Teifi Birding and Wildlife

February continued wet but with some warmer spells and a feel of spring. Saturday 21st February, a Cattle Egret was in fields opposite Parc Teifi. This is the same location as last winter. It sometimes is seen on the river side of the same filed from Curlew hide. Cattle Egret - Arfon Williams Some of the the Black-tailed Godwit are starting to develop breeding plumage. Usually seen on the river from Curlew hide or roosting on Mallard pond. Black-tailed Godwit - Diane Williams One of the regular is known to be a returning bird from last winter. Likewise the colour ringed Curlew that is regularly seen. White on black JO with orange on the other leg was first ringed on the reserve in 2022 with colour rings added in 2025 Curlew JO - Diane Williams On the warmer days the volume and variety of birdsong is heralding the breeding season. Cetti's Warblers are singing more strongly as the males establish territories. Jen skilfully managed to photograph two interacting deep in the reeds. ...

A drake  American Wigeon was found on Patch at Gwbert on the 15th February by David Clarke. American Wigeon - David Clarke The bird was mobile around the estuary but was seen by many observers mostly on the seaward side of Patch with over 250 Eurasian Wigeon at least until the 19th. A rare vagrant, there are have only been a handful of records in West Wales. In Pembrokeshire the first record was Dec 1996 to Jan 1997 at then in 2004 a  male at was at Carew, 2005-2007 there was a regular returning male at Angle Bay. In 2017 a male was The Gann ( Pembs Avifauna ). In Ceredigion there was a female at RSPB Ynys-hir in 1981, a male at Cors Caron December 1999 to March 2000, a female at Cors Caron in 2004 and a male at Ynyslas in 2016. (Ceredigion Bird list) On the 18th a Caspian Gull was also seen in the estuary (Arfon Williams) Caspian Gull - Arfon Williams The male Goldeneye present on the river through the Teifi Marshes since the 14th January was joined by a second ...

January started with hail, sleet and snow but soon settled into a mild, wet and windy pattern. The high tides towards the end of the month flooding the reed beds and over the highest tides, the paths through the reserve too. There has been little change in the numbers or variety of birds around.  A drake Goldeneye was first seen on the 14th Jan and still present on the 10th February Goldeneye - Mike It is mostly seen from Curlew hide but sometimes its bright plumage can be easily picked out  on the river between the bridges Black-tailed Godwits have been seen regularly roosting on Kingfisher pond, Creek or on the river from Curlew hide, A peak count of six was reported on the 9th. Black-tailed Godwits - Diane Williams A walk from Poppit car park through the woods to shelter from the wind on the 14th was worthwhile with 2 Firecrests feeding very actively just past the new apple trees. Always on the move they were tricky to photograph. Firecrest - Dyfed James A Marsh Harrier ...