Dan Brown in Pontio Bangor Tonight and Tomorrow

This week- Dan Brown Double Bill.

Tibet and the Sub-antarctic Islands.

Don't miss Dan on his flying visit to the UK and Bangor Birdgroup!

Wed 4 December, 2019, 7.30pm Room PL2 Pontio. 'In search of the Mountain Ghost - Wildlife of the Tibetan Plateau' . On the trail of Snow Leopard and other wildlife in one of the world's most remote and arduous regions.

Thursday 5 December, 2019, 7.30pm Room PL5 Pontio. 'Megaherbs, Great Albatrosses and Giant Peterels - Exploring our Anitpodal Seas and Islands' Discovering the endemic flora and fauna of New Zealand's sub-Antarctic islands and the rich seas which unite them.

Both talks by local boy Dan Brown, currently based in South-East Asia. Ecologist, conservationist and wildlife cruise leader. All welcome. Students free and members of Bangor Bird Group free. Otherwise £4 per head.

Bangor Birdgroup is back this Wednesday- the 9th of October

I’m happy to announce the new programme for 2019-2020 for Bangor Birdgroup. Firstly please notice we have had a change of venue at the University. We are no longer in the Brambell building but have moved to The Management centre on College road, Alun room 101 is our new venue. Otherwise same old- doors open at 7 on a Wednesday evening for a 7.30 kick off. There are numerous topics covered about North Wales, the UK and the rest of the world from Antarctica to Azerbaijan and Algeria. I will be giving the first talk on The Birds of Anglesey on Wednesday the 9th October. Hope to see you there, everyone is welcome!
Membership £18 waged, £15 concessions or you can pay on the door. Students go free!

This Wednesday, the 9th October and I will be talking about the birds of Anglesey. I have updated the talk with a lot of new Bird and People photos :-)

Anglesey lies off the NW coast off Wales.
With an area of 276 Square miles it is the largest Welsh Island, and It's the 5th largest Island in the UK.
It has a good selection of habitats for birds and other wildlife.
With coastal habitats from sandy beaches to high sea cliffs and coastal lagoons. Freshwater lakes, Marshes, Fens, Woodland, Farmland, Freshwater rivers, Estuaries and more, it has a wide selection of habitats.
South Stack, Cemlyn and the reserve formally known as Malltraeth RSPB, now Cors Ddyga, are must visit sites for visiting birders, and bring in valuable money from Eco-tourism to the local economy.
I'm going to take you there and to many of my own personal favourite birding spots, to show you the birdlife and some of the other special wildlife that the Isle of Anglesey, Ynys Mon has to offer.

Bardsey's: Western Orphean Warbler 19 May

Bardsey's Wildlife: Today started like any other day, low cloud in the...: Today started like any other day, low cloud in the morning giving a misty start but this was soon burnt off as the sun came up and it turn...

Snowy Owl and Iberian Chiffchaff

The Snowy Owl has reappeared on Holyhead Mountain since the 11 April and apparently seen again yesterday (16th).


Also yesterday a good candidate for Iberian Chiffchaff was found singing in a woodland clearing in Gwydir above Penmachno at GR: SH773519 where the mountain bike trail leaves the forest track to the south.  The bird still present on 17th and easily picked up on song. If you go approach and leave via Penmachno as the road to the north is in a bad state and there's lots of gates to open an close.


The Ring-necked Duck also remains on Llyn Bran near Llyn Brenig.

India and Arizona at Birdgroup this week

Wednesday- Himalayan Gold by Steve Culley

Thursday- Arizona Birding by Arizona Birder Chris Rohrer

(currently on tour of the UK)

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Support Champions of the Flyway and save Vultures

Some friends need our help to help save the World's vulture species.  This year "Champions of the Flyway" is raising funds for on the ground action to prevent the whole scale slaughter of vultures in Kenya and across Africa.
I was lucky enough to go out to Israel last year to take part and this year's cause is no less urgent.
It doesn't matter which team you support as it all goes to the same Birdlife partner but the only Welsh gal Dan Rouse is 1/4 of the Swarovski Youth Birders Team and they're still aiming for their target.


