Spring arrivals... and departures

Chiffchaffs are singing as we start the second week of March - at least 3 birds, though we had at least a couple of Chiffchaffs over wintering too.

Chiffchaff by Mallard pond - Tommy Evans

The first returning Sand Martins were two on the 27th Feb. At least 20 on the 7th March (Josh Pedley)

Sand Martin - Josh Pedley

Looking back at February on the Teifi Marshes  

.....a Willow Tit singing on the 20th and a Firecrest on 21st were good passerine records.

A different Firecrest was found by Jen Evans at the Mallard pond on the 23rd and still present on the 9th March at  Kingfisher pond.

Firecrest - Jen Evans

Around the estuary Gulls were present in good numbers, 300 Common Gulls was a good count on the 2nd Feb and an occasional adult Mediterranean Gull could be found. 

A Cattle Egret - maybe one of the two which spent early 2024 around Parc Teifi fields was irregularly seen around the estuary or on the Teifi Marshes.  The latest sighting on the 8th March roosting opposite Curlew Hide with 2 Little Egrets..

Teal and Mallards are paired up. The female Teal still attending the male, but most of the female Mallard are presumably sitting on eggs.

A passage male Pintail on 21st Feb was excellent and the wintering  Goldeneye appear to have moved on by early March. A male Goosander from the river viewpoint on March 10th may well indicate that his female is sitting. We sometimes see the flightless young Goosanders in April - they must nest not far up the Teifi. The seemingly now resident female Gadwall present throughout.

The annual reed cut has been made...

The cut produces thatch for use, clears any growing scrub and produces new feeding and roosting areas for ducks, waders, pipits and wagtails.

Waders use the cut as an alternative to the Mallard pond island to roost when pushed off river at high tide, with the c 10 Curlew and the 2 wintering Black-tailed Godwits the regular birds

Curlew - Diane Williams

Shelduck numbers are growing in the main estuary - c 50 birds now.

Wigeon - Diane Williams

Two Common Sandpipers on the February WeBS  count was unusual, other totals ... 800 Lapwing, (peak 1030 on 6th Feb), 102 Wigeon, 64 Redshank and 72 0ystercatchers - we expect most to have moved on by now.

(Rich D and Wendy J)