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A new blog for sightings and history in the Teifi Valley

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Starting in 2022 we will be posting regular bird and other wildlife sightings from the Lower Teifi Valley, the headlands and the sea. From Cemaes Head in the west along the coast to Mwnt via Cardigan Island and around the estuary, the Teifi Marshes reserve and upriver to Abercych on the Carmarthenshire border. This is an historical patch which is centred on Cardigan Castle. From this point it is 6km to Cemaes Head, 6km to Mwnt and includes 8 km up the Teifi Valley.  Prior to this blog there have been several publications covering both recent sightings and historical records. Mick Baines publication is probably the most complete record up to the mid 80's.  Mick Baines 1985 Jon Green published annual reports for several years. The Teifi straddles county borders, which have changed over the years. County reports and Avifaunas cover all records as appropriate to each county at the time and will continue to do so. The area includes the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales reserve...
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Winter weather - winter birds

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A change to colder weather, with more storms to come... Fieldfare - Dyfed James Fieldfares and Redwings are more frequently being seen, still plenty of berries and fallen apples for them. A Black Redstart in town near Tesco was the bird of Boxing Day - 26th Dec. (Josh Brown)  Also, a fem/immature  Black Redstart on cliff edge around 11am  on the 29th about half a mile north of Mwnt chapel. (Rob Wilson) Snow and ice dominated the weather at the start of the year Frozen ponds on the Teifi Marshes - Diane Williams Mainland Europe is having a much harder freeze than us. Most wildfowl have moved to England, some multiple species flocks have reached Carmarthenshire. On the 28th, three adult Russian  White-fronted Geese  were in fields beyond Cliff Hotel, Gwbert, Cardigan. Three adult  Whooper Swans  present on the River Teifi between Llechryd and Llandygwydd until c midday when they flew up river - found by Josh Brown. Prior to this a dark-bellied Brent ...
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Through to December

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A few records from the past few weeks (whilst we have been away for various spells) Mandarin .. Drake Mandarin - Jen Evans Currently the drake Mandarin is often on Kingfisher pond or across the river from the river viewpoint. A Great Egret has been seen regularly at various locations including from Curlew hide and further upstream on flooded fields between Llechryd bridge and the saw mill. Great White Egret - Diane Williams A scarce bird to be recorded on the Teifi Marshes was a Merlin at the beginning of November. Diane was in the right place to take some brilliant pictures of it with its prey of a Blue Tit. Merlin - Diane Williams On the 23rd December one or two groups of  Goosander  on the river. A drake and 4 females from the river view point and a drake with 2 females nearer town. Small waders have been hard to find around the estuary this winter. Today 5 Ringed Plover  were seen flying from rocks below the Cliff Hotel golf course, Gwbert  and 1 Grey Plover ...
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October dawns..

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 An interesting variety of species during the second week of October A Glossy Ibis was first seen by Malcolm Price on the 8th October. It was feeding on the grass by Swallow boats on the Ceredigion side of the estuary at high tide. It was seen again the following morning and photographed by Tommy and Jen Glossy Ibis - Tommy Evans Also on the 8th, 2 Whooper Swans were seen from Curlew hide on the Teifi Marshes. Whooper Swan - Tommy Evans Also on the 8th, a Great Egret dropped briefly onto Mallard pond - note the Coot. Great Egret - Jen Evans Mallard hide was also the place to be a couple of days earlier when an Otter spent a while there fishing. Otter - Jen Evans The monthly Wetland bird survey for the BTO on the 12th was as expected for October. From Curlew hide the highlights were 8 Goosander , 2 Lapwing , 1 Common Sandpiper and a Redshank .  The now resident two  Coot are still on Mallard pond. The Canada Goose flock was on the river at Pinog behind BV Rees, 870 ...
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Late September

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 An update on the origins of two of the Ospreys seen around the Teifi recently. Osprey CR52 - Tommy Evans Tommy, who first recorded the ring on the German ringed Osprey (black-CR52) has now had the ringing details. It was ringed as a nestling on 25th June this year in Ludwigslust-Parchim, Germany.  First seen over the Teifi Marshes on the 17th August them also seen on the Nevern Estuary on the 22nd and over the Teifi Estuary on the 11th September. Another colour ringed Osprey, 1A5 also first recorded by Tommy on the was ringed near Dornoch, Scotland in 2023. This 2 year old bird was seen regularly until at least the 18th September Osprey 1A5 - Tommy Evans Unusually this year, Dunlin have been seen regularly from Creek hide. On the evening of the 16th, a Curlew Sandpiper was them and still present the following evening, this the latest species seen there - see previous posts. Curlew Sandpiper on the left with a Dunlin - Diane Williams On the 21st a look from Curlew Hide foun...
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September squalls ....

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Just before the weekend WeBS count two Mandarin on Kingfisher pond - maybe the first multiple sighting of this duck on the Teifi Marshes.. Two Mandarin, the second hiding in the vegetation behind the Mallard - Mike The monthly WeBS count ( Wetland Bird Survey ) for the BTO was done on the 7th. A Coot at the river viewpoint on the Teifi Marshes was unusual ( 2 here on the 9th).  A juvenile, unringed Osprey was in a dead tree there. 3 Common Sandpipers were here too and another one at Mallard pond and one on the river at St Dogmaels. On the sandbanks by the Teifi Waterside there were 7 Ringed Plover and a Knot before being flushed by a Peregine - no doubt one of our local young.   The total count of Mallard was 154 which was high compared with recent years but historically the numbers for September were far greater including an exceptional count of 400 in 1979.  The decrease in Mute Swans is noticeable too with 5 this month and a peak of 60 as recently as 2010....
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Before September - Stint and skuas

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To end August..... A juvenile Little Stint and an adult Long-tailed Skua - details below.            Both on the Reserve .. !!   On the 31st August, a juvenile Little Stint was in front of Creek Hide. It was with 4 Greenshank and aggressive Snipe . Usually, these minute waders are on Patch or Poppit in the main  outer estuary. Little Stint showing size comparison with a Snipe - Tommy Evans Greenshank have been seen regularly from Creek hide. The maximum count has been ten on the 3rd September. This doesn't match the record count of 36 at the Teifi marshes on 1st September 1984! Greenshank - Diane Williams Two Ruff were present from the 3rd and still present on the 4th September Ruff - Jen Evans Storms and gale force winds at the end of August brought some unusual birds Long-tailed Skua - Sue Müller Sue Müller was visiting the Teifi Marshes on the 31st August in the hope of seeing an Osprey. What she photographed over the river from Creek Hid...
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Around the estuary and Island

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An exceptional August at sea and in the Teifi estuary and near coastal waters .. Looking towards the  headland of Mwnt...  On the 11th August a pod of c 20 Common Dolphins were on the north side of Cardigan Island.. Only a few Ocean Sunfish are seen each year, this one showing well on the 22nd between Mwnt and the Island. A large fish in our waters with a very distinctive style.. A young Puffin was a surprise on the 20th in the bay halfway between Cardigan Island and Cemaes Head An extraordinary record for the Teifi (bay) estuary with four Risso's Dolphins on the 20th, a similar date to the only appearance of Risso's last year on the 7th September. Other notable sightings ... An adult summer plumage  Black Guillemot flying west towards Cemaes Head on the 14th. On the 16th two Storm Petrels and  Balearic Shearwater in with a raft of c 300 Manx Shearwaters just off Mwnt. Other highlights include... On the  15th a breeding plumage Knot on Patch and a s...
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