3 new additions to the 2023 Anglesey bird list, taking the running total to 148.
Surf Scoter is a
native of North America, but is a regular vagrant to UK waters. In the Welsh context, it is still a rare-scarce
bird and records are considered by the Welsh Birds Rarities Committee. Conwy has had a good run of records with
birds annual off the Colwyn Bay - Llanddulas – Pensarn coast where one or more
can be found among the large flocks of Common Scoter and the smaller numbers of
Velvet Scoters. Up to between 6 and 9
birds (depending on source) have been seen along that stretch of coast at any
one time and there has also been a record of a drake off Llanfairfechan. The County of Gwynedd has scored with several
records off the likes of Black Rocks Sands, but Anglesey had hitherto just the 1
record of a 1st winter female seen over 20 years ago at Trearddur
Bay on the 18th January 2003.
The discovery of a drake off Benllech seafront (28th) was, therefore,
only the 2nd record for the island and the bird proved popular with
birders from close and afar. It was
present throughout the week.
It has been confirmed that a flock of 22 Greenland White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons
flavirostris) continue to winter on the island, albeit at a location where
they cannot be viewed. In addition, a
flock of 23 'Russian' White-fronted geese (Anser albifrons albifrons) were
seen at Cors Ddyga a couple of weeks ago.
One of the Greenland White-fronted Geese fitted with a neck collar (A2A)
on Anglesey a couple of years ago has been seen in a social group that winters
on Colonsay, Inner Hebrides, Scotland.
After
a lean spell, it was good to hear news of Snow Buntings, with 2 accidentally flushed at South
Stack (3rd).
Finally, a big thanks to the Welsh Birds
Rarities Committee for their quick turnaround on the submission of the records
for the Surf Scoter off Benllech and the Ring-necked Duck at Llyn Cefni – both
of which have been approved.
|
Swans, Geese & Ducks: |
*** Surf Scoter *** |
· Drake off Benllech seafront
(28th-3rd). Submitted and accepted by the Welsh Birds Rarities
Committee (WBRC). |
|
*** Ring-necked Duck *** |
· Female continued its stay on
the eastern basin at Llyn Cefni (28th-3rd). Submitted
and accepted by the WBRC. |
|
|
Whooper Swan |
· 9 on fields between
Tre-Ysgwen and Llangwllog (29th) ·
5 at Cors Ddyga (3rd) |
|
|
Pink-footed Goose |
·
c. 60 Cors Ddyga (28th) ·
120 at Tregele (3rd) ·
3 at Llyn Llywenan (3rd) |
|
|
Pale-bellied Brent Goose (Branta bernicla hrota) |
·
35 at Cymyran estuary (28th) · Up to 80 at Beddmanarch Bay
(80 on 2nd, 10 on 29th) |
|
|
Dark-bellied Brent Goose (Branta
bernicla bernicla) |
· 1 at the Inland Sea (28th)
and then the same or another at Beddmanarch Bay (28th – 29th,
1st-2nd) ·
1 at the Alaw estuary (31st
& 2nd) |
|
|
Long-tailed Duck |
·
3 off Benllech seafront (28th-3rd) |
|
|
Common Scoter |
·
c. 1000 off Benllech
seafront (28th) |
|
|
Scaup |
·
Up to 3 on the Inland Sea (3
on 28th, 2 on 2nd) |
|
|
Eider |
·
12 off Traeth Bychan (28th) |
|
|
Wigeon |
·
12 at the Cymyran estuary
(28th) ·
c. 130 at Llyn Cefni (30th) |
|
|
Shoveler |
·
c. 350 at Cors Ddyga (30th) ·
c. 275 at Llyn Cefni (30th) |
|
|
Pochard |
·
c. 35 at Llyn Cefni (30th) |
|
|
Gadwall |
·
c. 20 at Llyn Cefni (30th) |
|
|
Teal |
·
c. 20 at Cors Ddyga (30th) ·
c. 125 at Llyn Cefni (30th) |
|
|
Pintail |
·
c. 500 at Cors Ddyga (30th) |
|
|
Tufted Duck |
·
c. 100 at Llyn Cefni (30th) |
|
|
Shelduck |
·
10 at the Cymyran estuary
(28th) |
|
|
Goldeneye |
·
2 at Llyn Cefni (22nd) ·
5 at Llyn Coron (26th) |
|
|
Red-breasted Merganser |
·
