Week: Saturday 13th April 2024 – Friday 19th April 2024.

7 year ticks, takes the year-to-date total to 179.  There was a belated report of a Whitethroat at Pentraeth (11^th) and another at Rhoscolyn (12^th).  Many birders were then delighted to catch up with a male Golden Oriole (13^th) found at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park, with other additions to the list taking the form of a Little Ringed Plover (14^th), Yellow Wagtail (14^th – then rising to 4 birds) and a Lesser Whitethroat (16^th) at Cors Ddyga.  Any spring skua passage is always less than we enjoy during the autumn, but a Pomarine Skua (14^th) reported from the Holyhead to Dublin ferry and 2 Arctic Skua (16^th) from Bull Bay – 1 photographed - ensured a couple of new seabird species for the 2024 list.

A report by someone out jogging of a Purple Heron at Cors Ddyga (19^th) is yet to be substantiated, but is something to bear in mind if out birding at the reserve.

 

Swans, Geese & Ducks:	Pale-bellied Brent Goose	·       22 at Cymyran strait (17th). ·       Up to 131 at the Alaw estuary (131 on 19th, 31 on 17th).
	Dark-bellied Brent Goose	·       22 at Cymyran strait (17th). ·       2 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Pink-footed Goose	·       1 at Cors Ddyga (14th).
	Wigeon	·       2 at Cors Ddyga (14th-15th). ·       2 at the Alaw estuary (17th).
	Pintail	·       4 at Cors Ddyga (17th).
	Common Scoter	·       2 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th). ·       5 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (19th).
Waders:	Little Ringed Plover	·       1 at Cors Ddyga (14th).
	Common Sandpiper	·       3 at Llyn Llywenan (13th). ·       Up to 7 at Cemlyn (7 on 14th, 2 on 13th, 1 on 16th). ·       2 at Carmel Head / Hen Borth (13th). ·       1 at Valley doors (14th). ·       1 at Llyn Coron (17th).
	Purple Sandpiper	·       10 at Cemlyn (13th).
	Golden Plover	·       137 at Cors Ddyga (16th). ·       c. 150 at Cemlyn (16th).
	Grey Plover	·       1 at Cemlyn (13th). ·       8 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Ringed Plover	·       8 at Cemlyn (13th). ·       80 at Cymyran strait (17th). ·       56 at the Alaw estuary (17th).
	Dunlin	·       1 at Cors Ddyga (16th). ·       4 at Cymyran strait (17th). ·       20 at the Alaw estuary (17th).
	Knot	·       2 at Cymyran strait (16th).
	Snipe	·       3 at Cors Ddyga (16th).
	Turnstone	·       2 at Cemlyn (13th). ·       2 at the Alaw estuary (17th).
	Greenshank	·       1 on the Afon Cefni near Cors Ddyga (14th). ·       1 on the old brickworks pool, Traeth Dulas (16th).
	Whimbrel	·       1 at Cemlyn (14th & 16th). ·       4 at the Alaw estuary (17th). ·       5 at Cemlyn (17th). ·       2 at The Range (17th). ·       3 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (18th). ·       6 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Bar-tailed Godwit	·       6 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Black-tailed Godwit	·       8 at Cors Ddyga (16th).
Seabirds & gulls:	Arctic Skua	·       2 flew past Bull Bay (16th).
	Pomarine Skua	·       Report of an intermediate morph adult from the Holyhead – Dublin ferry (14th).
	Little Gull	·       Adult at Tyn Llan pool, Cemlyn (13th).
	Black Guillemot	·       1 at Beddmanarch Bay (15th).
	Manx Shearwater	·       14 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th). ·       44 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th).
	Mediterranean Gull	·       5 adults on fields near Cafnan farm, near Cemlyn (13th). ·       6 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Common Gull	·       3 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Lesser Black-backed Gull	·       40 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Great Black-backed Gull	·       12 at the Alaw estuary (19th).
	Kittiwake	·       21 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th). ·       3 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th).
	Fulmar	·       Up to 4 from The Range (4 on 17th, 3 on 16th). ·       4 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th).
	Gannet	·       38 off Cemlyn (16th). ·       23 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th). ·       6 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th).
