Week: Saturday 15th February 2025 - Friday 21st February 2025.

A belated report of a sighting of a Dipper (12th) and sightings of Hawfinch (15th & 16th) adds two further species to the year list.  The list now stands at 151 (LISTS).

Lesser Black-backed Gulls are our first spring migrants and sightings were up during the week.  With some early spring migrants elsewhere in the UK, perhaps we will get a few other early migrants.

Swans, Geese and Ducks:

Whooper Swan

Up to 11, south of Llyn Padrig (11 on 18th, 10 on 15th).

16, to the north-west of Capel Coch (16th, 18th ).

Greenland White-fronted Goose

7, to the north-west of Capel Coch (18th ).

Pink-footed Goose

95, over Pentraeth then Llangefni before heading north (17th).

c. 400, flew north over Cors Ddyga (17th).

Pale-bellied Brent Goose

164, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Long-tailed Duck

1, duck at the Inland Sea (16th, 19th).

Scaup

2, ducks at the Inland Sea (16th, 17th).

Eider

28, off Penmon (15th).

Waders:

Green Sandpiper

1, on a flooded field near Plas Llanddyfnan, Talwrn (20th).

Purple Sandpiper

28, 11 & 17 at Ynys Seiriol / Puffin Island (15th).

Grey Plover

3, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Golden Plover

c. 1000, at Cors Ddyga (17th).

659, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Ringed Plover

24, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Lapwing

473, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Jack Snipe

1, at Cors DDyga (17th).

Ruff

Up to 5, at Cors Ddyga (5 on 18th, 3 on 17th).

Greenshank

1, at Traeth Dulas (20th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

53, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

Black-tailed Godwit

2, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Mediterranean Gull

2, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

4, at the Inland Sea (20th).

Lesser Black-backed Gull

6, at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (15th).

6, at the Alaw estuary (17th).

1, at Traeth Dulas (18th).

1, at Capel Coch (18th).

Black Guillemot

1, at Holyhead harbour (17th).

1, at Beddmanarch Bay (18th, 19th, 20th ).

Divers & Grebes:

Red-necked Grebe

1, at Llyn Penrhyn, RSPB Valley Wetlands (15th, 17th, 18th, 19th  ).

Black-necked Grebe

2, at the Inland Sea (16th, 17th, 19th, 20th  ).

Slavonian Grebe

Up to 2, at the Inland Sea (2 on 16th, 1 on 17th ).

Up to 2, at Beddmanarch Bay (2 on 19th, 1 on 18th & 20th).

Passerines & others:

Hawfinch

Up to 2, at Plas Newydd gardens (2 on 16th, 1 on 15th).

Dipper

1, at belated report of a bird on the Afon Cefni at Llangefni (12th).

Chiffchaff

1, at Bodffordd water treatment plant (16th).

Kingfisher

1, at Llyn Penrhyn (15th).

1, over Afon Cefni, Cors Ddyga (18th).

Chough

20, at Ynys Seiriol / Puffin Island (15th).

13, on coastal fields at Sandy beach - north of Llanfwrog (17th).

Raptors:

Marsh Harrier

2, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Red Kite

2, over Dolmeinir Farm Shop, Tregaian (16th).

1, east of Bryngwran (17th).

1, over Capel Coch (18th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Cattle Egret

3, between Penrhyn Bay and Sandy Bay, Llanfwrog (18th).

Great Egret

1, at Cors Ddyga (18th).

Great Bittern

1, ‘booming’ near Valley Wetlands RSPB (15th).

1, at Cors Ddyga (17th).

Water Rail

1, calling at Soldier’s Point, Holyhead (15th, 16th).

Week: Saturday 8th February 2025 - Friday 14th February 2025.

A Redpoll (8th) - together with a belated report of one on the 4th January - plus the first report of Great Bittern - a male and female - added 2 further species to the 2025 year list.  The list now stands at 149 (LISTS). 

Aside from the two new additions, the Cattle Egrets that have been reported occasionally around the Alaw estuary finally gave themselves up when found a little further to the north east around the Penrhyn Bay / Sandy beach area where they fed around horses in paddocks around riding stables.

Grebefest continued with the Red-necked Grebe at Llyn Penrhyn, 2 Black-necked Grebe at the Inland Sea and Slavonian Grebes on the Inland Sea & Beddmanarch Bay.  With the more numerous Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe also being available, a five-grebe day is possible for those minded to mop them all up.  Long-tailed Duck and Scaup head up the scarcer wildfowl, while a Russian White-fronted Goose ensured that we have now had both the nominate and Greenland sub-species.

