Teifi Birding and Wildlife

Local postings on social media are still full of superb photos of the Osprey from lots of different people. It's good to see so many non birders as well as photographers enjoying this long staying bird.  The most recent Osprey picture taken by Tommy Evans today, the 24th September Osprey - Tommy Evans and one fishing taken by Stuart Hall Osprey - Stuart Hall It is now two weeks since it was first seen and continues to be spotted regularly anywhere from the Teifi Estuary, upstream past St Dogmaels, over the Teifi Marshes as far up as Cilgerran Gorge. The riverside path that runs from the back of the village carpark downstream past the Teifi Netpool Inn and comes out on the main road to Poppit just up from the pottery is a good place to see the trees on the opposite bank that it favours. Ceredigion side of The Teifi  near The Ferry Inn Meanwhile, down at the estuary, the high tide roosts on Pen yr Ergyd continue to have over 200 small waders. At least two Curlew Sandpipers have b

Once a month, all of the water birds in the estuary and up through the Teifi Marshes are counted for the BTO Wetland Bird Survey "WeBS" A good number and variety of waders for the count this weekend. With news of an Osprey seen on the evening of the 10th from The Ferry Inn, St Dogmaels, the count was interrupted by looking for the Osprey again and putting the news out. Tommy and Jen soon arrived and took some excellent photos.  Osprey at St Dogmaels - Tommy Evans Several locals were thrilled to have the chance to view it through the scope. It is an unringed juvenile. Thanks to Carly Holmes and Howard James for the initial sighting. With a very high tide the waders only have a small area of the spit at Patch to roost on. Highlights included 17 Knot  which is a very good count for the Teifi. Looking back at WeBS data it is the highest ever, the second highest being 13 in 1996. An adult Knot in fading breeding plumage with some of the 119  Dunlin Juvenile Knot and Bar-tailed

On the 1st of September the sightings of passage birds and sea wildlife picked up... Looking for waders at dusk, 1st September Before Sept, two early  Lapwings over Cemaes Head on the 26th Aug were a surprise, but not as surprising as another  Thresher Shark off Cemaes Head on the 29th Aug seen by Len Walters. Moving to September and on the 1st off Poppit Benj Bond found an adult Black Tern feeding above Bottlenose Dolphins and a few 100ms further out Leo Barber found and caught on video this Ocean Sunfish . Ocean Sunfish Also on the 1st a Great Egret was seen by Paul Taylor on the Reserve, the Egret now mobile around the estuary - still present on the 2nd. The first juvenile Curlew Sandpiper  of the season was picked up by Howard Thomas on the 1st with a variety of other more common waders, passage south now in full flow.. A Grass Snake was seen on the evening of the 29th August swimming in front of Kingfisher Hide, Teifi Marshes  and Peter Dyer managed to take a phone video Ref