Divers & Grebes:	Great Northern Diver	·       1 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th).
	Red-throated Diver	·       2 during a 2hr seawatch from The Range (16th).
Passerines & others:	Golden Oriole	·       Male at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (13th).
	Yellow Wagtail	·       Up to 4 at Cors Ddyga (4 on 16th, 2 on 15th - 16th, 1 on 14th).
	Common Whitethroat	·       Belated report of 1 at Pentraeth (11th). ·       Belated report of 1 at Bryn Ffysiwn, Rhoscolyn (12th). ·       6 at Trecastell (18th).
	Grasshopper Warbler	·       1 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (13th). ·       1 at Cemlyn (14th & 16th). ·       3 at Cors Ddyga (14th). ·       4 at South Stack (14th).
	Sedge Warbler	·       Belated report of several at Cors Ddyga (11th). ·       1 at Hen Borth (13th). ·       1 at Cors Ddyga (13th).
	Reed Warbler	·       Noted at Cors Ddyga (14th).
	Cetti’s Warbler	·       1 at Llyn Cefni (14th). ·       1 at Valley cob (18th).
	Tree Pipit	·       2 at Hen Borth (13th). ·       2 at Carmel Head (14th). ·       2 at South Stack (14th).
	Lesser Whitethroat	·       1 singing at Cors Ddyga (16th).
	House Martin	·       9 from Holyhead Breakwater Country Park to Soldier’s Point (14th).
	Sand Martin	·       16 from Hen Borth to Carmel Head (13th). ·       267 at Carmel Head (14th) ·       43 at South Stack (14th). ·       18 from Holyhead Breakwater Country Park to Soldier’s Point (14th).
	Barn Swallow	·       13 from Hen Borth to Carmel Head (13th). ·       25 at South Stack (14th). ·       11 from Holyhead Breakwater Country Park to Soldier’s Point (14th).
	Willow Warbler	·       51 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (13th). ·       47 from Hen Borth to Carmel Head (13th). ·       52 at South Stack (14th). ·       36 from Holyhead Breakwater Country Park to Soldier’s Point (14th). ·       8 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (18th).
	Chiffchaff	·      6 from Hen Borth to Carmel Head (13th). ·       13 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (18th).
	Blackcap	·       26 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (13th). ·       6 from Hen Borth to Carmel Head (13th). ·       24 at South Stack (14th). ·       16 from Holyhead Breakwater Country Park to Soldier’s Point (14th). ·       11 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (18th).
	Goldcrest	·       3 at South Stack (14th).
	Northern Wheatear	·       16 at Carmel Head / Hen Borth (13th). ·       1 at Cors Ddyga (14th). ·       8 at South Stack (14th).
	White Wagtail – alba nominate	·       6 at Cemlyn (13th). ·       69 ‘alba’ from Hen Borth to Carmel Head (13th). ·       Up to 75+ at Cors Ddyga (75+ on 16th, 50+ on 17th, 20+ on 14th). ·       c. 20 at the gorad flood, Valley (16th).
	Redwing	·       2 at Carmel Head / Hen Borth (13th). ·       1 of the Icelandic form ‘coburni’ at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (14th).
	Meadow Pipit	·       111 from Hen Borth to Carmel Head (13th). ·       460 at Carmel Head (14th). ·       520 at South Stack (14th).
	Lesser Redpoll	·       1 at South Stack (14th).
	Siskin	·       190 at South Stack (14th).
	Goldfinch	·       130 at Carmel Head (14th).  ·       860 at South Stack (14th).
	Linnet	·       166 at Carmel Head (14th).  ·       930 at South Stack (14th).
	Kingfisher	·       1 flew over the A55 near Mona airfield (14th).  ·       1 at Llyn Coron (18th).
	Hooded Crow	·       3 at South Stack, Holyhead (14th) – with a hybrid at Holyhead mountain. ·       2 at South Stack (18th).
Raptors:	Marsh Harrier	·       1 at Llyn Llywenan (13th). ·       Up to 3 at Cors Ddyga (3 on 16th, 1 on 13th).
	Red Kite	·       1 over Talwrn (14th). ·       1 over road to Llyn Coron (17th).
	Merlin	·       1 over road to Llyn Coron (17th). ·        1 at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (17th). ·       1 at the The Range (17th).
	Osprey	·       1 at Mynydd Bodafon (14th). ·       1 at the Cefni estuary (17th).
	Short-eared Owl	·       1 at Carmel Head / Hen Borth (13th). ·       1 at Valley wetlands (17th).
Herons, Egrets & allies:	Bittern	·        Up to 3-4 ‘booming’ at Cors Ddyga (3-4 on 17th, 2 on 13th).
	Water Rail	·        1 at Llyn Coron (18th).