Night time surveys and RAS results

 Now Shane has his permit for lamping waders...

Off to a good start with three Woodcock ringed on a new Preseli hills site, which he plans to visit and monitor regularly.

We have had initial reports for our RAS studies from the BTO.

It was another good season for Reed Warblers on the Teifi Marshes and we are continuing to surpass the target of 30 adult-adult recaptures. This year was our best year yet for adults overall with more adults ringed than ever before. Retraps were also very good with totals like this were last seen in 2017. 

Reed Buntings had a much better year than last year, with higher re-encounters than usual since 2021. Really good juvenile totals which would hopefully bolster the population next year. 

Chris will report on the Linnet RAS

Field sightings of ringed birds are a useful addition to retrapping them....

On a day when it was too windy to ring, Aaron used the time usefully by reading metal rings on Starlings in his garden. Hannah and Liz have been busy photographing Reed Bunting colour rings on the Teifi Marshes with 30 individuals resighted this winter. 

In November they found 2 Turnstones with flags at Llanon. Both had been ringed at Llanrhystud by Mid Wales ringers, PET on the 1st March 2025 and LEE on the 10th September 2025.

Colour marked Turnstones- Hannah

Jane has been successfully using her land ( Emporium) and other sites nearby for training. Providing both variety and numbers. With 2240 new and 1346 re-encounters covering  29 species.

Merlin

This Merlin was a surprise for Aaron in one of the Emporium mist nets on the 30th Dec. On the 6th January a Pied Wagtail got 2026 off to a good start.

As we post this, we are trapping Starlings in a couple of garden sites..the most interesting Starling so far - a re encounter at Wendy's of a bird ringed in January 2023. A nice site faithful winter visitor.

(Wendy J and Rich D)

Lamping and recoveries ....

Before the recoveries....

A summary from Arfon of his early winter lamping...

"Tonight was probably my last dazzling session of 2025 so here's a quick tot up of waders ringed so far this winter - 3 Snipe, 8 Jack Snipe, 12 Golden Plover and 125 Woodcock. Diolch to everyone who has been out with me and helped make the first half of the winter such a success."(Dec 23rd)

Jane has also started lamping, this her first Woodcock with Aaron

A few recoveries showing movements of birds not posted yet...

Linnet BEE7690

Moylegrove 16/06/2025

Alderney C.I 11/10/2025 117 days 318km SE

Ths is an excellent record of a movement of one of our RAS Linnets. More on the Linnet RAS results for this year from Chris to follow.

Reed Bunting AJD2766

Pennorth, Powys 10/12/2018, Llangorse RG

Cors Caron 17/10/2025 2503 days 55km NW 

Although not far, this is the longest distance movement for any of our Reed Buntings. Note the age of this one, ringed in 2018.

Blackcap BTE5068

Llwyn y Groes 22/09/2025

Trimley Marsh, Suffolk 11/10/2025

19 days 366km E

An unusual movement in an easterly direction.

Starling KP1183

Silutes, Lithuania 13/06/2025

Llwyn y Groes, Ceredigion 02/12/2025

172 days 1694km W

This is the 7th Starling ringed in Silutes, Lithuania that the TRG have caught and two of ours to the same ringing station. We have also caught Starlings ringed in Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium and Finland.

Sedge Warbler       BHH6697

Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 25/07/2025

Les Sables-D'Olonne, Vendee 16/08/2025

 22 days 649km SW

 

A typical movement of a Teifi ringed Sedge Warbler on autumn migration. A paper in Bird Study this month evaluated the use of the Atlantic flyway by Sedge Warblers. Abstract can be read here.

Great Tit       PF11442

Ffos Las racecourse 10/05/2023 ringed as a chick in a nest box.

Sydd Melyn 14/11/2025

910 days 3km S - found entangled in crop netting.

Goldfinch      ARL6436

Oxwich Marsh, Swansea 05/03/2022

Llwyn y Groes, Ceredigion 03/12/2025

1369 days 69km E  

     

(Wendy J and Rich D )       

Manxies and Sedge Warblers

The prolonged spell of unsettled weather has brought our migration monitoring to a standstill.