Swans, Geese and Ducks:

Whooper Swan

5, just to the north of Cytir Tywyn Trewan (9th).

5 at Plas Bog, east of Llyn Trafwll (11th)

Russian White-fronted Goose

1, at Cors Ddyga (8th & 25th).

Pink-footed Goose

Flock, over Cors Ddyga - number not specified (8th).

Pale-bellied Brent Goose

c. 100, off Penrhos coastal park (9th, 12th).

Dark-bellied Brent Goose

1, off Penrhos coastal park (9th, 12th).

Long-tailed Duck

Duck, at the Inland Sea (9th, 11th, 13th, 14th).

Scaup

2, ducks at the Inland Sea (9th, 11th, 13th).

1, at Llyn Penrhyn (14th).

1, duck at Llyn Maelog (13th).

Velvet Scoter

1+, distantly from Llanddona beach (14th).

Common Scoter

c. 100, flew past Llam Carw (12th).

c, 200, distantly from Llanddona beach (14th).

Pochard

c. 30, at Llyn Penrhyn (12th).

Pintail

c. 15, at Cors Ddyga (9th).

Goldeneye

21, at Llyn Maelog (13th).

Red-breasted Merganser

3, at Traeth Dulas (12th).

Goosander

27, at Llyn Maelog (13th).

Waders:

Green Sandpiper

1, at the Inland Sea (11th).

1, on roadside pool near Llanfwrog (11th).

Purple Sandpiper

3, at Cemlyn (13th).

Golden Plover

c. 750, at Cors Ddyga (9th).

2000+, on coastal fields south of Aberffraw (13th).

Ringed Plover

37, at Cemlyn (12th).

Sanderling

3, at Rhosneigr (13th).

Dunlin

16, at Cemlyn (12th).

Knot

62, at the Alaw estuary (10th).

Jack Snipe

3, flew into reeds at Llyn Cerrig Bach (13th).

1, at Traeth Dulas (14th).

Snipe

11, at Llyn Maelog (13th).

Ruff

3, at Cors Ddyga (12th).

Greenshank

Up to 4, at Traeth Dulas (4 on 14th, 1 on 12th).

2, at the Alaw estuary (12th).

Bar-tailed Godwit

13, at the Alaw estuary (10th).

Black-tailed Godwit

c. 100, at Cors Ddyga (9th).

37, at the Alaw estuary (10th).

Seabirds and gulls:

Mediterranean Gull

1, at the Alaw estuary (10th).

Lesser Black-backed Gull

1, at Traeth Dulas (12th).

Black Guillemot

2, at Beddmanarch Bay (11th).

1 at Llam Carw, Amlwch Port (12th).

Divers & Grebes:

Great Northern Diver

1, flew past Llam Carw (12th).

1, at a cove near Church Bay (13th).

Red-throated Diver

1, in the bay at Cemlyn (13th).

Red-necked Grebe

1, at Llyn Penrhyn, RSPB Valley Wetlands (8th, 11th- 14th).

Black-necked Grebe

Up to 2, at the Inland Sea (2 on 11th & 14th, 1 on 9th & 13th).

Slavonian Grebe

Up to 2, at Beddmanarch Bay (2 on 11th, 1 on 9th).

1, at the Inland Sea (9th, 13th, 14th).

Passerines & others:

Redpoll

1, at Llyn Parc Mawr, Newborough (4th January).

1, Newborough Forest (8th).

Chiffchaff

1, at Bodffordd water treatment plant (13th).

Blackcap

Male, at garden feeders at Benllech (12th).

Common Starling

c. 18-20,000, in murmurations at Llangefni (12th).

Kingfisher

1, at Llyn Penrhyn (14th).

1, at Traeth Dulas (14th).

Hooded Crow

1, at Hen Borth, Cemlyn plus hybrid (8th).

Raptors:

Hen Harrier

1, at Llyn Penrhyn (14th).

Marsh Harrier

4, over reed bed by Afon Crigyll (9th).

2, at Cors Ddyga (9th).

Male, at Llyn Maelog (13th).

Red Kite

1, perched in a garden at Talwrn (8th).

1, at Aberffraw (13th).

Herons, Egrets & allies:

Cattle Egret

4, at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw estuary (9th).

Up to 5, between Penrhyn Bay and Sandy Bay, Llanfwrog (5 on 11th, 3 on 12th, 4 on 13th).

Great Egret

1, at Cors Ddyga (9th).

1, at Llyn Penrhyn (14th).

Great Bittern

2, male and female at Cors Ddyga (12th) - with a ‘booming’ male (14th).

1, near Valley Wetlands RSPB (13th).

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