Friday, 18 May 2018

Cemlyn, Anglesey and beyond

After a slow start Cemlyn is starting to pick up. I had a cracking summer plumaged Golden Plover and Sanderling yesterday, but more importantly the colony is starting to come to life. After predation problems last year a predator fence went up earlier this year and seems to be working- fingers crossed. The Black headed Gulls are breeding and more importantly the Sandwich terns are back on territory and getting down to breed. So it was good photo opportunities all round yesterday with Sandwich, Common and Arctic terns whizzing past my head to the background noise of the  Sandwich terns, great to hear at Cemlyn as you know Summer is on its way!
Recent records have included the following. 2 Pomarine Skuas passed the Range at South Stack on the 16th May. A Rosefinch was at Soldiers Point, South Stack briefly on the 15 th and 4 Snow Geese (1 white and 3 Blue phase) were reported briefly by the wardens at Cemlyn on the same date. A female Yellow wagtail was at Cemlyn on the 12th. On the 10th of May a cracking female Dotterel showed well on the Range at South Stack and 2 pure Hooded Crows were new in in nearby, in freshly tilled fields with Carrion Crows, White Wagtails and Wheatears. I had an Emperor Moth emerge on the 9th May. An Iceland gull flew over Cemaes Bay on the 8th May, possibly the bird seen nearby in Hen Borth on the 6th. Also on the 6th Matt Hazelton hit lucky with a cracking Black headed Wagtail at Hen Borth, a bird from Eastern Europe or beyond. He was the lucky single observer but got a nice photo of the bird. The long term escaped Golden Eagle was seen over Tregaron Bog on the 6th, so its worth keeping your eye open for that if your'e down in mid Wales. I had a Hooded Crow at Carmel head on the 6th May. On the 5th 3 Dotterel were on Foel Fras, Osprey, Marsh Harrier and Swift were at Cemlyn, and a Red Kite was between Llanerchymedd and Carmel. A drake Garganey was at Conwy on the 2nd and 3 Dotterel were on the Range at South Stack on the 30th April. Also if you are down in mid Wales, a trip to Aberaeron for the Leucistic Herring Gull is worth while, it's a cracking looking bird!