Bad weather sets back Denbighshire’s Little Terns

Little Tern (Jonathan Bull)

Last week’s storms was a challenge for some nesting birds, especially those that hatched mid-week into several days of cool and constant rain. Many Little Tern nests were lost at Gronant, the largest colony in Britain & Ireland. Sand blown across the site buried an unknown number of eggs as well as the electric fence that protects the birds. It’s expected that most, if not all, of the terns will lay another clutch, and providing there is good weather over the coming weeks, there is still plenty of time for the season to be successful. Denbighshire County Council, which manages the site, has closed the viewing hide temporarily, to give the birds the best chance of relaying. The weather may prove tougher for Pied Flycatchers, hatching now, if parents are unable to find enough caterpillars washed out of trees by the rain.

A Rough-legged Buzzard over Cwm Eigiau last week was highly unusual, both in timing and location. These are rare visitors to Wales, and usually occur in mid-winter, not May when they should be on their breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia. The last one in North Wales was also in Eryri, near Capel Curig, in November 2018. Honey Buzzards are more typical spring migrants, but three in a few days was unusual, with birds over RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands, Minera and Maentwrog last week.

A Curlew Sandpiper was a colourful addition to Cemlyn over the weekend, while the site also hosted a Red-rumped Swallow last week. Four Cattle Egrets were reported on the Alaw estuary, a Ring-necked Duck and Scaup continue to paddle across Llyn Brenig, and a Whooper Swan at Porthmadog Cob may well over-summer since the wintering Glaslyn valley flock has long since left for Iceland.

The winds brought Pomarine Skuas to Bardsey and Aberdyfi, and perhaps delayed the last push of migrants, as a remarkable 39 Spotted Flycatchers were seen on the north end of Holy Island on Saturday morning.