Sedge Warbler total for this autumn season is up on last year... looking at numbers for the Teifi Marshes since the beginning of July we have ringed 560 Sedge Warblers, 282 Reed Warblers, 29 Cetti's Warblers and 4 Grasshopper Warblers. A more detailed look at the migration season across all sites in a later blog.

The map shows the movements of Sedge Warblers so far this autumn season with a general trend of SW to us and SE away from the Teifi and Cors Caron to the south coast.

Sedge Warbler BHH6237 Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 06/08/2025

Carey Floodplain, Dorset 11/08/2025 5 days 232km SE Stour RG

Sedge Warbler  BHH6083 Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 02/08/2025

Durlston Country Park 03/08/2025 1 day 249km SE Stour RG

Sedge Warbler  BZF3435 Cors Caron, Tregaron 08/08/2025

Carey Floodplain, Dorset 22/08/2025 14 days 212km SE Stour RG

Some of the group have been involved with ringing Manx Shearwaters stranded on land by stormy weather. Manx Shearwater Rescue in Pembrokeshire rescued over 500. Shane helped ring and release some of these with Pembs Ringing Group. 

Sea Trust in Fishguard also helped with stranded birds, particularly in the ferry port. These were ringed before released (at sea) led by Richard. 

This bird was found in a garden in Cilgerran (photo - Liz)

Ringing of these birds is important because in the future they might be found breeding on Skomer or Skokholm. Pembs RG have just had a report of a bird rescued and released on Freshwater West beach in 2011 and  found breeding on Skomer this year

(Wendy J and Rich D) 

Early migration and key species

Over the last 4 weeks 487 Sedge and 188 Reed Warblers have been ringed. A minimum, but showing the scale and importance of the Teifi Marshes Reserve. Not only for breeding but also for feeding as they journey south to Africa.

Adult Sedge Warbler

Recoveries from our current ringing has produced the following movements...

Reed Warbler  BKB3696

Ringed Teifi Marshes 9th July Re-encountered Seaton Wetlands, Devon 3rd Aug 25 days 187km

Reed Warbler BDE0787

Ringed Llangorse Lake 9th July Re-encountered Teifi Marshes 25th July 16 days 96km WNW

Sedge Warbler BCD5915

Ringed Stanford Resvr 25th July Re-encountered Teifi Marshes 2nd Aug 8 days 243km W

Sedge Warbler BHF2581

Ringed Warrington 12th July Re-encountered Teifi Marshes 6th Aug 25 days 195km SW

Early season movements to and from the Teifi Marshes

Birds captured from the Teifi Marshes and other TRG sites are shown in the table below..

Linnets are from the Lleine RAS study site, Willow Tit and Whinchat are from Cors Caron- not all species are listed, but are included in the totals..

The post above is a snapshot of the late July - early August ringing this year. A very good spell for warblers in particular the acros. One of the best early autumn's totals and we look forward to the following weeks - a very good breeding season... or an early migration....

(Rich D and Wendy J)

Andrew Hughes remembered

Following diagnosis and treatment for cancer over the last year, Andrew passed away peacefully at home on the 29th June 2025.

Andrew was inspired to seek a ringing trainer after observing the ringing of seabirds on his beloved Skomer.  He joined the Teifi Ringing Group in 2014 and his many activities with the Group have been posted on these pages. Andrew also helped other South Wales based ringers over the years.

His particular legacy with the Teifi Ringing Group is work with nesting Dippers.

Andrew in action at one of his favourite bridges and river..

Andrew joined us on several national and overseas ringing trips including Skokholm, Portland, Gibraltar and South Africa..

Andrew in South Africa with us enjoying the sunset looking towards Botswana and Zimbabwe - listening to Elephants and Lions...

Storm Petrels...an update.

We have likely finished our catching season at Strumble Head, hoping several more movements to make their way through the system, including some from sites still catching.

