Week: Saturday 3rd January - Friday 9th January 2026.

Despite some poor weather at times, the week still delivered some good birds including a drake Smew, up to 5 Cattle Egrets and 5 Greater Scaup to highlight just a few.  Smew was new for the year, as were the first reports of Chiffchaff and Peregrine which together takes the 2026 cumulative year list to date up to 131 (LISTS) - subject to the record of Smew being accepted by the Welsh Birds Rarity Committee.

Swans, Geese and Ducks:

Bewick’s Swan

1, on fields north of Pont Marquis (3rd, 6th).

Whooper Swan

1, on fields north of Pont Marquis (4th).

Black Swan (Category E)

3, at Cors Ddyga (7th).

White-fronted Goose - Greenland

3, on fields near Llyn Padrig (9th).

Pink-footed Goose

Up to 34, at Llyn Llywenan (c. 30 on 6th, 19 on 7th, 34 on 8th, 32 on 9th).

Egyptian Goose

2, on fields north of Pont Marquis (4th).

Smew

1, drake at the NE end of Llyn Alaw (8th, 9th).

Long-tailed Duck

1, juvenile or female at the Inland Sea - viewed from the Anchorage Hotel (4th).

Eider

Up to 7, near the lifeboat slipway, Moelfre (7 on 9th, 2 on 3rd).

17, off Benllech seafront (6th).

Scaup

Up to 5, 3 drakes and 2 ducks at Llyn Llygeirian (7th).

Tufted Duck

c. 325, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Pochard

c. 45, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Goldeneye

3, at Llyn Alaw (9th).

8, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Gadwall

35, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Wigeon

c. 125, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Shoveler

c. 225, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Goosander

5, at Llyn Alaw (9th).

Coot

c. 225, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Waders:

Green Sandpiper

1, at Valley tidal doors (8th, 9th).

Purple Sandpiper

Up to 5, at Trearddur Bay (5 on 8th, 2 on 3rd, 1 on 9th).

Sanderling

1, at Traeth y Gribin (8th).

Golden Plover

c.300, at Cors Ddyga (7th).

c.500, between Cemlyn and Hen Borth (8th).

Jack Snipe

1, at Red Wharf Bay (7th).

1, at Traeth Dulas (7th).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (9th).

Woodcock

3, flew over Four mile bridge to Rhoscolyn road (6th).

1, flew over Bodffordd water treatment plant (7th).

1, at Valley tidal doors (8th).

4, at Llyn Cefni (9th)

Greenshank

1, at Valley tidal doors (8th).

Black-tailed Godwit

c.40, seen in flight over the A55 near Cors Ddyga (3rd).

c. 500 at Cors Ddyga (7th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Black Guillemot

1, at Beddmanarch Bay (7th).

Mediterranean Gull

1, at the Inland Sea - viewed from the Anchorage Hotel (8th).

Divers & Grebes:

Great Northern Diver

1, at Trearddur Bay (3rd).

Up to 2, at Holyhead harbour (2 on 9th, 1 on 7th).

Up to 4, at the Inland Sea - viewed from the cob (4 on 8th, 2 on 7th).

2, off Benllech seafront (7th).

Red Throated Diver

1, at Trearddur Bay (3rd).

18, off Benllech seafront (6th).

Slavonian Grebe

2, in the mouth of the Alaw estuary (3rd).

1, at Beddmanarch Bay (7th).

2, at the Inland Sea - from cob (7th).

1, off Benllech seafront (7th).

2, at the Inland Sea - from the Anchorage Hotel (8th).

Little Grebe

18, at Llyn Cefni (9th).

Passerines & others:

Firecrest

1, at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (7th, 8th).

Blackcap

2, male and female on garden feeders in a private garden at Benllech (4th).

Chiffchaff

1, at Cors Ddyga (3rd).

Kingfisher

1, at Trearddur Bay (3rd).

Hooded Crow

1, at the entrance road to The Range, Holyhead (3rd).

Raptors:

Marsh Harrier

1, at Cors Ddyga (7th).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (8th, 9th).

1, at Llyn Alaw (9th).

Red Kite

1, over A55 at Bryngwran junction (7th).

1, at Llyn Cefni (9th)

Peregrine

1, at Cors Ddyga (7th).

Merlin

1, seen from A5025 on fencepost between Valley and Llanynghenedl (6th).

1, at Trearddur Bay (8th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Great Egret

Up to 2, at Llyn Alaw (2 on 9th, 1 on 6th).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (7th, 8th, 9th).

Cattle Egret

Up to 5, on fields along the lane to Sandy Beach, near Llanfwrog (5 on 7th, 3 on 9th).

Water Rail

1, at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (7th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (7th).