2 off Benllech seafront (28th) ·
3 at the Cymyran estuary (28th) |
|
|
Goosander |
·
12 at Llyn Coron (2nd) |
|
|
Waders: |
Green Sandpiper |
· 1 at the Llanfachraeth end
of the Alaw estuary (2nd) ·
1 near Rhosneigr Golf course
(2nd) |
|
Common Sandpiper |
·
1 at Church Island (29th) |
|
|
Grey Plover |
·
20+ at Beddmanarch Bay (28th) |
|
|
Golden Plover |
·
48 at the Alaw estuary (31st) · Large number on the coastal
fields between Aberffraw and Bodorgan (2nd) |
|
|
Ringed Plover |
·
30 at Rhosneigr (2nd) |
|
|
Lapwing |
·
525 at the Alaw estuary
(31st) · Large number on the coastal
fields between Aberffraw and Bodorgan (2nd) |
|
|
Snipe |
·
3 at the Cymyran estuary (28th) |
|
|
Woodcock |
·
1 at Cors Ddyga (28th) |
|
|
Ruff |
· Up to 2 at Cors Ddyga (2 on
28th, 2nd & 3rd, 1 on 29th) |
|
|
Greenshank |
·
1 at 4-mile-bridge (29th) ·
1 at Church Island (30th) ·
7 at the Alaw estuary (31st) |
|
|
Redshank |
·
14 at Cymyran estuary (28th) |
|
|
Bar-tailed Godwit |
·
1 at Cymyran estuary (28th) |
|
|
Black-tailed Godwit |
·
c. 550 at Cors Ddyga (30th) |
|
|
Curlew |
·
90 at Cymyran estuary (28th) |
|
|
Seabirds & gulls: |
Black Guillemot |
·
1 off Traeth Bychan (28th) ·
2 at Holyhead fish quay (29th) · 7-8 at Holyhead harbour (7-8
on 29th, 4 on 1st) ·
1 off Penrhos Coastal Park
(1st) |
|
Razorbill |
·
1 off Traeth Bychan (28th) |
|
|
Mediterranean Gull |
· Juvenile at Traeth Mawr,
Cemaes Bay (28th) ·
2 at 4-mile-bridge (29th)
· Up to 2 off Penrhos Coastal
Park (2 on 2nd, 1 on 29th) ·
1 at the Alaw estuary (31st
& 2nd) |
|
|
Divers & Grebes: |
***Black-throated Diver*** |
·
1 seen off Traeth Bychan (28th) |
|
Great Northern Diver |
·
1 at the Inland Sea (28th&3rd) ·
1 off Moelfre (29th) |
|
|
Red-throated Diver |
·
15+ off Benllech seafront
(28th) ·
11 off Traeth Bychan (28th) |
|
|
Slavonian Grebe |
·
Up to 3 at Beddmanarch Bay
(3 on 28th, 1 on 29th& 1st, 2 on 2nd) ·
1 at the Inland Sea (3rd) |
|
|
Great Crested Grebe |
· Up to 215 off Benllech
seafront (215 on 29th, 85 on 28th) |
|
|
Passerines & others: |
Snow Bunting |
·
2 accidentally flushed at South Stack (3rd) |
|
Firecrest |
· 1 at Rhoscolyn (28th)
– near Pentre Gwyddel housing estate ·
1 at the Dingle, Llangefni
(28th) ·
1 at Penrhos Coastal Park (2nd) |
|
|
Chiffchaff |
· Up to 6 at Cors Ddyga –
Pentre Berw water treatment plant (6 on 30th, 2 on 2nd) ·
2 at Llyn Cerrig Bach (3rd) |
|
|
Blackcap |
· Female / Immature on garden
feeder at Amlwch (28th) |
|
|
Cetti’s Warbler |
·
Up to 6 at Cors Ddyga (30th) ·
2 at Llyn Cerrig Bach (3rd) |
|
|
Kingfisher |
·
1 at Holyhead harbour (1st) ·
1 at Llyn Cerrig Bach (3rd) |
|
|
Raptors: |
Hen Harrier |
·
1 ‘ring-tailed’ at Cors
Ddyga (30th&2nd) ·
1 ‘ring-tailed’ at Cefni
estuary (2nd) |
|
Marsh Harrier |
· Up to 4 at Cors Ddyga (4 on
3rd, 3 on 28th, 2 on 30th) ·
1 at Llyn Maelog (3rd) ·
1 at Llyn Llywenan (3rd) |
|
|
Red Kite |
·
1 at Llanleiana (28th) ·
1 at Dolmeinir (31st&3rd) ·
1 at Talwrn (1st-3rd) ·
1 at Cors Ddyga (3rd) ·
1 at Llyn Llywenan (3rd) |
|
|
Peregrine |
·
1 at Cymyran estuary (28th)
|
|
|
Merlin |
·
1 at Rhoscolyn (28th) ·
1 at the Inland Sea (28th) ·
1 at Cors Ddyga (28th) ·
1 at Cymyran estuary (28th) ·
1 at the Alaw estuary (2nd) ·
1 at the Cefni estuary (2nd) |
|
|
Barn Owl |
·
1 at Cors Ddyga (28th&3rd) |
|
|
Herons, Egrets & allies: |
*** Cattle Egret *** |
·
1 flew over Beddmanarch Bay
(28th) |
|
Great Egret |
·
2 at Cors Ddyga (28th,
30th &3rd) ·
1 at Llyn Llywenan (28th-29th,
3rd) |
|
|
Little Egret |
·
10 at Ynys Welltog (29th) |
|
|
Grey Heron |
·
20 at Ynys Welltog (29th) ·
10 at Cors Ddyga (30th) |
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