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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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September - autumn variety begins..

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On the 22nd September there were an unprecedented 15   Mandarin Duck  from the river viewpoint on the Teifi Marshes.  An unusual sight with mixed sexes lined up along a couple of fallen trees. It is known that Mandarin bred upriver at Henllan this year. As this species can lay 8 to 12, occasionally 15 eggs these could be one brood from a very successful nest (Russell Jones) Mandarin on the 24th - Jason Medcraft Record shot across the river when first seen- Hannah Cook They are a non-native species that has established a thriving wild population across parts of the UK after escaping from captivity in the early 20th century.  They were still present later in the afternoon on the 22nd. Also on that visit to the marshes Josh found that there had been an increase in large waders from Curlew hide compared with recent weeks - 13 Bar-tailed Godwit and 8 Black-tailed Godwit . Still a similar number of Dunlin , 51 but only 1 Ringed Plover. There was also a single Wigeon . Th...
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A Grey Phalarope visits the Teifi..

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Highlight of the month was a Grey Phalarope on the 16th September. It was photographed from the river viewpoint on the Teifi Marshes and recorded on Ebird by a visiting birder. The picture can be seen on the Ebird checklist here  The monthly WeBS count of the estuary and river for the BTO was carried out on the 13th, a dull and drizzly day. There was less wader variety than recently from Curlew hide but still 27 Dunlin , 20  Ringed Plover , 2 Turnstone , 4 Black-tailed and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits .  Bar-tailed Godwit - Diane Williams Flock of Dunlin in the drizzle - Diane Williams Around the estuary on the 13th, 1 Turnstone and 4 Redshank . The Redshank were stretching and preening as if newly arrived It is surprising that no returning Wigeon have been seen yet. The first are usually back in August. Jax has photographed an increased number of Bar-tailed Godwit in the estuary with a count of 11 last weekend.   Bar-tailed Godwit roosting with Curlew and Oystercatchers...
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September arrives...

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Before September news- a couple of Arctic Skuas off Mwnt (Josh B) on the 31st August  Also, in the evening of the 31st an Osprey with a blue colour ring 7H6 was photographed by Justin. This Osprey was ringed near Inverness in 2022 and has been a regular visitor to the Teifi Osprey Blue 7H6 - Justin Yates 7H6 has been seen almost daily until today, the 12th, both in the estuary and fishing on the river through the marshes.  On the 1st and 4th, this was joined by an un-ringed Osprey. Un-ringed Osprey - Stuart Hall Also on the 1st, a Swift was seen from Curlew hide.  Swift - Jason Medcraft Following on from late August, the excellent variety and numbers of waders from Curlew hide continued into early September including 2 Ruff and 3 Curlew Sandpipers on the 1st. Ruff - Diane Williams On the 2nd Sept after the morning high tide there was still 1 Ruff,  1 Curlew Sandpiper, a Sanderling and adding to the variety, 3 Goosander Goosander - Jason Medcraft In the evenings...
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Wonderful waders....

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A look back at  the second half of  August which is ending with a wonderful variety of waders being seen and photographed from Curlew hide on the Teifi Marshes . More details on the waders later in the post. Waders in flight - Jason Medcraft From the 11th we had daily estuary sightings from Benjamin Bond, most observations from boats..  On the 12th and 13th there was a Spoonbill on a sandbank off from the Teifi Waterside. Also 11 Sandwich  T erns , a Great Egret and a Common Tern off Patch. An Arctic Skua passed Cardigan Island on the eve of the 12th too. On the 13th Aug there were 21 Sandwich Terns , a  Great Egret  from The Moorings St Dogmaels and 18 Mediterranean Gulls.  On the 22nd, 4 juvenile Knot  were the highlight. Out at sea, Ocean Sunfish have been recorded on several occasions along with daily Bottlenosed Dolphins   On the 9th August there were 11 Barnacle Geese and 7 Greylag Geese by Swallow boats. One of the Barnacle Gee...
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A Spoonbill, a Glossy Ibis too......

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 An adult  Spoonbill   was seen on the evening of the 30th June Spoonbill - Jason Medcraft It was on the river briefly from Curlew hide and seen by only a couple of people. This was followed by an adult Glossy Ibis early afternoon of the 1st July. Again, another brief visit which shows the merit of spending time watching the river from Curlew hide. Although it was on the far side of the river, Jax managed to capture some images of it. Glossy Ibis - Jax Wing Mandarin ducks continued to be seen regularly on Mallard pond from the 15th June until the middle of the month peaking at three on the 13th July. A Mandarin was seen on the river from Curlew hide on the 1st August. Three Mandarin ducks - Diane Williams Mandarin - Diane Williams Waders are slowly increasing as we head towards autumn. Regular colour-ringed Curlew JO ringed on the reserve in 2022 was back on the 11th. Curlew - Diane Williams Black-tailed Godwits in breeding plumage on the 14th Black-tailed Godwit - Dia...
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