May - brings variety..

The month ended and the new one started with a couple of sightings of an Osprey over the Teifi. One was seen at St Dogmael's on the 30th May and one was photographed over the Teifi Marshes on the 1st June, assuming the same bird roosting at St Dogmael's on June 3rd. Seen again this morning (4th) at St Dogmaels then opposite Curlew Hide on the Teifi Marshes.

Osprey - Neil Grant

This drake Tufted Duck was seen on the 27th May.

Tufted Duck - Stuart Hall

Where are the waders..?  As we write this, we should be recording flocks of north bound waders....but very few so far. On the 26th May last year these numbers were recorded quickly moving through with lower numbers the following morning...

"In the morning Howard Thomas counted 50 Sanderling, 250 Ringed Plover and  250 Dunlin.  On the falling evening tide a lovely sight... a very large count of 580 Ringed Plover,  also 70 Sanderling, 250 Dunlin."

Following the colourful start to May  - see previous blog, the month has been a little quiet.

By May 4th the number of Sedge and Reed Warblers arriving on the Teifi Marshespicked up - their songs pouring out from the reed bed.

Sedge Warbler - Diane Williams

Reed Warbler - Tommy Evans

 The first Swifts were seen on the 13th May

and around the estuary, 6 Whimbrel on the 1st.

By May 23rd a small  seabird passage in a light northerly..Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and a pale phase Arctic Skua - all flying east.

On  May 24th a large feeding flock of  70 House Martins, and 6 Swifts over the Teifi Marshes.  Fitting with this arrival, the following day, House Martins were inspecting old nests in Llechryd.

House Martins- Karen Leah

3 Sandwich Terns  roosting on buoys in the estuary  on the evening of the 25th - a species more numerous on their return passage post breeding, when the juveniles travel south with their parents. 

On 1st June a Cuckoo was calling on and off all day heard but not seen from Llechryd.

Not just birds...

Some other sightings on the Teifi Marshes during May

Grass Snake - Stuart Hall

Lackey Moth Caterpillars - Diane Williams

Broad-bodied Chaser - Neil Grant

A look back at this time of year 40 years ago when the Welsh Wildlife Centre had just opened. The reserve had been increasing in size with acquisitions of parcels of land but the building of the Centre was a massive investment for the Trust.

Forty years later, we are currently watching another phase in the investment and development of the Teifi Marshes Reserve and the Wildlife Centre.

(Rich D and Wendy J)