£5, £10, £20 or whatever you can afford will all help.


Thanks


https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/swarovski-optik-world-youth-birders?_ga=2.20821117.477897291.1552657393-571099977.1503652365&fbclid=IwAR2onpQdRH4gnEGu4d3f8mBQ5RTh2pQR_mISLv3Re3EuB_TRRiHLkRZQIZ4&utm_id=124

Mark Avery at Plas y Brenin

Mark Avery returns to North Wales on Sat 23rd March. 
https://www.facebook.com/events/2604818869559161/

Dr Mark Avery is a scientist by training and a birder by inclination, who has become an environmental campaigner, author and blogger since leaving the RSPB in 2011 (after 25 years, 13 of them as Conservation Director). He’ll be talking about his campaign to ban driven grouse shooting, and about his new organisation, Wild Justice, that he has set up with Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay.

Tickets £5 on the door 8pm start.

It's Chile in Bangor this week

Dr Richard Birch, Consultant Ecologist and well known local naturalist will be taking us back to Chile again this week. He produced a wonderful video that we saw at Bird-group last season, and he loved the place so much he returned and made another Video about his Return to Chile, which he tells us is even better that the first one! It's one not to miss as he gives us an insight into this fascinating country that not a lot of us have had the chance to visit.

 At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Return of The Bruce! RSPB Investigation in Bangor this Wednesday

Matthew Bruce was an Under-graduate Student at Bangor a few years back, but he now works for the RSPB Investigations Department at The Lodge.

Come and meet him this week as he gives us an insight into the work he does whilst fighting Wildlife crime for the RSPB, it should be an interesting talk.

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Namibia this week at Bangor-Bird-group

This week at Bird-group it was supposed to be Alex talking about Birding in the Eastern USA, however unfortunately he cant do it (hopefully we can reschedule for next year). However Local Birder and Photographer Dewi Edwards has stepped in to give us a talk on Namibia instead which he will give on the 20th Feb. That should also be a good talk as his photography is amazing!

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Change of talks- Cyprus then Namibia at Bangor Bird-group

This week at Birdgroup Julian Hughes will be talking about his trip last year to Cyprus studying local birds and migration through the region (13th Feb).

The week after was supposed to be Alex talking about Birding in the Eastern USA, however unfortunately he cant do it (hopefully we can reschedule for next year). However Local Birder Dewi Edwards has stepped in to give us a talk on Namibia instead which he will give on the 20th Feb. That should also be a good talk as his photography is amazing!

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

The amazing life of Swifts at Bangor Bird-group tonight

This Wednesday  Ben Stammers from the North Wales Wildlife trust will be giving us an update on one of our best birds in North Wales, the Swift. Please come along and see how this cracking bird is getting on. His talk is entitled Sky Dwellers : The amazing life of Swifts

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Filey International : Mark James Pearson in North Wales this week

This Week at Birdgroup, Yorkshire Birder Mark James Pearson will be talking about

Filey International . It's A fantastic Migration Hotspot on the East Coast of Yorkshire.

Mark will give us a run-down of the Birding Year at his local patch in one of the more interesting Birding sites in the UK.

Come along and catch him whilst he's in town.

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Hawfinches in Wales at Birdgroup this week

This Wednesday Kelvin Jones from the British Trust for Ornithology will be giving us an update on one of our best birds in North Wales, the Hawfinch. Please come along and see how this cracking bird is getting on.

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Tonight- Shetland in Bangor

Little Bunting

Tonight at Birdgroup, Local Birder Chris Jones will be giving the talk

Birding in Wellies : An Autumn Week on Shetland

Come along and see how four North Wales birders got on in October 2017 in their quest to see and find rare and scarce birds in these Scottish Islands

At Bangor Bird-group we meet on Wednesday nights in the University of Bangor Brambell Building, Deiniol road opposite Asda just down from the Train Station. Costs are £2 per meeting (non members), or even better join as a member. Membership costs are as follows- Waged = £15, £12 for concessions and free for Bangor University students. 

