Week: Saturday 23rd August 2025 - Friday 29th August 2025.

Headline birds included the 2nd Red-backed Shike for the year, a juvenile Spotted Redshank and the first Balearic Shearwater for the year.  Balearic Shearwater takes the cumulative 2025 year list to date up to 215 (LISTS). 

Swans, Geese and Ducks:

Pochard

6, at Llyn Alaw (24th).

Eurasian Wigeon

4, at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (25th).

Mallard

46, at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (25th).

Eurasian Teal

16, at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (25th).

45, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Goosander

3, on Afon Cefni, Malltraeth (26th).

4, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Waders:

Green Sandpiper

1, at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (25th).

1, at Valley doors (27th).

Common Sandpiper

1, at Cefni estuary, Malltraeth (23rd).

1, at Llyn Alaw (24th).

2, at Church Island, Menai Bridge (25th).

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (26th).

1, at Valley doors (27th).

Little Stint

1, at Traeth y Gribin, west of Llanfaelog (24th)

1, at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (24th, 25th).

Dunlin

Up to 6, at Traeth Dulas (6 on 26th, 5 on 25th).

1, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Knot

Up to 7, at Malltraeth cob pool (7 on 28th, 2 on 23rd).

Turnstone

1, juvenile at Traeth Dulas (25th).

Common Ringed Plover

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (23rd).

Up to 42, at Traeth Dulas (42 on 26th, 25 on 25th).

25, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Common Snipe

3, at Malltraeth cob pool (23rd).

2, at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (25th).

2, at Cors Ddyga (26th).

Ruff

Up to 5, at Malltraeth cob pool (5 on 23rd, 24th, 28th, 2 on 26th).

Up to 5, at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (5 on 24th, 4 on 27th, 3 on 25th)

1, at Llyn Alaw (24th).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (29th).

Spotted Redshank

1, juvenile at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (24th, 26th, 27th).

Common Redshank

13, at Traeth Dulas (24th).

19, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Greenshank

1, at the Afon Cefni, Malltraeth (23rd).

Up to 11, at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (11 on 25th & 27th, 10 on 24th, 8 on 26th).

1, at Church Island, Menai Bridge (25th).

2, at Malltraeth cob pool (26th).

8, at Traeth Dulas (26th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (26th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

1, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Black-tailed Godwit

Up to 6, at Malltraeth cob pool (6 on 26th, 3 on 23rd).

1, at the mitigation pool, Inland Sea (25th, 27th).

1, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Oystercatcher

266, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Whimbrel

1, at the Alaw estuary (25th).

Curlew

105, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Balearic Shearwater

1, feeding offshore from Point Lynas before flying west (29th).

Mediterranean Gull

1, adult winter at Traeth Dulas (25th - 27th, 29th).

1, at the Alaw estuary (26th).

Divers & Grebes:

Nothing of note.

Passerines & others:

Red-backed Shrike

1, at Rhoscolyn.  Photographed. (24th).

Lesser Whitethroat

1, at Rhoscolyn (23rd).

Common Whitethroat

2, at Gadfa (23rd).

Whinchat

1, at Rhoscolyn (23rd, 25th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (27th).

Common Cuckoo

1, juvenile in coastal bushes at beach entrance west of Llanfaelog (24th).

1, at Point Lynas (27th).

Kingfisher

1, at the Cefni estuary, Malltraeth (23rd).

1, at the Afon Cefni, Malltraeth (23rd).

Raptors:

Hobby

1, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Osprey

1, at Cemlyn & Hen Borth (24th-26th).

Hen Harrier

1, ‘ringtail’ at Rhoscolyn (25th).

Marsh Harrier

1, at Cors Ddyga (24th, 26th).

1, female at Tyn Llan fields, Cemlyn (26th). 

Red Kite

1, over Gadfa (24th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Great Egret

Up to 6, at Cors Ddyga (6 on 26th, 2 on 24th).

2, at Llyn Alaw (24th).

Cattle Egret

Up to 6, at Cors Ddyga (6 from 23rd-26th, at least 4 on 29th).

Water Rail

4, 2 adults and 2 juveniles at Malltraeth cob pool (23rd).

Other wildlife:

Clouded Yellow

2, clouded yellow butterflies were at Rhoscolyn (23rd, 25th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (24th).

3, at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (29th).

Week: Saturday 16th August 2025 - Friday 22nd August 2025.

White-rumped Sandpiper has always been a glaring gap on the Anglesey list, but it now looks like there is a chance that this will be filled subject to acceptance by the Welsh Birds Rarity Committee of a submission which should be made shortly.  Rarer still on a UK basis were two separate reports of Iberian Chiffchaff.  It is understood that neither were photographed and no sound recording was taken of at least 1 of the 2 birds.  Given difficulties with ‘mixed singers’ - Chiffchaff x Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff x Iberian Chiffchaff hybrids, it may be that both records will find it hard to pass scrutiny by the British Birds Rarity Committee.  So for now, White-rumped Sandpiper is added to the 2025 cumulative year list but Iberian Chiffchaff is not.  The addition of White-rumped Sandpiper takes the cumulative year list for 2025 up to 214 (LISTS). 

