Whinchat, and a visit to Cardigan Island

May started with predictable small wader passage - peak numbers of 65 Ringed Plover, 65 Dunlin and 5 Sanderling. We usually see much larger numbers of these species in late May when the more northerly races of Ringed Plover and Dunlin pass through with the majority of the Sanderling. These peak numbers were on the 3rd, but the highlight on that morning was a male Whinchat  perched on a mist net pole in the Teifi reed bed.

Wheatear are still migrating through the area. A surprise though to see eight on Patch along the track beyond the caravans on the 7th May.

Wheatear, Teifi Estuary

On the 4th the third Garganey of the year..just a drake this time, and he quickly flew down river.

Sedge Warbler passage is best gauged by watching early morning activity from Mallard Hide as the newly arrived warblers flit about frantically feeding in the growing pondside reeds. Our migration monitoring ringing near Mallard Pond showed numbers peaked on the 7th in the damp weather, with 80 Sedge Warblers caught and ringed that morning.

Sedge Warbler, Teifi Marshes

As we write this, a number of Reed Warblers have now arrived, quite often Reed is the dominant warbler singing in the reed bed.

The 1st Swift was noted on the 7th and no notable numbers seen, but 100 House Martins were feeding low over the reedbed on the 13th. The second Cuckoo heard calling on the 7th in the evening, and earlier that day we found our first Lesser Whitethroats of the year at Poppit.

The second Osprey this Spring was seen from St Dogmaels on the 10th by Howard James

On Saturday a small team led by Kane Brides visited Cardigan Island (with permission from WTSWW). This visit was primarily to study the breeding  Barnacle Geese with various egg measurements taken.

We found 41 nests with eggs - likely most of the nests, and a number close to the previous survey in 2019.

A particularly scenic view for the adult Barnacle Goose when sitting on her nest, looking west along the north coast.

Bluebells - not easily seen from the mainland, grow in huge patches away from the cliffs.

Three species of Gulls nest on Cardigan Island. The first Herring Gulls were hatching, clearly some clutches were still being completed. Gulls were not monitored on this visit, but Chris Jones and I have experience of previous visits and we both thought the number of Great Black-backed Gulls had increased notably- though from a very low base ie a few pairs.

(Rich D and Wendy J)