The week saw something of an arrival of spring migrants, with reports of singing Chiffchaff from multiple sites which are known not to have held birds over the winter. There were early records for both Sand Martin and Northern Wheatear, both of which were new for the year.
At
this time of year, we have both the added interest of new arrivals and the
continued benefit of some of the highlights of the winter months which include
the likes of the drake Smew, Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian Grebes etc just to
name a few.
The
addition of Sand Martin and Northern Wheatear takes the cumulative 2026 year
list up to 152 (LISTS)
- subject to the appropriate records being accepted by the British and Welsh
Birds Rarity Committees as applicable.
Wildfowl:
Whooper
Swan
Up
to 10, at Cors Ddyga (10 on 2nd, 4 on 28th).
Black
Swan - Category E
3,
at Cors Ddyga (28th).
Pale-bellied
Brent Goose
65,
from Llanddona beach (3rd).
11,
at Red Wharf Bay - Pentraeth access (3rd).
2,
at Holyhead harbour (4th).
118,
at the Alaw estuary (6th).
White-fronted
Goose - Russian
Up
to 8, on fields to the east of Llyn Coron (8 on 4th, 4 on 6th).
Egyptian
Goose
1,
at Llys y Gors, Llandegfan (6th).
Shelduck
11,
at Red Wharf Bay - Pentraeth access (3rd).
35,
at the Braint estuary (3rd).
46,
at Traeth Dulas (4th).
Long-tailed
Duck
1,
juvenile or female at the Inland Sea - viewed from the Anchorage Hotel (28th,
2nd, 4th, 5th).
Common
Scoter
100+,
from Llanddona beach (3rd).
Goldeneye
7,
at the Inland Sea (2nd).
2,
pair at the Braint estuary (3rd).
8+,
at the NE end of Llyn Alaw (6th).
Smew
1,
drake at the NE end of Llyn Alaw (6th).
Red-breasted
Merganser
13,
at the Inland Sea (2nd).
2,
pair at Traeth Dulas (4th).
Goosander
6+,
at the NE end of Llyn Alaw (6th).
Greater
Scaup
2,
drake and a duck at the Inland Sea (28th, 1st, 2nd, 3rd - drake only 4th, 6th).
1,
duck on the lagoon at Cemlyn (2nd).
Shoveler
6, on Twr reservoir, South Stack
road (5th).
Gadwall
10,
at Cors Ddyga (5th).
Wigeon
80,
at Traeth Dulas (4th).
110,
at Cemlyn (4th).
Pintail
10,
at Cors Ddyga (5th).
Waders:
Oystercatcher
460,
at the Braint estuary (3rd).
Grey
Plover
1,
at Hen Borth, near Cemlyn
(4th).
1,
at the Alaw estuary (6th).
Golden
Plover
Up
to c. 2100, at Cors Ddyga (2100 on 28th, 2000 on 4th).
c.
500, at Hen Borth, near Cemlyn
(4th).
Lapwing
>1000,
at Cors Ddyga (28th).
Curlew
55,
at Red Wharf Bay - Pentraeth access (3rd).
Bar-tailed
Godwit
1,
at the Alaw estuary (6th).
Black-tailed
Godwit
Up to 140,
at Cors Ddyga (140 on 28th, 77 on 5th).
Jack
Snipe
5,
at Traeth Dulas (6th).
Woodcock
1,
flushed from scrub near Llyn Cefni (2nd).
1,
flushed at Cyttir Mawr LNR, Llandegfan (3rd).
Snipe
2,
at Llanddona beach (3rd).
9,
at Llyn Garreglwyd (4th).
6,
at The Range (5th).
13,
at Traeth Dulas (6th).
Redshank
4,
at Cors Ddyga (4 on 28th, 3 on 5th).
88,
at Red Wharf Bay - Pentraeth access (3rd).
Greenshank
3,
at the Braint estuary (3rd).
3,
at Traeth Dulas (4th).
Turnstone
17,
at Llanddwyn (3rd).
9,
at Hen Borth, near Cemlyn
(4th).
6, at Holyhead harbour (6th).
Ruff
Up
to 9, at Cors Ddyga (9 on 28th & 5th, 6 on 2nd, 5 on 3rd).
