The undoubted highlight of January saw landlocked Powys deliver the goods in style, with the first BAIKAL TEAL for Wales at Llangorse Lake from 9-18th. Accompanying Eurasian Teal, there must be a reasonable possibility that it relates to last year’s wintering drake from Staffordshire and Somerset; that bird was first noted at Aqualate Mere on 21 December 2021 before relocating to Greylake RSPB, Somerset, until 14 March 2022.
Wales’s only SMEW of the winter thus far comprised the returning drake on the River Usk just south of Usk, Gwent, from 22nd. It continued to be a much better showing as far as RING-NECKED DUCKS were concerned: birds were at eight sites, although only in ones and twos. New individuals were at Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan – bringing the city’s total to three – and Cefni Reservoir, Anglesey. The North Wales coast enjoyed a total of three SURF SCOTER, with one off Benllech, Anglesey, towards the month’s end, and two continuing off Llanddulas, Conwy.
A lone Russian White-fronted Goose hung out with Greylags near Porthmadog, Gwynedd, with 12 more on the correct side of the English-Welsh border at Holt, Clwyd. Two Bewick’s Swans flirted with the Border Pool at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB, Clwyd, on 19th, while two crossed from Gloucestershire to Peterstone Wentlooge, Gwent, on 26th
The Great Grey Shrike put in sporadic appearances at Llyn Brenig, Clywd, and a Siberian Lesser Whitethroat continued in a garden at Llechryd, Ceridigion. Two Yellow-browed Warblers were recorded – at Kenfig NNR, Glamorgan, and Greenfield, Clwyd – alongside no fewer than 10 Siberian Chiffchaffs.
A couple of Iceland Gulls were noted, with one roosting at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire, on 1st (alongside the Ring-billed × Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid) and a juvenile gracing Sker Point, Glamorgan, on 13th. Four Pembrokeshire sites reported a juvenile Glaucous Gull during the month, which almost certainly relate to the same wandering individual if their paucity nationwide this winter is anything to go by. A first-winter CASPIAN GULL roosted at Black Pill, Glamorgan, on 7th, with one or two adults in Pembrokeshire (at Gann Estuary and Llys-y-Fran Reservoir).
A Grey Phalarope was at Trearddur Bay, Anglesey, on 1st and an unseasonal Sooty Shearwater flew south-west past Porthoer, Gwynedd, on 11th, with Black-necked Grebes in Gwynedd and Pembrokeshire.
