Week: Saturday 23rd May - Friday 29th May 2026.

The month of May continued to deliver with 5 new additions to the year list - Hobby, Great Skua, Quail, Little Tern and Woodchat Shrike.
Until fairly recently, Hobby was a rare bird on Anglesey but they have now become pretty much annual albeit still in small numbers.  Two lucky observers had a bird at Cors Ddyga, then another at Red Wharf Bay when it was seen to take a Swallow.
Great Skua are mainly seen on autumn passage, although there are occasional spring sightings.  A singing Quail can normally be expected somewhere at this time of year.  Little Tern is by no means guaranteed, but the past few years have seen regular records with Cemlyn being the most likely location.
Woodchat Shrike is very much a rare bird for Anglesey.  This week’s bird should become only the 7th accepted record.
The 5 new additions to the year list takes the tally up to 197 (LISTS) - subject to the appropriate records being accepted by the British and Welsh Birds Rarity Committees as applicable.  

Wildfowl:

Red-breasted Merganser

1, flew past Point Lynas (26th).

Shoveler

4, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Gadwall

4, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Teal

8, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Waders:

Golden Plover

2, at Cemlyn (26th).

2, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Whimbrel

3, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

1, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Black-tailed Godwit

3, at the Inland Sea (27th).

3, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Sanderling

1, at Cemlyn (24th).

32, at Silver Bay, Rhoscolyn (26th).

38, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Dunlin

4, at Cemlyn (25th).

Little Stint

1, at the Alaw estuary (28th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Great Skua

1, flew past Cemlyn (25th).

Black Guillemot

1, flew past Point Lynas (26th).

Little Tern

1, seen in flight at Cemlyn (26th).

Roseate Tern

2, at Cemlyn (23rd).

Little Gull

1, at Cemlyn (23rd).

1, 2nd calendar year at the Inland Sea (27th).

Manx Shearwater

c. 100, per hour past Point Lynas (26th).

Grebes & Divers:

Nothing of note.

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Quail

1, calling from a cereal field to the east of Maenaddwyn (25th).

Spoonbill

1, at Cors Ddyga (23rd, 27th-29th).

Great Egret

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

Raptors:

Osprey

1, flew west over Cemlyn (24th).

Marsh Harrier

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

1, female over Gadfa (24th).

Red Kite

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

1, north of Llanfachraeth (24th).

1, over Benllech (25th).

Hobby

1, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

1, at Pentraeth end of Red Wharf Bay (27th).

Passerines & others:

Kingfisher

1, at Cors Ddyga (25th).

Woodchat Shrike

1, female at South Stack (28th-29th).

Hooded Crow

1, near Eglwys St. Mihangel, Valley wetlands (24th).

Reed Warbler

2, at Hen Borth, Cemlyn (26th).

Grasshopper Warbler

1, reeling from the marshy area between Cafnan farm and Pencarreg, Cemlyn (24th).

Garden Warbler

1, at Llyn Parc Mawr (28th).

Lesser Whitethroat

1, at Llyn Llywenan (23rd).

Spotted Flycatcher

1, at Hen Borth (23rd).

1, rear Cafnan farm, Cemlyn (24th).

1, at Carmel Head (27th).

Redpoll

1, at Hen Borth (23rd).

Crossbill

8, at Carmel Head (27th).

Siskin

1, male at Porth Eilian (26th).

c. 4, at Llyn Parc Mawr (28th).