Dunlin
c.
40, at Cors Ddyga (28th, 5th).
Purple
Sandpiper
12,
at Trearddur Bay (5th).
Seabirds
and gulls:
Black
Guillemot
1,
at Holyhead harbour (6th).
Razorbill
c.
20, at South Stack (4th).
Guillemot
100+,
at South Stack (4th).
Several
hundred, at Middle Mouse (4th).
Mediterranean
Gull
2,
at Beddmanarch Bay - 2nd winter birds (1st).
4,
came in to roost on the large island in the lagoon at Cemlyn (2nd).
5,
at the Inland Sea (4th).
Fulmar
6,
on coastal ledges at Ynys y Fydlyn (4th).
Grebes
& Divers:
Slavonian
Grebe
Up
to 4, at Beddmanarch Bay (4 on 3rd, 2 on 4th, 1 on 28th).
Up
to 5, at the Inland Sea (5 on 6th, 2 on 2nd & 4th, 1 on 1st).
Great-crested
Grebe
12,
at Traeth Lligwy (4th).
Great
Northern Diver
Up
to 3, at the Inland Sea (3 on 6th, 2 on 2nd & 3rd, 1 on 1st).
Up
to 2, at Holyhead harbour (2 on 3rd, 1 on 2nd).
2,
at Beddmanarch Bay (3rd, 4th).
Herons,
Egrets & allies:
Great
Bittern
1,
booming at Cors Ddyga (28th).
1,
booming at Llyn Trafwll (3rd).
Little
Egret
8,
at Cors Ddyga (5th).
Great
Egret
1,
at Cors Ddyga (5th).
1,
at Llyn Alaw (6th).
Cattle
Egret
1,
between Four-mile Bridge and Trearddur Bay (28th, 1st, 4th).
6,
on roadside fields from lane to Sandy Beach caravan park / Porth Trwyn Mawr,
near Llanfwrog (5th).
Raptors:
Goshawk
1,
over Newborough forest (3rd).
Marsh
Harrier
Up
to 2, at Cors Ddyga (2 on 5th, 1 on 28th).
Red
Kite
1,
near Llangefni water treatment plant (28th).
2,
from B5112 north of Trefor (28th).
1,
from B5112 south of Llanerchymedd (3rd).
1,
from B5112 south of Trefor (3rd).
1,
at Cors Bodeilio (3rd).
1,
at Llyn Garreglwyd (4th).
1,
at Ynys y Fydlyn (4th).
1,
at Cors Ddyga (5th).
Kestrel
3,
hunting together over the coastal path at Amlwch Port (4th).
Merlin
1,
at Cors Ddyga - north of the A55 (28th).
Peregrine
1,
flew over Llyn Rhos Ddu (3rd).
1,
over Mynydd Eilian (4th).
Passerines
& others:
Hooded
Crow
1,
at South Stack / The Range (28th, 4th, 5th).
1,
hybrid at Newborough beach (3rd).
Sand
Martin
Up
to 5, at Cors Ddyga (5 on 6th, 2 on 28th &1st, 1 on 2nd).
Cetti’s Warbler
Up
to 4, singing at Cors Ddyga (4 on 5th, 3 on 28th).
Chiffchaff
1,
singing at Gors Avenue, Holyhead (3rd).
1,
singing at Traeth Lligwy (4th).
3,
singing at Wylfa woods (4th).
1,
singing at Hen Borth,
near Cemlyn (4th).
1,
singing in the valley at Cemaes Bay (5th).
3,
singing at Cyttir Mawr LNR, Llandegfan (6th).
4,
singing at Holyhead Breakwater Country Park (6th).
Goldcrest
2, at Pentraeth forest (3rd).
Redwing
4,
at Cors Bodeilio (3rd).
6,
at Nelson’s monument, Llanfair PG (3rd).
Northern Wheatear
1, female on field off approach
road to the car park for The Range (5th).
Crossbill
4, in the plantation near Ynys y
Fydlyn (4th).
Siskin
6, at Pentraeth forest (3rd).
Up to 10, on a garden feeder at
Talwrn (all week).