Not bad for 22 talks!

Doors open at 7 for a 7.30 pm start. Talks last for around 1 hour. All members of the public are welcome. 

Late 2018 : Anglesey Update-New Years Eve

American Royal Tern - Dulas

The Amlwch Snowy Owl

One of the Highlights of the year on Anglesey was this Snowy Owl near Amlwch in June, but here are the bird reports from the Island in Autumn and early Winter at the end of 2018.

On the 29^th August there were 5 Green Sandpipers at Llyn Cefni.

Next day on the 30^th August there were 6 Risso's Dolphins off The Range at South Stack.
Also another 2 pods of 6 Risso's Dolphins were off Cemlyn on the 1^st September and a Roseatte Tern here was a good late record for the site. On the 3^rd Sept a Wood Sandpiper was at Cefni Reservoir, an Adult Sabine's Gull from the High Arctic and 8 Black Terns from the continent passed Cemlyn. A Cetti's Warbler at Llyn Cefni on the 9^th September was unusual for this site.
A Green Sandpiper and 9 Greenshanks were at the Llanfachraeth end of the Alaw Estuary on the 9^th September. Another adult Sabines Gull passed Point Lynas on the 12^th September and a Pomarine Skua, 5 Arctic and 4 Great Skuas were off Cemlyn on the 16^th September. A Black Tern was at Lligwy on the 19^th September and a Sooty Shearwater passed Cemlyn on the 21^st September.
Another Risso's Dolphin was spotted off Amlwch Octel on the 23^rd September.
On the 29^th September an American Pectoral Sandpiper was at Cors Ddyga (Malltraeth RSPB), the first North American Wading-bird for this site.
In late September there was a large passage of Jays through North Wales. Mark Sutton had only ever had 4 records involving only 5 birds in total, between Cemlyn and Carmel head over the last 10 years. On the 29^th September he had 14 birds along this stretch of coast.
6 Pale bellied Brent Geese passed Cemaes Bay on the 5^th October, a bird not often seen in Cemaes.
A Jay passed over my Estate in Cemaes, Cae Derwydd on the 6^th October, part of the North Wales influx. 42 Crossbills passed over Cemlyn on the 7^th October and 2 Hooded Crows were at South Stack on the same day.
A Yellow browed warbler, a long distant migrant from Asia was in Wylfa head Car Park on the 10^th October. Considering they breed so far away, its amazing how many turn up each year in the UK.
Between Cemlyn and Hen Borth on the 10^th October there were 2 Common Redstarts, 120 Skylarks overhead, 6 Tree Sparrows and 3 Great White Egrets.

A Dipper was in Cemaes for the first time in over 20 years

A Dipper was on the River Wygir in Cemeas in early October around the 11^th October for almost a week, until torrential rain caused rising water levels to force it to move on as the rocks in the river that it fed from were submerged due to the excessive volume of water in the River. For the 22 years I've lived on the Island I've never seen a Dipper in Cemaes. Mike Smith saw the last one, and that was before I moved over here in 1996!
Another Yellow-browed Warbler was at Cafnan near Cemlyn on the 11^th October.
On the 14^th October a Great Northern Diver in full summer plumage was flying over Holyhead, a Richards Pipit flew over Holyhead, a Yellow browed Warbler was at Carmel Head and a Firecrest was by Coffee Cups at the Old Toll House, Penrhos.

The Penrhos Coffee Cup's Firecrest

A Hoopoe was reported at Traeth Lligwy, flying over the marsh on the 15^th October, but not subsequently.
Yellow browed Warblers were in Holyhead Breakwater Country Park on the 16th-18^th Oct and 1 was at Carmel Head on the 18^th October. 15 Brambling also flew over Carmel head on this date.
Cattle and Great White Egret were on the Inland Sea on the 19^th October and 23 Mediterranean Gulls were on the Inland Sea from the Anchorage pub on the 20^th October.

