Egrets....but no Goldeneye..

With rains and wind battering west Wales...

Some birds are loving the mud, up to 40 Teal, and Gulls including Mediterranean feeding in the "Priory Bridge" Egret field opposite Parc Teifi.

Cattle Egret - Dyfed James

One of the two regular Cattle Egrets with up to 5 Little Egrets. 

Muddy horse field on the north bank of the Teifi

These birds are mobile and may have been around the Teifi since the 9th Dec when two were reported with sheep behind houses in Gwbert Road. Two days ago they were also seen from the reserve on the opposite river bank.

Cattle Egrets - Diane Williams

In fields along the River Teifi from Cardigan to the sawmills at Abercych, a count of 32 Little Egrets by Josh Brown is the maximum so far.... Up to 3 Great White Egrets have been reported here over the past few weeks.

Horse field near Abercych

Another view of the river flood plain..

Two Greylag Geese here with 220 Canada Geese, we recognise this flock as regular feeders opposite St Dogmael's Quay. The 2 Greylags being the "flock markers". Other Canada Geese flocks are regular on the Teifi too.

The last 2 blogs have mentioned sightings of Firecrests on the Teifi Marshes. Another excellent photo from Diane Williams of one seen there this week.

During our ringing projects on the reserve we sometimes catch and ring Firecrests and Goldcrests, this year we know of at least 10 different Firecrests recorded in our area since October.

Firecrest - Diane Williams

100 Fieldfares were feeding in the hedges above Poppit on the 30th. They are being seen intermittently on the reserve. Jen Evans managed capture this image through the branches in front of Kingfisher hide.

Fieldfare - Jen Evans

As we end the year, no surprise that we are writing and posting photos of the ever expanding population of the Egret species, with doubt no more to come...posting less of traditional winter visitors and we mark this winter (maybe) as the first winter without a Goldeneye.....

(Rich D and Wendy J)