Week: Saturday 1st August - Friday 7th August 2026.

After several weeks of no movement on the year list, it was good to see the total tick up 1 courtesy of the first record of the year of Mandarin Duck with 2 at Cors Ddyga and 1 at Llyn Llywenan.  Mandarin Duck are known to breed on the mainland at sites including the Afon Glaslyn and the Afon Conwy.  The latter site delivered a count of 22 birds at Trefriw (7th), so it is not surprising that we get the occasional record.  
While Common Redstart can also be found reasonably easily in suitable habitat on the mainland, it is still a scarce migrant on the island.  A male at Rhoscolyn (7th) was just the 2nd record for the year.
Mandarin Duck takes the cumulative year list to date up to 202 (LISTS) - subject to the appropriate records being accepted by the British and Welsh Birds Rarity Committees as applicable.  

Wildfowl:

Mute Swan

34, at Llyn Llywenan (3rd).

16, at Llyn Alaw (3rd).

Up to 70, at the Cefni reservoir (70 on 7th - 63 on eastern basis & 7 on western basin, 58 on 5th).

Mandarin Duck

2, at Cors Ddyga (2nd).

1, at Llyn Llywenan (2nd).

Red-breasted Merganser

4, at Traeth Dulas (5th & 6th) - 1 female and 3 well grown chicks.

Goosander

31, redheads in a creche feeding mid-Strait from Moel y Don (6th).

Tufted Duck

100+, at Llyn Alaw (3rd).

25, at the Cefni reservoir (5th & 7th).

Pochard

1, at Llyn Alaw (3rd).

Shoveler

5, at the Cefni reservoir (7th).

Gadwall

Up to 52, at the Cefni reservoir (52 on 5th, c 45 on 7th).

Wigeon

Up to 13, at the Cefni reservoir (13 on 5th, 1 on 7th).

Teal

1, at Llyn Llywenan (5th).

10, at the Cefni reservoir (7th).

Coot

Up to 271, at the Cefni reservoir (271 on 5th, c 60 on 7th).

Moorhen

Up to 30, at the Cefni reservoir (30 on 7th, 18 on 5th).

Waders:

Oystercatcher

35, at Moel y Don (6th).

Golden Plover

3+, at Tyn Llan, Cemlyn (2nd).

Ringed Plover

Up to 28, at Traeth Dulas (28 on 5th, 3 on 4th).

Lapwing

Up to 24, at the Cefni reservoir (24 on 7th, 15 on 5th).

Curlew

16, at Llyn Alaw (3rd).

15, at Moel y Don (6th).

Snipe

1, at Malltraeth cob pool (1st).

Common Sandpiper

6, at Malltraeth cob pool and estuary (1st).

8, at Moel y Don (2nd).

2, at the Alaw estuary (6th).

Green Sandpiper

1, at the Alaw estuary (1st).

2, at Cors Ddyga (2nd).

Redshank

Up to 19, at the Alaw estuary (19 on 1st, 3 on 2nd, 1 on 6th).

5, on the old brickworks pool at Traeth Dulas (5th).

Greenshank

Up to 10, at the Alaw estuary (10 on 1st & 2nd, 3 on 6th).

8, on the old brickworks pool at Traeth Dulas (4th).

Ruff

2, at Cors Ddyga (6th).

Dunlin

62, at Malltraeth cob pool and estuary (1st).

1, at Traeth Dulas (5th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Mediterranean Gull

1, juvenile at Cemlyn (1st).

Grebes & Divers:

Little Grebe

9, at Llyn Llywenan (3rd).

Up to 21, at the Cefni reservoir (21 on 7th, 15 on 5th).

Great-crested Grebe

2, at the Cefni reservoir (5th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Quail

Up to 2, at barley field between Hen Borth and Cemlyn (2 on 1st, 1 on 2nd & 3rd).

1, between Llanrhwydrys and Cemlyn (2nd).

1, south of Cemlyn off the road towards the former jam factory (2nd).

1, at Tyddyn-Gele (2nd).

Little Egret

Up to 22, at the Cefni reservoir (22 on 7th - 12 at western end, 10 at eastern, 14 on 5th).

Great Egret

1, at Cemlyn (1st).

3, at Cors Ddyga (2nd).

Up to 4, at the Cefni reservoir (4 on 5th, 2 on 7th).

1, at Llyn Alaw (5th) - dam end.

Raptors:

Marsh Harrier

1, juvenile at Cemlyn (1st).

1, at Garreglwyd, Rhoscolyn (7th).

Red Kite

1, over fields north of Llechylched (6th).

1, at Rhoscolyn (7th).

Passerines & others:

Kingfisher

1, at the Alaw estuary (2nd).

Hooded Crow

1, at The Range, Holyhead (3rd).

Hooded x Carrion Crow (hybrid)

1, at Traeth Dulas (6th).

Reed Warbler

1, at Llyn Llywenan (3rd).

Common Redstart

1, male on footpath top rear of the church, Rhoscolyn (7th).

Northern Wheatear

1, at Cable Bay / Porth Trecastell, near Llanfaelog (2nd).