The Cemlyn Great Northern Diver

An Adult Great Northern Diver in Full Summer plumage was at Cemlyn for a few days from the 21^st October. A Black Redstart was at Soldiers Point and Holyhead breakwater country park on the 22^nd October. A Yellow browed Warbler was at Penrhos CP on the 25^th October.

Leach's Petrels were off Point Lynas

Rough weather brought in 5 Leach's Petrels and an adult Pomarine Skua past Point Lynas on the 27^th October and 7 Purple Sandpipers were at Cemlyn on the 29^th October.
3 Scoter including 1 American Surf Scoter were reported off Bull Bay on the 31^st October.
I had 2 Whooper Swans fly West over my house in Cemaes on the 31^st October, a new bird for my house list! These birds probably bred in Iceland and were on there way to their wintering grounds in North Wales, near Llangefni or possibly over on the Glaslyn, Porthmadog.

The Whoopers near Llyn Cefni

2 Great White Egrets were at Cemlyn on the 1^st November and 4 Tree Sparrow, 10 Brambling and a Whimbrel were there on the 4^th November.
On the 5^th - 9^th November an Immature Rose Coloured Starling was at Beth's Gallery, Pen-y-sarn with the Common Starlings.
On the 7^th November a Swift species was seen at Brynrefail. Next day, presumably that same bird was 6km to the North at Llaneilian, near Point Lynas. There was quite a lot of Swifts reported in the UK in November, and all the ones that were seen well enough to be specifically identified turned out to be Pallid Swifts, a more southern species, that breed later and only migrates south much later than our British Common Swifts. So the Anglesey birds were more than likely Pallid Swifts!
There were 38 Whooper Swans including 8 juveniles between Llangefni and Llanerchymedd on the 10 th November.
A late Swallow was at Hen Borth on the 16^th November, plus 2 Bramblings and a Lapland Bunting.
15 Cetti's Warblers at Malltraeth RSPB (Cors Ddryga) was a good count for this site and the Island and at least 2 Greenland White-fronted Goose were here from the 21^st November onwards.
20 Scaup were on the Inland Sea from the 22^nd November onwards.
A Red Squirrel was seen on and off in November and into December in the Woodlands and gardens along the Afon Wygir in Cemaes.
Although its been a mild Winter so far, a Snow Bunting was at Tyn Llan, Cemlyn on the 24^th November.
On the 26^th November at Malltraeth RSPB (Cors Ddyga) there were 37 Pink footed Geese, 10 Whooper Swans, a Barnacle Goose and a Marsh Harrier. Then on the 4^th December there was a high count of 5 Water Pipits there with at least 2 still there on the 11^th .
On the 7^th December there were 146 Pale bellied Brent Geese and a single Dark Bellied Bird at Penrhos Country Park and 5 Black Guillimots were in the Holyhead area on the 9^th December. Also on that date in Red Warf Bay there were 110 Common Snipe and at Dulas Marsh there were 20 Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe.

Tony White found this Royal Tern

Find of the year was by Tony White from Tregele, when he found and photographed Britain's 4^th record of an American Royal Tern at Dulas estuary on the 10^th December. It commuted between here an Lligwy till the 11^th before leaving Anglesey. It was later seen on the Gann Estuary in South Wales then on the Isles of Scilly off the tip of Lands End.

Royal Tern at Dulas

On the 12^th December a Long tailed Duck was on Llyn Cefni and a Common Sandpiper was reported in Beddmanarch Bay.
Counts on the Alaw Estuary, between Valley and Llanfachraeth on the 13^th December included 33 Bar tailed Godwits, 98 Grey Plover, 22 Knot, 945 Dunlin, 72 Ringed Plover and 613 Wigeon.
On the 17^th December on the Inland Sea there were 2 Great Northern Divers, 14 Scaup, 4 Mediterranean Gulls and a Long tailed Duck. Nearby there were 3 Slavonian Grebes in Beddmanarch Bay and in Holyhead Bay there were 2 Red throated and 1 Black throated Diver, plus a Black Guillimot.

