2 were at Holyhead breakwater (5^th).  There were 56 Dunlin at the Alaw estuary (7^th), with 26 at the Cymyran estuary (6^th).  5 Knot were at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th).  There were 13 Turnstone at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th) with a further 2 birds at Cymyran Bay (6^th).  There was a Jack Snipe at Porth yr Ych, Rhsocolyn (10^th), while sighting of Common Snipe included 5 at the Cymyran estuary (6^th) and 4 at Porth yr Ych (10^th).

43 Grey Plover were at the Alaw estuary (9^th), which also held 9 Ringed Plover (7^th) while 55 Ringed Plover were at the Cymyran estuary (6^th).  There were 300 Lapwing at Cors Ddyga (5^th), with 238 at the Alaw estuary (7^th).  A Ruff was at Cemlyn (9^th), while sightings of Greenshank included 1 at Church Island (6^th), 2 at Traeth Dulas (6^th) and 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th).  There were 32 Bar-tailed Godwit at the Alaw estuary (7^th), with a single bird at the Cymyran estuary (6^th).  Sightings of Black-tailed Godwit included 15 at Cors Ddyga (5^th) and 3 on the flooded field off Lôn Spencer (6^th).  There were 24 Curlew at the Alaw estuary (7^th), with 10 at the Cymyran estuary (6^th).  144 Oystercatchers were at the Alaw estuary (7^th).

Swans, Geese & Ducks:

There were 3 Whooper Swan at Cors Ddyga (5^th), with 1 at the Inland Sea (8^th) and 2 on fields between Bodedern and Llanfigael (11^th).  11 Mute Swans were at the Alaw estuary (7^th).  5 Barnacle Geese were on fields near Cemlyn (5^th – 9^th).  202 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at the Alaw estuary (7^th), with 62 at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th) and 13 at Lleiniog (6^th).  There were 2 Dark-bellied Brent Geese (from Arctic Russia) among the Pale-bellied (from Arctic Canada) at Beddmanarch Bay (7^th), with 1 at the Inland Sea (9^th).

2 Long-tailed Ducks were seen off Benllech – (9^th – m & f), with 1 on Llyn Maelog (9^th-10^th - f).  10 Eider (1m, 9f) flew over Silver Bay, Rhoscolyn (6^th) before circling back and landing on the sea of Cymyran Bay (6^th).  2 Eider (2f) were at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th), while 100+ Common Scoter were off Benllech (8^th).

There were c. 275 Wigeon at Cors Ddyga (5^th), with 272 at the Alaw estuary (7^th) and 114 at the Cymyran estuary (6^th).  There were up to 20 Pintail at Cors Ddyga (20 on 10^th, 6 on 5^th) and 12 at the Alaw estuary (7^th).  80 Shoveler were at Cors Ddyga (5^th) and 50 were on the eastern basin of Llyn Cefni (11^th).  There were c. 630 Teal at Cors Ddyga (5^th), with 5 at the Cymyran estuary (6^th).  c.10 Gadwall were at Cors Ddyga (5^th) and 19 Shelduck were at the Alaw estuary (7^th).  200 Coot were on the eastern basin of Llyn Cefni (11^th) and 3 Goosanders were on Llyn Maelog (9^th).

Seabirds & gulls:

3 Mediterranean Gulls were at Traeth Dulas (9^th), while 1 was seen to fly over Cemaes Bay (11^th).  An Arctic Tern was seen and photographed off Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (5^th) and a Sandwich Tern was at Penmon pool (7^th).  18 Kittiwakes were off the headland at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (11^th).  A Black Guillemot was at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th) and 2 Razorbills were in Holyhead harbour (11^th).

Herons, Egrets and allies:

A Great White Egret was roosting with Little Egrets on rocky islets off Rhosneigr (9^th).  Water Rails were either heard or seen at Cemlyn (8th) and at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (11^th).

Raptors:

A Marsh Harrier (m) was at Llangefni marshes (5^th), while up to 2 were at Llyn Llywenan (2 on 7^th, 1 on 6^th).

News emerged this week that the record of a White-tailed Eagle seen at Fedw Fawr on the 13^th June 2021 has been accepted by the Welsh Birds Rarity Panel.  It was considered to have originated from the Scottish population (Isle of Wight birds are satellite tagged and hadn’t ventured to Wales) and it is the first record for Anglesey.

Divers & Grebes:

Great Northern Divers were reported from a number of sites including 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (7^th), 1 on the Inland Sea (9^th-10^th), 3 off Cemlyn (9^th) and 2 off Benllech (9^th).  There were at least 15 Red-throated Divers off Benllech (9^th), 8 off Cemlyn (9^th), 1 at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th) and 1 on the Inland Sea (9^th).  10 Great Crested Grebes were at Beddmanarch Bay (6^th) and 12 Little Grebes were on the eastern basin of Llyn Cefni (11^th).

2022 Year List:

Water Pipit, Ring-necked Parakeet and Grey Phalarope were all additions to the 2022 year list which shoots up to 222 (surpasses yearly totals for 2020 = 219, and 2021 = 219 with the recent addition of White-tailed Eagle).