Week: Saturday 5th August - Friday 11th August 2023.

Conditions for sea-watching were poor, so waders once again became the main area of interest.

 

Swans, Geese & Ducks:	Wigeon	·        Drake again at the Alaw estuary (9th).
Waders:	Ruff	·        1 Reeve at the Alaw estuary (6th-7th). ·        1 at Cemlyn (10th). ·        1 at Malltraeth cob pool (11th). ·        1 at Cors Ddyga (11th).
	Sanderling	·        1 at Cemlyn (10th). ·        2 at the Alaw estuary (11th).
	Green Sandpiper	·        1 at South Stack (8th). ·        1 at Malltraeth cob pool (11th).
	Ringed Plover	·        31 at Traeth Dulas (9th). ·       17 at the Alaw estuary (15 on 7th & 11th, 14 on 9th),
	Lapwing	·        3 at the Alaw estuary (7th)
	Dunlin	·        Up to 15 at the Alaw estuary (15 on 7th, 7 on 9th).
	Greenshank	·        2 at Traeth Dulas (8th). ·        15 at the Alaw estuary (11th).
	Redshank	·      Up to 30 at the Alaw estuary (30 on 11th, 23 on 7th, 13 on 9th).
	Bar-tailed Godwit	·        12 at the Alaw estuary (11th).
	Black-tailed Godwit	·        3 at Cemlyn (10th).
	Whimbrel	·        Up to 2 at the Alaw estuary (2 on 7th, 1 on 9th & 11th).
	Curlew	·    14 at The Range (8th). ·      Up to 255 at the Alaw estuary (255 on 7th, 89 on 11th).
	Oystercatcher	·   Up to 352 at the Alaw estuary (352 on 7th, 263 on 11th).
Seabirds & gulls:	Mediterranean Gull	·    Up to 9 at the Alaw estuary (9 on 7th, 5 on 9th). ·        Adult winter at Traeth Dulas (11th).
Divers & Grebes:	Little Grebe	·        14 at Llyn Llygeirian (11th).
Passerines & others:	Northern Wheatear	·        1 at Cemlyn (8th).
	Hooded Crow	·        1 at South Stack (8th).
	Common Kingfisher	·        1 over Tyn Llan pool, Cemlyn (8th). ·        1 at the Alaw estuary (9th & 11th).
Raptors:	Hobby	·        1 at South Stack (10th).
	Osprey	·        1 at Malltraeth (11th).
	Red Kite	·        1 near Trefor (10th).
Herons, Egrets & allies:	Great Egret	·      1 at Cors Ddyga (10th).
	Little Egret	·          10 at the Alaw estuary (7th).

Week: Saturday 29th July - Friday 4th August 2023.

The North wind doth blow and we shall have …. Skuas.

Whilst we didn’t get the hoped for strong SW winds preceding a switch to a NW – N direction, the reasonably strong onshore winds were enough to get a few birders out to coastal headlands with the hope of connecting with some scarce – rare seabirds. 

The exact wind direction seemed to have a quite profound effect on the range of species and their numbers at varying sites.  Nonetheless, the north coast delivered 2 Cory’s Shearwater – 1^st for the year, a Great Skua – also a 1^st for the year and a few Arctic Skuas as well.  It is still early on in the sea-watching season and many will hope that we have suitable conditions once again over the next few months. 

Swans, Geese & Ducks:	Common Scoter	·        12 flew past Cemlyn (30th). ·        75 flew west (75 mins) past Cemlyn (1st).
	Black Swan	·        1 on the Inland Sea (29th).
Waders:	Sanderling	·        40+ at Cerrig y Brain, Rhosneigr (2nd).
	Knot	·        1 at Cemlyn (29th).
	Turnstone	·        50 at Cemlyn (29th).
	Common Sandpiper	·        3 at Traeth Dulas (29th).
	Dunlin	·        67 at the Inland Sea (29th).
	Bar-tailed Godwit	·        1 off Penrhos Coastal Park (29th).
	Black-tailed Godwit	·        2 at the Inland Sea (29th).
	Whimbrel	·        2 at the Inland Sea (29th). ·        6 flew west past Cemlyn (1st).
	Curlew	·        21 at the Inland Sea (29th).
Seabirds & gulls:	Cory’s Shearwater	·        2 flew past Cemlyn (3rd).
	Great Skua	·    1 flew past Point Lynas (3rd) – with presumably the same seen later off Cemlyn.
	Arctic Skua	·        3 flew west past Bull Bay (30th). ·        1 flew west past Cemlyn (30th). ·    4 flew past Cemlyn (3rd) – with presumably 1 of these seen earlier off Point Lynas. ·        1 past The Range, South Stack (3rd). ·        4 past Point Lynas and presumably the same later seen off Wylfa head (4th).
	Puffin	·        1 at South Stack (29th).
	Little Tern	·        1 at Cemlyn (1st).
	Roseate Tern	·        1 at Cemlyn (31st).
	Mediterranean Gull	·        2nd calendar year at Traeth Dulas (29th).
	Manx Shearwater	·        Plenty past coastal headlands with one count of 3041 (over 75 mins) west past Cemlyn (1st).
Divers & Grebes:	Red-throated Diver	·        1 flew past Point Lynas (4th).
Passerines & others:	Crossbill	·        1 over South Stack (31st), with 4 over (1st).
	Northern Wheatear	·        1 at the Inland Sea (29th). ·        1 at Tyn Llan beach, Cemlyn (30th). ·        1 at Aberffraw beach (30th). ·        1 at Bull Bay (3rd).
Raptors:	Goshawk	·        1 near Llyn Llywenan (3rd).
	Marsh Harrier	·        Cream headed bird over South Stack (4th).
	Red Kite	·    1 over the A5025 between Cerrig Man and Amlwch (31st) ·        1 over the A5025 near Pen-y-sarn (31s).
Herons, Egrets & allies:	Great Egret	·        1 at Malltraeth cob pool (30th).