Teifi Birding and Wildlife

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....

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...

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...

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 ...