Llyn Llygeirian

Female Lesser Scaup on the right

Diagnostic Wing-stretch

One of the weirdest records I had this year was when I was driving on the A55 over the Inland Sea on the 18^th December in strong blustery weather. I saw a bird appearing to take off in the fast lane and fly away from me. It was black and white and initially I thought it was a Magpie taking off after feeding on roadkill. As I undertook it at high speed narrowly missing it I looked to my right, and there was a female Long tailed duck looking me in the eye, a mere 4 feet away! It then veered off, over the wall and onto the Inland sea proper. I can only imagine that the ridiculously blustery weather had forced it down onto the road, as it was flying low from feeding in Beddmanarch bay back to it's favoured Inland Sea foraging grounds.

Long tailed Ducks-Last winters birds in Trearddur Bay

On the 20^th December the usual Purple Sandpiper flock in Trearddur Bay was reduced from 13 to12 when 1 bird was taken by a Peregrine.

An Anglesey Purple Sandpiper

Next day, on the 21^st December an Adult Meditteraenean Gull flew over where I work in Cemaes and a flock of 12 Long tailed Tits brightened up a dull winters Day as they accompanied me as I walked back to work after my lunch.

I had a Winter plumaged Med Gull fly over work.

Whilst dropping off Christmas Cards at the end of December in Pentraeth, a friend of mine showed me the Great crested Newts getting ready to breed in his Pentraeth back Garden, reflecting how mild the Winter has been so far.

2018 back of Camera Catbird shot-ta to the bloke stood next to me :-)

My three Best Birds of the Year for 2018 were the Amlwch Snowy Owl, the Dulas American Royal Tern and Britain's Second American Grey Catbird at Lands End, a bird I have previous history with! 17 years ago, local Birder Ken Croft found Britain's first American Grey Catbird at the Pine Plantation at South Stack. I went there after work on that Friday and waited patiently for an hour hoping to see this rare bird. Then my Wife called me. I was on call, and had a call-out and had to go back to work in Amlwch. I begrudgingly trudged back through the scrub to the path, then I noticed some birders running. I ran over to them and they told me that the Catbird had just flown down the side of the hill and landed in the bushes that I had been stood by for the last hour! Nooooooooo!!!! I looked on for a further five minutes with no joy, but then I had to head back to work! I went back the next morning, but again it never showed. There were Blackcaps and Dunnocks flitting around, and some observers were claiming these fleeting views as the Catbird, but I had no joy. So I missed my chance of seeing this Mega rare bird on Anglesey and in the UK. 17 years later Britain's Second Catbird turned up at Land's End and luckily for me it hung around for a few weeks. I had a free Friday and left Bangor at 7pm after work on a Thursday with Martin. We were in a Travel Lodge in Taunton Devon at 12.30 am, and after a “good nights sleep” were at Land's End at 9.30am on the Friday. Sunshine, showers and blustery wind meant not ideal viewing conditions but we got the bird. Several nice but relatively short views. Not enough time to get a photo but enough time to put the Ghost of the 2001 South Stack bird to rest!

Happy Bunny

So all the best for the festive season and the New Year. Current birds worth looking for include the long staying American Lesser Scaup on Llyn Llygerian. The Inland Sea is currently hosting Black throated and Great Northern Divers plus Scaup, Long tailed Ducks and Slavonian Grebes. Also why not give Malltraeth RSPB reserve aka Cors Ddyga a try for Bittern, Marsh and Hen Harrier, Cettis Warbler, Water Pipit and even Greenland White-fronted Goose if you are lucky. Good luck and all the best for 2019, Steve Culley

Firecrest

Snowy Owl-all the best for 2019