Mi gaethon ni allanfa hyfryd dros y penwythnos - gweld y môr-wenoliaid pigddu ym Mae Cemlyn!

We had a lovely treat over the weekend - seeing the sandwich terns in Cemlyn Bay!

Mwynhewch y lluniau! Enjoy the pictures!

Cemlyn tern and gull colony June 2023 

The first thing that hits you is the wall of sound. Constant shrieks and wails riding over you like the waves lapping against Cemlyn’s distinctive stone beach. The next sense to be awakened to the experience is smell, that unmistakable seabird colony odour. And of course the sights to see are a treat to the eyes, busy and full of optimism. 

As you walk along the flower adorned beach, the first island on the lagoon behind the cordon you can see is dominated by Sandwich Terns with their immaculate black heads and bills with the bright yellow tip. They are striking birds to look at. Mixed in are inspiring Arctic Terns, an enigmatic bird with their blood red bills, never ending tails and their short legs. Move along an island and it’s more of the same, with a set of stones curving around the island where some Arctic and more so Common Terns with their bill as though dipped in ink with it’s black end rest. All the time terns particularly the Sandwiches rush over your head, going to or coming from the sea often with sand eel or other fish in their beak as they return. Dashing views of fine birds. At this time of year mixed in with the adults is the heartening sight of cute young birds, tern chicks are fluffy feathery gems and it is an honour to witness them as they move around hesitantly and rely on their parents. Another island along and there’s a notable set of Arctic Tern chicks on the edge, little birds that will became worldwide wanderers. 

Quite entertaining are the chicks of the Black-headed Gulls that also breed here, alien like, as though a different species. Bigger than the tern chicks, it’s interesting to see them wandering around more independently and swimming. A Mediterranean Gull, sticking out like a sore though eyecatching and beautiful thumb a pleasure to see, leading the line in a strong pack of other birds to enjoy at Cemlyn. All is of course not well with gulls and terns generally across the country as densely packed colonies continue to suffer the impacts of avian influenza, but for these precious moments immersed in one of the greatest natural spectacles the UK has to offer at this amazing Anglesey spot; one did not have a care in the world. 

Ten photos I took a year ago today at the cottage we stayed in, Beaumaris, Cemlyn and Cemaes on Anglesey

They are of; lots of Sandwich Terns in the air at Cemlyn which was an incredible sight, Beaumaris Castle, evening view from the cottage, Cemlyn with lots of foxgloves, also at Cemlyn some of my first Arctic Terns of 2021 with a Common Tern only the second time overall I’d seen Arctic Terns if I count the multiple times I saw them in Northumberland for the Farne Island in 2019 as one, my first Roseate Tern of last year alongside Black-headed Gull chicks, my first Kittiwake of 2021 and Herring Gull at Beaumaris, view into the Menai Strait from Beaumaris and view at Cemaes where we stopped for an ice cream. 

I also saw my first Grey Seal of 2021 in the sea from Cemlyn on that incredible day a year ago one of my best of last year and ever we all really took Cemlyn to our heart especially.