Rosy Starling, Common Dolphins, a Moth and Bat event too

In preparing for recording Swallow roosts on the evening of the 2nd, an adult Rosy Starling dropped into the reeds at the back of Mallard Pond. All previous sightings of Rosy Starlings have been with the regular  Eurasian Starlings present throughout the year at Gwbert.

Mallard Pond - Teifi Marshes

We put in a considerable effort in the reedbeds of the reserve in August, mainly our ringing projects, but we are now entering our peak for finding Spotted Crake. Waders on the reserve are increasing. Greenshank and a Green Sandpiper are regularly heard but a count of 5 Greenshank from Creek Hide by Tommy Evans was the highest recorded this month.

Greenshank from Creek Hide - Tommy Evans

See Teifi Ringing Group blog "Stormies, Terns and Totals" for more details of migration monitoring including some Sandwich Tern and Storm Petrel movements. 

About 150 Common Dolphins were between Cardigan Island and Mwnt on the 9th August. Thanks to Aaron Walters, Cardigan Bay Fish, for this extract from his video.

Some other sightings of note...

On the 8th, a Great Egret and Red Kite were seen over Cardigan Island

A count of 20 Greylag Geee on the 16th Aug by Liz Snell over the Teifi Marshes is highest Teifi count to date, but a Goose species seen in increasing numbers.

The first Ocean Sunfish of summer on the 17th seen by Leo Barber on  A Bay to Remember boat trip 

Mwnt seawatching season has started. Martin Creasser's sightings on the 20th August included 1 Balearic Shearwater, 1 Great Skua, 2 Arctic Skuas, 1 Arctic Tern and 5 Sandwich Terns.

We are continuing to add species to our Butterflies of the Teifi photo library. This week's addition is a Wall Brown seen on a walk from Swallow Boats towards Cardigan Golf Course. Good numbers of butterflies and insects along the track there.

Wall Brown - Dyfed James

A date for your diary, a Moth and Bat event organised by the Cardigan / Aberteifi local group of the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. All welcome

Birds that appear in the final days of Aug include Wigeon, Light-bellied Brent Geese, Knot, Ruff, Coot and more scarce species have included Bluethroat and Wryneck. 

Scarce wader species include Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper, and various seabirds are sometimes seen off the estuary, much depending on the weather...

(Rich D and Wendy J )