Whooper Swans to Waxcaps

October started quietly with the highlight being a Red-breasted Merganser on the 1st, feeding along the tideline by the boat club at Patch.

Sightings of Great White Egrets around the Teifi have become more common. This one was photographed by Colin Dalton on the 2nd October

Great White Egret - Colin Dalton

A Passage of Meadow Pipits was noted on the 6th around the estuary, a brief increase in Rock Pipits too. 

Two juvenile Great Crested Grebes were on the river from Curlew Hide on the 12th 

Great Crested Grebes - Diane Williams

By the 17th at least 1 of the juvenile Great crested Grebes still present on the outer part of the estuary, by now 170 Wigeon had now arrived.

On the 19th, 3 Firecrests near the River View Point on the Reserve. Three in October, perhaps a sign of breeding closer than we are aware...

Also one was a returning bird - recorded both sides of the new year last winter. Since the 19th 2 further different individuals too..

Sightings of 2 and 3 Whooper Swans on  21st and 22nd upstream of Cardigan bypass bridge. Thanks to Lisa for the news and photo. 

Whooper Swans - Lisa Massini

Highlights of the monthly Teifi estuary count of all waterbirds for the BTO (Wetland Bird Survey) were....

2 Common Sandpipers at Pinog, 2 Great Crested Grebes, a Red-throated Diver in the estuary mouth and 6 returning Lapwing.

On the 24th - fish were plentiful off Cemaes, 45+ Gannets diving and feeding. Bottlenosed Dolphins being seen regular too, often in waters between Cardigan Island and Mwnt.

Also on the 24th - 3 dark-bellied Brent Geese feeding on Patch in the evening, dark bellied being seen less frequently than the light-bellied.

During the last few days of the month, various and varied interesting sightings, a female Mandarin on the riverbank near the river viewpoint on the 27th, a very dark juvenile Marsh Harrier from the 28th until month end. 

Redwings arriving but few Hawthorn berries this year to keep them in the area, the first autumn Fieldfare and Jack Snipe on the 30th near Mallard pond - where a Reed Warbler feeding well before carrying on with a very late migration south...

Reed  Warbler - Diane Williams

Fruiting bodies of fungi have been emerging in the last couple of weeks. You don't have to travel far to find them with a good variety in Cardigan town at Netpool Park. This is a Parrot Waxcap which doesn't appear to have been recorded there before

Parrot Waxcap

There was a report in the local paper last week about the very rare Crimson Waxcap found in the park by Yusef Samari who works for West Wales Biodiversity Information Centre.

Crimson Waxcap

A group has been set up, The Friends of Netpool Park, with an aim of increasing the biodiversity of the area. With the adjacent river and cemetery it always looks a good spot for a rare migrant bird to turn up

(Rich D and Wendy J)