Swans, Geese and Ducks:

Mute Swan

45, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Tufted Duck

13, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Mallard

110, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Gadwall

8, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Eurasian Teal

Up to 15, at the Alaw estuary (15 on 20th, 7 on 18th).

25, at Cors Ddyga (19th).

Waders:

White-rumped Sandpiper

1, at Malltraeth cob pool - 1st for Anglesey if accepted by the Welsh Birds Rarity Committee (19th).

Wood Sandpiper

1, at Cors Ddyga - south end of reserve (19th).

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (21st, 22nd).

Green Sandpiper

1, at the ‘clapper bridge’ field at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (18th).

1, at the east end of Llyn Cefni (19th).

Common Sandpiper

Up to 3, at Malltraeth cob pool (3 on 22nd, 1 on 19th).

1, at Bodorgan headland (20th).

2, at Valley doors (22nd).

Sanderling

1, at the Alaw estuary (18th).

2, on the Cefi estuary, Malltraeth (21st).

Dunlin

Up to 20, at the Alaw estuary (20 on 18th, 18 on 20th, 6 on 17th).

13, at Malltraeth cob pool (19th).

6, at Traeth Dulas (21st).

Knot

Up to 6, at Malltraeth cob pool (6 on 21st, 5 on 22nd, 2 on 19th, 1 on 17th).

1, at the Alaw estuary (20th).

1, between Aberffraw and Porth Cwyfan (21st).

Common Ringed Plover

6, on the Cymyran at Rhoscolyn (16th).

Up to 111, at the Alaw estuary (111 on 20th, 74 on 17th, 64 on 18th).

Lapwing

1, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Common Snipe

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (17th).

2, at Cors Ddyga (19th).

Ruff

Up to 5, at the Alaw estuary (5 on 20th, 4 on 18th).

Up to 5, at Malltraeth cob pool (5 on 21st & 22nd, 5 on 20th, 3 on 19th).

Common Redshank

2, on the Cymyran at Rhoscolyn (16th).

Up to 16, at Traeth Dulas (16 on 21st, 8 on 16th).

32, at the Alaw estuary (32 on 18th, 20 on 20th).

Greenshank

6, at Traeth Dulas (6 on 16th, 5 on 21st).

15, at the Alaw estuary (18th & 20th).

1, flew over Cors Ddyga (19th).

1, at the east end of Llyn Cefni (19th).

1, at Valley doors (22nd).

Bar-tailed Godwit

Up to 3, at the Alaw estuary (3 on 20th, 1 on 18th).

Black-tailed Godwit

Up to 2, at Traeth Dulas (2 on 16th, 1 on 21st).

12, at Malltraeth cob pool (17th).

1, at the Alaw estuary (20th).

Oystercatcher

Up to 255, at the Alaw estuary (255 on 17th, 228 on 20th, 215 on 18th).

Whimbrel

Up to 3, at the Alaw estuary (3 on 18th, 2 on 20th, 1 on 17th).

1, on spit at Cefni estuary, Malltraeth (19th).

Curlew

Up to 197, at the Alaw estuary (197 on 20th, 95 on 18th, 62 on 17th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Arctic Skua

1, seen distantly from Point Lynas (20th).

Little Gull

1, 2nd calendar year at Traeth Dulas (16th, 21st).

Mediterranean Gull

1, on the Cymyran at Rhoscolyn (16th).

2, adult winter birds - 1 with red darvic ring at Traeth Dulas (21st).

Divers & Grebes:

Little Grebe

45, at Llyn Cefni - 36 adults and 9 juveniles (19th).

Great Crested Grebe

2, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Passerines & others:

Iberian Chiffchaff

1, reported in the sallow bushes at the north end of Malltraeth cob pool (20th) - with 1 also reported at Llyn Llywenan (15th) - either would be a 1st for Anglesey if accepted by the British Birds Rarity Committee. 

Yellow Wagtail

1, at Cors Ddyga (19th).

Willow Warbler

3, at the Range, Holyhead (21st).

Northern Wheatear

2, on the headland at Rhoscolyn (16th).

2, at South Stack (21st).

5, at the Range, Holyhead (21st).

Kingfisher

1, at the Alaw estuary (18th, 20th).

1, at the Afon Cefni, Malltraeth (21st).

1, at Valley doors (22nd).

Raptors:

Osprey

1, seen fishing at the Braint estuary (21st).

1, at Malltraeth cob pool & Cefni estuary (22nd).

Red Kite

1, over Gadfa (16th, 21st).

1, seen from the Penmynydd Road, near Pili Palas (19th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

White Stork

1, landed near Newborough Warren before flying off to the south (18th).

Great Egret

1, on the Cymyran at Rhoscolyn (16th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (20th).

8, confirmation that 2 pairs fledged 4 young Cors Ddyga (Date of confirmation - 20th).

Cattle Egret

6, at Cors Ddyga (21st).

Little Egret

16, at the Alaw estuary (18th).

Water Rail

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (20th & 21st).

Moorhen

22, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Coot

136, at Llyn Cefni (19th).

Other wildlife:

Clouded Yellow

4, clouded yellow butterflies were at Cors Ddyga (20th).

2, were at the Range, Holyhead (21st).

3, were between Aberffraw and Port Cwyfan (21st).