Teifi Birding and Wildlife

A good variety of bird sightings over the last couple of weeks. On the 15th August  a  Wood Sandpiper was   seen from creek hide. Wood Sandpiper - Tommy Evans Three different Ospreys have been recorded over the Teifi Marshes and estuary. One is unringed. One has a black colour ring from the German scheme 5C2R . This has also been seen on the Nevern Estuary at Newport. Details of the location of ringing are awaited. The third, blue 7H6 was recorded here last year.  Osprey ringed in Germany - Tommy Evans Osprey 7H6 ringed in Scotland - Diane Williams This Osprey was ringed in 2022 near Inverness. See last years blog for details  July 2024 Ospreys to Dolphins Curlew ringed in Holland - Tommy Evans Tommy has also received details of a Curlew with a leg flag. This bird was ringed as a chick in the Drenthe region of the Netherlands in June this year. Creek hide is a good place to see a variety of waders when there is exposed mud. As well as the Wood Sandpiper...

July was a quiet month for sightings but as we head towards mid August, birds are moving and there are some more notable records to report. On the evening of the 10th August, a Mandarin in eclipse was on Kingfisher Pond. This was first photographed a couple of weeks ago. A Great White Egret which has been seen feeding along the river through the reserve for a couple of weeks was roosting between Creek and Kingfisher hides. Tommy and Jen managed some excellent photos on the 10th Great Egret - Tommy Evans The eclipse type plumage Mandarin, usually with the Mallards...                      Mandarin - Stuart Hall The early autumn passage of warblers particularly Sedge and Reed Warblers is continuing in very good numbers... Over the last 4 weeks over 480 Sedge and 190 Reed Warblers have been ringed. A minimum, but showing the scale and importance of the Teifi Marshes Reserve. Not only for breeding but also for feeding as they jou...

On the 28th May in the evening there was still some Whimbrel passage with 6 on Cardigan Island. A Kestrel hovering near the Cliff Hotel and the pair of local Peregrines  were hunting near the Island. Also on the 28th, the Cemaes Head flock of 18  Chough  going to roost is likely to contain both breeders and non breeders now the chicks are fairly well grown.  On the 29th, a  Lesser Whitethroat  was singing and showing in scrub very near Creek Hide on Teifi Marshes..an historical site.  A look at the sea that day,  Manx Shearwaters  were passing the Teifi, at 100 per min flying west. The first juvenile Kingfisher was seen on 30th May. Since then they have been observed regularly at Kingfisher and Mallard hides, sometimes two together Juvenile Kingfisher - Diane Williams Mute Swans have successfully bred on Kingfisher pond. Cygnets were first seen on the 3rd June from Kingfisher hide after leaving the nest before the adults took them to the ...

Osprey sightings have been minimal so far this spring. One was seen over the Teifi Marshes then the estuary at the beginning of April and also on the 18th. Another on May 3rd from the river view point and the May 18th from Curlew hide, well captured fishing by Diane. Osprey - Diane Williams Resident birds have been getting on with breeding. Chicks of Mallard, Moorhen and Canada Goose have been seen. The  Mute Swans on Mallard Pond should have cygnets anyday. Moorhen chick - Diane Williams Up to 10 Whimbrel daily around the estuary at the beginning of the May after the peak of 70 on the 25th April. A flock of 12 vocal Ringed Plover with 25 Dunlin , the first spring passage small wader flock on the 3rd May - Yet again a poor wader passage, both in terms of variety and larger numbers of the more common waders. Sanderling at Gwbert - Diane Williams Warblers continue to arrive. The peak passage of Sedge Warblers was over by the beginning of the month with Reed Warblers becoming ...

We start April with an Osprey seen from Creek Hide by Tommy and Jen. Osprey - Tommy Evans Before we concentrate on the excitement of April arrivals, a look back at some  March observations. Down at the Teifi estuary, a Light-bellied Brent Goose was on  Poppit on the 14th. On the 21st, opposite St Dogmaels Quay there was a  Grey Plover, unusual as one wasn't recorded last year. Also the 2 Black-tailed Godwit  changing into breeding plumage, on occasions 3 birds. On the 18th the first Wheatears were seen briefly at Gwbert at The Cliff Hotel before flying to the Cardigan Island Farm Park. Wheatear- Dyfed James On the Teifi Marshes, migration was evident as the month went on. After a slowing of  Sand Martin  migration with cold NE winds there were up to 100 at dusk over the pond and reed beds at Mallard hide on the 19th. The first 2 Swallows and 2 House Martins were both recorded in the afternoon of the 23rd. At least 300 were overhead there on the 31s...

Chiffchaffs  are singing as we start the second week of March - at least 3 birds, though we had at least a couple of Chiffchaffs over wintering too. Chiffchaff by Mallard pond - Tommy Evans The first returning Sand Martins were two on the 27th Feb. At least 20 on the 7th March (Josh Pedley) Sand Martin - Josh Pedley Looking back at February on the Teifi Marshes   .....a Willow Tit singing on the 20th and a Firecrest on 21st were good passerine records. A different Firecrest was found by Jen Evans at the Mallard pond on the 23rd and still present on the 9th March at  Kingfisher pond. Firecrest - Jen Evans Around the estuary Gulls were present in good numbers, 300  Common Gulls was a good count on the 2nd Feb and an occasional adult Mediterranean Gull could be found.  A Cattle Egret  - maybe one of the two which spent early 2024 around Parc Teifi fields was irregularly seen around the estuary or on the Teifi Marshes.  The latest sighting on th...

Snow and rain... the freezing conditions at the Reserve ponds...  Mallard Pond thawing before another overnight freeze. During weather systems like this we are on the look out for waterfowl - forced to move. A pair of  Gadwall on the 5th on Mallard Pond, with a female still present in the Creek on the 15th. The female was seen prior to the above date too (Joshua B ) Gadwall - Diane Williams Six Goosanders were on the river from the view point on the Reserve during the afternoon of the 10th, four males and two females. One pair of the Goosanders were displaying (Andy Simms ) The monthly WeBS count of the estuary and river through the Teifi Marshes was done on the 12th.    A regular wintering Common Sandpiper was seen in the usual stretch of the river from Quay Street car park. Common Sandpiper - Dyfed James During the count, a Cattle Egret was seen flying away from the estuary. Later that day, Diane Williams took a photo of it as flew past Curlew Hide Cattle Egret ...