May news; birds on the move - Russia, Portugal, France, Scotland...

The end of April into the beginning of May saw the expected passage of Sedge Warblers through the Teifi Marshes.

151 ringed this spring and several returning birds. The oldest was ringed in 2017

One Sedge Warbler had been ringed in Portugal in 2015 on its first migration south, the Group's first recovery with a Lisbon ring.

Sedge Warbler A396383

Ringed  Salreu, Aveiro, Portugal 02/10/2015

Re-encountered Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 07/05/2021 2044 days 1298 km NNE

and two others had been ringed in France

Sedge Warbler 8574578

Ringed Trunvel, Treogat, France 08/08/2020

Re-encountered Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 01/05/2020 266 days 468 km N

Sedge Warbler 8933871

Ringed Frossay, Loire Atlantique, France

Re-encountered Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 29/04/2020    261 days 572 km NNW

Several of the group are still catching Siskins in our gardens, a mix of local breeders and those on their way back to breeding areas illustrated by the following movements...

Siskin ARP8598

Ringed Boncath, Pembrokeshire 20/03/2021

Re-encountered Ballater, Aberdeenshire  15/05/2021 56 days 569km N Grampian Ringing Group

Siskin  AZN2321

Ringed Crynant, Neath 22/05/2021

Re-encountered Clarbeston Road, Pembs 29/05/2021 7 days 79km W Gower Ringing Group

Siskin  AEK0683

Ringed Clarbeston Road, Pembs 17/05/2021

Re-encountered Peebles, Scottish Borders  27/05/2021  10 days 437km NNE Borders Ringing Group

Some details of controls and recoveries of other species received this month...

Woodcock EZ52435

Ringed near Ffarmers, Carmarthenshire 16/01/2020

Shot Vokhtoma, Kostroma O, Russian Federation 06/05/2021 476 days 3080 km ENE

Dipper RZ13870

Ringed Llandilo, Pembs 28/04/2020

Re-encountered Dolbont, Pembs 06/04/2021    343 days 12 km N

Interesting movement across the Preseli Hills

You might have noticed that the maps in this blog look different to our usual Google Earth images. Many thanks to Stephen Vickers for creating the new, easy to use mapping tool.

The garden CES in Llechryd is continuing this year. As ringing has been carried out there since 2008 a lot of old birds are turning up. This Dunnock was ringed in 2013 and not seen since. Although not a UK longevity record it looks like it might be the most number of years since ringing of a Dunnock in Wales.

Not many juveniles have been ringed yet, just a Robin and Dunnocks. Blue Tits are already being seen in post-breeding moult.

If you missed Andy's interesting post about progress with his House Sparrow RAS it is worth a read

House Sparrow April summary

The main activity of several group members in May and June is nest box monitoring. Details of results to follow in a blog post once the breeding season has finished. 

One of Andrew's nest boxes in Ffos Las

Initial comments have been that several boxes failed with high mortality prior to fledging in the stormy weather.