Week: Saturday 5th April 2025 - Friday 11th April 2025.

It is not just the weather that has the feel of the Mediterranean.  There was last week’s Black Kite, and now we have a belated record of a Hoopoe and in-week sightings of White Stork and Bee-eater.  Summer migrants continue to arrive, with both Grasshopper Warbler and Reed Warbler being added to the year list.  These 5 new additions take the 2025 year list up to 179 (LISTS).  

Swans, Geese and Ducks:

Whooper Swan

1, on fields on the valley side of the Alaw estuary (7th-8th).

Mute Swan

25, on fields on the valley side of the Alaw estuary (7th).

Russian White-fronted Goose

1, at Cors Ddyga (6th).

Egyptian Goose

2, at the pool north of the A5025 at Burwen (8th).

Barnacle Goose

2, at Cors Ddyga (7th).

Pink-footed Goose

1, at Cors Ddyga (7th, 10th).

Pale-bellied Brent Goose

12, flew over the sea at Rhoscolyn (7th).

136, at Beddmanarch Bay (7th).

c. 140, at the Alaw estuary (7th).

Long-tailed Duck

1, 1st winter drake at the Inland Sea (10th-11th).

Goldeneye

1, drake at Llyn Coron (6th).

2, drakes at Llyn Llywenan (11th)

Eider

4, 2 pairs off Benllech seafront (9th).

Greater Scaup

3, at the Inland Sea (11th).

Scaup sp (Lesser not ruled out).

1, drake at Llyn Llywenan (7th).

Shelduck

25, at the Alaw estuary (7th).

Pintail

8, at Malltraeth cob pool (6th).

2, at Cors Ddyga (8th).

8, at the Alaw estuary (8th).

Teal

40, at Malltraeth cob pool (6th).

10, at Cors Ddyga (8th).

Wigeon

23, at Malltraeth cob pool (6th).

Gadwall

20, at Llyn Coron (6th).

Red-breasted Merganser

3, at the Braint estuary / Abermenai Point (6th).

Goosander

1, female at Llyn Coron (6th).

Waders:

Green Sandpiper

1, at the Alaw estuary (8th).

Common Sandpiper

Up to 2, at the Alaw estuary (2 on 8th, 1 on 7th).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (7th & 8th).

1, at Holyhead Breakwater (10th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (10th).

1, Llyn Llygeirian (10th).

1, at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (11th).

Little Ringed Plover

1, at the pool north of the A5025 at Burwen (6th).

Up to 3, at Cors Ddyga (3 on 7th, 2 on 10th).

Common Ringed Plover

11, at Cemlyn (7th).

Golden Plover

Up to 265, at Cors Ddyga (265 on 10th, c 150 on 8th & 9th).

25, at Cemlyn (7th).

Grey Plover

1, at the Alaw estuary (8th).

Ruff

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (6th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (7th, 10th).

Snipe

Up to 4, at Cors Ddyga (4 on 8th, 1 on 9th).

1, at Rhosneigr (6th).

Greenshank

1, at the Braint Estuary / Abermenai Point (6th).

2, at Malltraeth cob pool (6th).

3, on the Alaw estuary (3 on 7th, 2 on 8th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

55, at the Alaw estuary (8th).

Black-tailed Godwit

Up to 25, at Malltraeth cob pool (25 on 10th, 22 on 6th).

6, at Cors Ddyga (8th).

Oystercatcher

150, roosting at the Braint Estuary / Abermenai Point (6th).

Curlew

120, feeding at the Braint Estuary / Abermenai Point (6th).

40, at the Alaw estuary (7th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Black Guillemot

3, off Benllech seafront (9th).

Gannet

20, at Middle Mouse (7th).

Mediterranean Gull

2, at the Alaw estuary (8th).

Sandwich Tern

30, at the Inland Sea (6th).

8, at the Braint Estuary / Abermenai Point (6th).

10, off Benllech seafront (9th).

100+, at Cemlyn (10th).

Divers & Grebes:

Red-necked Grebe

1, at Llyn Penrhyn (5th).

Red-throated Diver

1, in summer plumage in the bay at Cemlyn (11th).

Passerines & others:

European Bee-eater

1, over Shoreside caravan park, Rhosneigr, over town and then over Oystercatcher restaurant before heading off in the direction of Aberffraw (11th).

Hoopoe

1, at Bodior Estate, Rhoscolyn (27th March and again some 5 days later).

Ring Ouzel

2, males at South Stack (2 on 5th, 1 on 6th).

1, on field between Llanrhwydrus and Llanfairynghornwy (8th).

Sedge Warbler

1, singing at Cors Ddyga (6th).

2, at Valley Wetlands RSPB (10th).

Reed Warbler

1, at Llyn Cerrig Bach (8th).

Up to 3, at Valley Wetlands RSPB (3 on 10th, 1 on 8th)

Grasshopper Warbler

2, at Cors Ddyga (2 on 8th, 1 on 9th).

1, The Range, Holyhead (11th).

Cetti’s Warbler

2, at Llyn Llywenan (6th, 8th, 11th).

Up to 12+, at Cors Ddyga (12+ on 8th, 9 on 10th).

House Martin 

3, at Cors Ddyga (7th).

Black Redstart 

1, female at South Stack (5th - 7th).

1, female at Gadfa (7th).

Northern Wheatear 

19, at South Stack (6th).

2, at Lleiniog (10th).

Up to 25+, at Cemlyn (25+ on 11th, 2 on 10th).

Whinchat

1, at Aberffraw (5th).

Redpoll

1, over Talwrn (6th).

1, flew over Cemlyn (7th).

2, flew over Silver Bay, Rhoscolyn (8th).

Hooded Crow

1, at The Range, Holyhead (6th, 9th).

Raptors:

Osprey

1, at Llyn Coron (5th).

1, feeding on a fish on the island off Tyn Llan beach (6th).

1, flew down the Menai Strait from Caernarfon to Abermenai Point (6th).

1, over Malltraeth cob (9th).

Red Kite

1, over A55 near Bryngwran (6th).

1, at Aberffraw (6th).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (6th).

1, over Rhosmeirch (7th).

1, at the Alaw estuary (8th).

1, over Malltraeth cob (9th).

Marsh Harrier

1, over fields north of Malltraeth cob (6th).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (6th).

1, at Rhoscolyn (8th).

3, at Cors Ddyga (9th).

Merlin

Female, at Cors Ddyga (7th).

Female, at Porth Wen (7th).

Sparrowhawk

3, in thermal over Carmel Head (7th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

White Stork

1, circled high over Cors Ddyga RSPB before moving off to the north.  Relocated in the evening at the Alaw estuary (7th).  Seen again at Llanynghenedl, then Llanfachraeth and above Cemaes (8th).  Over Holyhead mountain (10th), then over 4-mile Bridge (11th) when it headed off in the direction of Cymyran.

Cattle Egret

6, at the Gorad flood and surrounding fields, Valley (5th - 8th).

Bittern

2, at Cors Ddyga (10th).

1, at Valley Wetlands RSPB (10th).

Water Rail

1, at Cors Ddyga (8th).