We have held demonstrations for both The Sea Trust Marine Biology Group and the Pembs Bird Group, both nights being well received and supported.  We look forward to supporting both Groups in 2026 too.

Photo Stephen Hyam

With 109 new Storm Petrels ringed (150 in 2024), 6 birds caught wearing rings from elsewhere and a good season so far with  14 of our Stormies recovered elsewhere. Below a few more movements not previously posted. 

Storm Petrel

2785664 Skokholm Island 04/08/2024 Strumble Head 19/06/2025 319 days 40km NNE

2357040 Calf of Man  24/07/2024 Calf of Man 29/06/2025 340 days 225km S

2788749 Strumble Head 30/06/2025 Galley Head, Cork 09/07/2025 9 days 271km W

2788723 Strumble Head 29/06/2025 Skokholm Island 19/07/2025 20 days 40km SSW

2788757 Strumble Head 13/07/2025 Skokholm Island 19/07/2025 6 days 40km SSW

2787351 Strumble Head 21/06/2025 St Justinians 18/07/2025 27 days 23km SW

2739409 Strumble Head 17/07/2023 Skokholm Island 19/07/2025 733 days 40km SSW Also caught on Skokholm twice in 2023 on 19th July and 7th August

2787335 Strumble Head 11/08/2024 Porthgwarra, Cornwall 11/07/2025 334 days 224km SSW West Cornwall RG

2788737 Strumble Head 30/06/2025 Cape Clear, Cork 25/07/2025 25 days 312km W

2797269 Little Saltee, Wexford 13/06/2025 Strumble Head 29/07/2025 46 days 104 km E D Manley

Of greater interest...these Storm Petrels with multiple encounters...

The most recent movements include 5 different Storm Petrels to Bardsey and 1 to Lundy.

Most of the Group visit Skokholm to assist the catching there, but with increasing skills within the Group we continue to develop our mainland ringing...

(Rich D and Wendy J)

Storm Petrels and early breeding results

Mid June saw the start of our Storm Petrel ringing at Strumble. Over two nights we handled 18 birds, one of which had been ringed on Skokholm last August.

Storm Petrel - Anna W

Around 20 children and their parents from the The Marine Biology club run by The Sea Trust joined us on the 20th. All enjoyed learning about Storm Petrels and seeing them in the hand. Thanks to Anna Webberley for arranging the visit.

We were once again joined by Stephen Hyam who is documenting our ringing activities with photos

We had news via Social Media this week that one of the Storm Petrels ringed last August at Strumble had been re-encountered in Portugal. This bird was caught last week by Dr Rob Thomas on the annual storm-petrels in Portugal project (established in 1990) that he runs.

Rob Thomas on BSKY 

On the Teifi Marshes, juveniles of several species have now been ringed including the first 5 Reed and 3 Cetti's Warblers. Adult Reed Warblers were still migrating through the reserve at the beginning of the month including one that had been ringed in N Ireland in 2024.

Reed Warbler

BRD9567 Belfast Harbour, N Ireland 31/08/2024 Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 02/06/2025 275 days 292km S Cossey

Returning Reed Warblers from previous years for our RAS project are now up to 31 which is lower than the usual expected number for late June.

Six CES sessions have now been completed in Llechryd. The Garden CES there has been running since 2020. 

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

So far this season it is apparent that there are more juveniles of resident species. Comparing a couple of species with the same stage last year..

                                                          2024            2025

Great Spotted Woodpecker                  1                  6

Great Tit                                               10               40

Blue Tit                                                16               53

Of the migrant Warblers, Blackcaps and Garden Warbler are down but Chiffchaffs are up.

The other major work continuing is the Whoosh netting of Linnets for a RAS project.

Over the next few weeks major effort in the reedbed sites (Reed Warbler and Reed Bunting RAS), migration monitoring as the Sedge Warblers in particular start moving.

CES continuing at Cors Caron and Llechryd.

(Wendy J and Rich D)