Week: Saturday 15th February 2025 - Friday 21st February 2025.

A belated report of a sighting of a Dipper (12th) and sightings of Hawfinch (15th & 16th) adds two further species to the year list.  The list now stands at 151 (LISTS).

Lesser Black-backed Gulls are our first spring migrants and sightings were up during the week.  With some early spring migrants elsewhere in the UK, perhaps we will get a few other early migrants.

Swans, Geese and Ducks:

Whooper Swan

Up to 11, south of Llyn Padrig (11 on 18th, 10 on 15th).

16, to the north-west of Capel Coch (16th, 18th ).

Greenland White-fronted Goose

7, to the north-west of Capel Coch (18th ).

Pink-footed Goose

95, over Pentraeth then Llangefni before heading north (17th).

c. 400, flew north over Cors Ddyga (17th).

Pale-bellied Brent Goose

164, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Long-tailed Duck

1, duck at the Inland Sea (16th, 19th).

Scaup

2, ducks at the Inland Sea (16th, 17th).

Eider

28, off Penmon (15th).

Waders:

Green Sandpiper

1, on a flooded field near Plas Llanddyfnan, Talwrn (20th).

Purple Sandpiper

28, 11 & 17 at Ynys Seiriol / Puffin Island (15th).

Grey Plover

3, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Golden Plover

c. 1000, at Cors Ddyga (17th).

659, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Ringed Plover

24, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Lapwing

473, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Jack Snipe

1, at Cors DDyga (17th).

Ruff

Up to 5, at Cors Ddyga (5 on 18th, 3 on 17th).

Greenshank

1, at Traeth Dulas (20th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

53, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Black-tailed Godwit

2, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Mediterranean Gull

2, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

4, at the Inland Sea (20th).

Lesser Black-backed Gull

6, at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (15th).

6, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

1, at Traeth Dulas (18th).

1, at Capel Coch (18th).

Black Guillemot

1, at Holyhead harbour (17th).

1, at Beddmanarch Bay (18th, 19th, 20th ).

Divers & Grebes:

Red-necked Grebe

1, at Llyn Penrhyn, RSPB Valley Wetlands (15th, 17th, 18th, 19th  ).

Black-necked Grebe

2, at the Inland Sea (16th, 17th, 19th, 20th  ).

Slavonian Grebe

Up to 2, at the Inland Sea (2 on 16th, 1 on 17th ).

Up to 2, at Beddmanarch Bay (2 on 19th, 1 on 18th & 20th).

Passerines & others:

Hawfinch

Up to 2, at Plas Newydd gardens (2 on 16th, 1 on 15th).

Dipper

1, at belated report of a bird on the Afon Cefni at Llangefni (12th).

Chiffchaff

1, at Bodffordd water treatment plant (16th).

Kingfisher

1, at Llyn Penrhyn (15th).

1, over Afon Cefni, Cors Ddyga (18th).

Chough

20, at Ynys Seiriol / Puffin Island (15th).

13, on coastal fields at Sandy beach - north of Llanfwrog (17th).

Raptors:

Marsh Harrier

2, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Red Kite

2, over Dolmeinir Farm Shop, Tregaian (16th).

1, east of Bryngwran (17th).

1, over Capel Coch (18th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Cattle Egret

3, between Penrhyn Bay and Sandy Bay, Llanfwrog (18th).

Great Egret

1, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Great Bittern

1, ‘booming’ near Valley Wetlands RSPB (15th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (17th).

Water Rail

1, calling at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (15th, 16th).