A Warbler to end the year

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, from the estuary and the reserve.

Shoveler - Tommy Evans

Both Teal and Wigeon numbers are now falling, but 2 Goldeneye are the only diving ducks around - usually near priory bridge. 

Goldeneye - Tommy Evans

We have lost all of our geese, no doubt temporarily, and it will be interesting how many Barnacle Geese return. 50 being the recent usual flock size - meaning c90 have been missing since autumn. 

Post Christmas is always good for Common Gulls as they start their return north, 600 in the estuary on the 30th.

(Rich D and Wendy J)