Teifi Birding and Wildlife

Following the freeze, a very quick thaw with rain and wind - difficult conditions. A great surprise in a Llechryd garden ..the appearance of a Lesser Whitethroat on a garden feeder on Dec 29th until 31st... It spent most of the time eating sunflower hearts but also foraged for insects around shrubs, favouring the Winter Jasmine and Cotoneaster. Lesser Whitethroat .....likely a " siberian blythi " race bird. Waders from the Teifi Marshes to the estuary... Black-tailed Godwits - Colin Dalton Over the last 48 hours some good numbers of waders still around.. 850 Lapwing , 50 Golden Plover with c 100 Dunlin feeding amongst them. 50 Redshank and 2 colour-ringed Curlew amongst the 85 Curlew roosting. The colours and positioning of the rings suggest they are new arrivals from the Dyfi...rather than South Pembs. A surprise this morning was two tight flocks of Common Snipe which flew up on the reserve, totalling 90 Snipe. We think the two small Shoveler parties have now moved on, f

Late December is colder than usual and brings with it some different numbers and species.. Frozen ponds .. but glorious skies Looking over the buffalo gate by the car park Birds were foraging along the paths and unfrozen patches. From Creek hide Fieldfare have been particularly noticeable with over one hundred counted along a short stretch between Curlew and Kingfisher hides early one morning. Fieldfare - Stuart Hall Water Rail s have been more visible.. Water Rail -Stuart Hall and several Common Snipe   Common Snipe - Tommy Evans  An increase in waders rather than ducks over the past 48 hours, now 230 Dunlin and 26 Ringed Plover . Unusual to see a Greenshank roosting with these small waders, now 2 Greenshank and a newly arrived Grey Plover . 180 Lapwing roosting in the main estuary at low tide, spread out into the local fields and mixed in with 80 Golden Plover as the tide rose.    Wigeon at Gwbert - Paul Taylor 200 Wigeon from St Dogmael's Quay, with 3 Shoveler - 2 males wi