Week: Saturday 10th February 2024 - Friday 16th February 2024.

The 1^st sighting of Common Sandpiper usually comes from the shore of the Menai Strait around Church Island, but there have been no reports so far this year.  That left the door open for the accolade of first sighting for the year to be taken by a bird at Felin Cafnan, east of Cemlyn (11^th).  The running total for the year increases to 147.

One feature of the year so far has been the relatively large numbers of Pink-footed Geese.  In years gone by, a winter might only produce a handful of birds and year listers might have had to make do with potential feral birds that sometimes appear among flocks of other geese.  Perhaps reflecting the rapid increase in the winter populations around the Dee estuary, this year has been quite exceptional with several counts of flocks of over 100.  Even these numbers were dwarfed by a count of a flock photographed over Cors Ddyga (10^th) of 805 birds (plus 2 Greylags) – surely a new high count for the island.

Photo: Steve Culley, 10th February.  

Swans, Geese & Ducks:	Whooper Swan	·       7 at Llyn Llygeirian (10th). ·       25 on fields south of Maenaddwyn (13th).
	Pink-footed Goose	·       805 in flight at Cors Ddyga (10th). ·       c. 50 flew over Pentraeth (14th). ·       150 south of Cors Ddyga (16th).
	Greenland White-fronted Goose	·       20 south of Cors Ddyga (16th).
	Pale-bellied Brent Goose	·       11 between Cymyran and 4-mile bridge (11th). ·       Up to 107 at Penmon pool (107 on 12th, 85 on 16th).
	Dark-bellied Brent Goose	·       2 at Penmon pool (12th).
	Long-tailed Duck	·       2 off Benllech seafront (10th). ·       1 at Llyn Maelog (11th).
	Eider	·       Up to 17 off Benllech seafront (17 on 11th, 3 on 10th). ·       2 off Penmon (12th).
	Pochard	·       16 at Llyn Maelog (11th).
	Goldeneye	·       11 at Llyn Llygeirian – 10 f, 1 m (10th). ·       6 at Llyn Maelog (11th).
	Shelduck	·       75 between Cymyran and 4 mile bridge (11th).
	Red-breasted Merganser	·       9 between Cymyran and 4 mile bridge (11th). ·       5 at Beddmanarch Bay (16th).
	Goosander	·       2 at Cors Ddyga – 1m, 1 f (10th). ·       4 at Llyn Maelog (11th). ·       7 at Pen-y-Parc reservoir (12th).
Waders:	Common Sandpiper	·       1 at Felin Cafnan, east of Cemlyn (11th).
	Purple Sandpiper	·       13 at Cemlyn (11th). ·       2 at Penmon point (16th).
	Sanderling	·       2 at Ynys Dulas (10th). ·       2 at Traeth Dulas (13th).
	Dunlin	·       c. 100 at Ynys Dulas (10th). ·       c.60 at Cemlyn (11th). ·       c. 5000 on coastal fields at Aberffraw (10th). ·       Up to c.800 at Penmon pool (c. 800 on 16th, c. 400 on 12th).
	Grey Plover	·       10 at Cemlyn (11th).
	European golden Plover	·       5000+ on coastal fields at Aberffraw (10th).
	Common Ringed Plover	·       14 at Cemlyn (11th). ·       33 (pus 2 Dunlin) on the rough ground at the start of the Breakwater (15th).
	Lapwing	·       3000+ on coastal fields at Aberffraw (10th). ·       11 between Cymyran and 4 mile bridge (11th).
	Turnstone	·       11 at Cemlyn (11th).
	Ruff	·       Reeve at the Inland Sea (11th).
	Greenshank	·       1 at Traeth Dulas (10th & 11th). ·       3 between Cymyran and 4 mile bridge (11th).
	Redshank	·       74 at Traeth Dulas (10th). ·       134 between Cymyran and 4 mile bridge (11th).
	Jack Snipe	·       1 at Traeth Dulas (11th).
	Black-tailed Godwit	·       1 at Traeth Dulas (11th). ·       3 at the Gorad flood, Valley (11th).
Seabirds & gulls:	Lesser Black-backed Gull	·       2 in fields off Mile Road, Beaumaris (12th). ·       2 on the Inland Sea (16th).
	Mediterranean Gull	·       4 around Cemlyn (11th). ·       1 at Llyn Cefni (11th). ·       Up to 3 on the Inland Sea (3 on 15th, 1 on 16th).
	Black Guillemot	·       Up to 2 off Benllech seafront (2 on 11th, 1 on 10th). ·       3 at Holyhead harbour (15th).
Divers & Grebes:	Great Northern Diver	·        1 off Benllech seafront (10th). ·        Up to 2 in Holyhead harbour (2 on 12th, 1 on 15th).
	Red-throated Diver	·        Up to 15 off Benllech seafront (11th). ·        6 off Traeth y Ora (10th).
	Slavonian Grebe	·        2 at Gorad beach, Beddmanarch Bay (11th). ·        2 at the Inland Sea (3 on 15th, 2 on 11th &14th). ·        2 at Beddmanarch Bay (16th).
Passerines & others:	Firecrest	·       1 by the car park at Cors Ddyga (15th).
	Water Pipit	·       1 at Cors Ddyga (14th).
	Cetti’s Warbler	·       8 at Cors Ddyga (14th). ·       3 at Llyn Cerrig Bach (15th).
	Chiffchaff	·       1 singing at Cors Ddyga (10th). ·       1 singing at Llangefni marshes (10th). ·       1 at Soldier’s Point (15th).
	Siskin	·       2 in alders above woodland walk behind Llangoed village hall (12th). ·       4 at Penrhos Coastal Park (12th). ·       c. 12 near boathouse at Penrhos Coastal Park (16th). ·       5 at the Inland Sea (16th).
	Dipper	·       1 at Llangefni (14th).
	Chough	·       11+ over Llyn Trafwll (11th).
	Raven	·       c. 20 displaying at Mynydd Mechell (10th). ·       c. 20 displaying between Llanfairynghornwy and Hen Borth (11th). ·       c.100 roosting at Newborough forest (12th).
	Hooded Crow	·       1 flew over Amlwch (11th).
Raptors:	Marsh Harrier	·        Up to 3 at Cors Ddyga (10th, 13th, 14th). ·        Female at Llyn Cerrig Bach (15th).
	Red Kite	·        1 at Cors Ddyga (10th). ·        1 at Gadfa (14th).
	Merlin	·        1 chasing Snipe at Ynys Leurad, Inland Sea (11th). ·        1 at the Alaw estuary (11th). ·        1 at Cors Ddyga (14th).
Herons, Egrets & allies:	Cattle Egret	·        Up to 4 at Cors Ddyga (4 on 13th, 2 on 14th & 15th, 1+ on 16th).
	Great Egret	·        Up to 4 at Cors Ddyga – 4 (16th), 3 (10th & 14th), 2 (13th).
	Little Egret	·        13 around a small pool in field off Mile Road, Beaumaris (12th). ·        26 left the roost early morning at Cors Ddyga (13th).
	Great Bittern	·        1 booming at Cors Ddyga (13th & 16th).
Other wildlife of note:	Common Dolphin	·        2 off Benllech seafront (10th).