Into September

With the blog authors away for the start of September, we are grateful for other's sightings to be able to compile a round up of the last couple of weeks.

The most notable sighting was at sea. Paul Taylor photographed a pod of 6 Risso's Dolphins during a Dolphin watch at Mwnt on the 3rd September. Also seen from the Bay Explorer on the 7th September when at least 10 were recorded in the bay off the Teifi.. Also from the boat, on the 26th August an Arctic Skua was seen between Cardigan Island and Mwnt. 

Risso's Dolphin - Paul Taylor

Coot are infrequent visitors to the Teifi Marshes so news of one on the 4th September from Karen was welcome. 

Coot at Mallard pond - Karen Leah

It was still on Mallard pond on the 9th

Up to three Greenshank are being recorded daily, mostly from Curlew or Creek hides. Snipe are also being seen here and flying over the marshes especially at high tide when they are pushed off the river.

Greenshank and Snipe - Karen Leah

A Great Crested Grebe has been seen on the river through the marshes, last seen at St Dogmaels on the 8th Sept.

Great-crested Grebe - Diane Williams

Small numbers of Whimbrel have been recorded on their migration south. Always fewer than on spring migration. 

Whimbrel - Tommy Evans

Osprey 7H6 has been seen daily for a couple of weeks, with the last sighting possibly on the 6th September. Many photographers had a chance to capture this bird fishing and bathing. 

One was also seen regularly down at the estuary so could have been a different bird.

Water Rails are often elusive but Tommy and Jen were in the right place in the rain on the 8th

Water Rail - Tommy Evans

More Greylag Geese are being recorded than in previous years. Ten were seen from the moorings on the 28th and 14 on the 20th August. 

Greylag Geese - Stuart Hall

Low numbers of Swallows have been recorded at dusk over the Marshes his year but evenings are still definitely worth a visit. 2 Swift were with around 200 Swallows on the 9th.

Swallows at dusk - Dyfed James

Down at the estuary, small waders have been fewer in number than usual so far. Around a dozen Sanderling were seen on Poppit on the 6th. 

Sanderling - Simon James

Also on the 6th, Joshua Brown counted a good number of 10 Turnstone on Patch with 12 Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin and a Whimbrel. Sandwich Tern are moving too with small numbers being seen, 2 on the 6th. a max of 18 Barnacle Geese have been seen recently, mostly by Swallow boats. Breeding success on Cardigan Island isn't known this year, but appears very poor.

A large white gull was on Patch on the 4th at dusk, possibly a 1st winter Glaucous Gull based on size. Also that evening, a Great White Egret with the roosting Little Egrets.  Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Flycatcher passing through their garden at Gwbert too (Howard and Siwan T) 

Other autumn species are now being seen. Several Migrant Hawkers have been recorded locally

Migrant Hawker, Teifi Marshes - Jen Evans

This dragonfly is now widespread across much of England and Wales but it was only first recorded in Scotland in 2003. Since then the Migrant Hawker has colonised multiple new sites and is increasing its range dramatically northwards.

(Wendy J and Rich D)