Kingfishers and Ducks on the move

At least one of our  Kingfishers has been providing excellent photo opportunities from the new Kingfisher Hide, what will be photographed next...

Kingfisher - Colin Dalton

A look at sea and the mouth of the estuary added little, the sea was too rough for Guillemots to venture into the cliffs, but the Fulmars were soaring around the cliff tops and attending their ledges.

Stuart provided the sighting of the week ...

Shovelers at Mallard Pond - Stuart Hall

This party of 4 Shoveler, equals the largest record in recent years ..

The graph has only data for some years since 1994, but shows the peak for Shoveler on the Teifi is during the early Spring.

Down at the estuary,  Wigeon numbers are dropping rapidly, maybe less than 50 can be found on a visit.

Wigeon - Rosie Hemsley

Over the last few days, although the afternoon tides have been suitable for waders to roost on the mud, the Golden Plovers aren't around and the Lapwing numbers have decreased to about 100. Though the Dunlin flock remains c60 birds.

 

Some highlights from the Teifi timeline for first week of February -- 

In 2018 on the 2nd an Iceland Gull from the Webley and on the 4th a Great Egret flew up river past Swallow Boats.

In 2017 a Bittern was found in the Kingfisher Pond reedbed which stayed into the 2nd week, and we had a Common Scoter flock of variable number  up to 30 birds in the mouth of the estuary.

On the 1st in 2015 an interesting record of 13 Dark- bellied Brent Geese, not the usual race and a large  number for the Teifi.

Snow on Patch 2nd February 2009

In 2008 a Pair of Red-breasted Mergansers from the  Webley all week and Great Crested Grebes during the week 

Rich D and Wendy J