Firecrests, Redwings and recoveries

October started  with 2 Firecrests on the Teifi Marshes. This added to the good start for autumn at Ty Rhyg plantation where 4 Firecrests were ringed last month.

On Saturday 7th October, the east coast saw a big arrival of migrants, in particular, thousands of Redwing. They soon moved on and within a couple of days an increasing number were being counted in Wales. 

In Wendy's young woodland in Llechryd, 15 were ringed that morning and one was caught with a Brussels ring. 

Also this week, a Redwing was retrapped in the same net as last October.

Considering the number of Redwing passing through at the moment it was quite a surprise to retrap one a year later, a site faithful migrant.

Brussels 10X89020

Details have been submitted and ringing details are awaited.

A look at Group totals for the 6 weeks from the beginning of September to the 11th October

To add some context, the Manx Shearwaters ringed had been rescued on land after a storm and ringed before release. Some at the Ocean Lab at Goodwick thank to Cliff Benson and staff and some that had been grounded at Newgale, ringed by Alison. 

Chris continued his work with Linnets, ringing another 110. 

On a couple of days when the weather wasn't suitable for mist nets, we took some spring traps to the estuary for some trainees to have the opportunity to learn about catching Pipits. Rock Pipits and Meadow Pipits were ringed. 23 of the Meadow Pipits in the list were ringed by Karen and Alison on Dinas Mountain.

Several reports recently from the BTO of birds subsequently encountered...

Chiffchaff  NCC983

Ringed Teifi Marshes, Pembs 28/08/2023

Re-encountered Portland Bird Observatory, Dorset   23/09/2023    26 days, 232km SE

Blackcap  ATF5280

Ringed Hollesley Heath, Suffolk 12/09/2022

Re-encountered  St Nicholas, Pembs 23/09/2023 376 days 445km W

Sedge Warbler  AE65577

Ringed Essex Farm, Alderney 23/04/2023

Re-encountered   Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 01/05/2023 8 days 316km NNW

Robin   AEK1173

Ringed Cors Caron, Ceredigion 28/05/2022

Re-encountered    Gibraltar Point, Lincs 07/10/2023 497 days 303km ENE

Movements of the above birds

Late October ringing becomes even more weather dependant and with the ever shortening days... often tricky. 

When weather allows we plan to have sessions on the Teifi Marshes (Teifi P). Redwings, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs to start the early sessions followed by a variety of species in the nets.

(Wendy J and Rich D)

Colour ringed waders and late summer

Re-sighting colour rings is an important part of the ringing scheme. Around the Teifi there are few opportunities to see waders close enough to record the rings as waders are often flushed or too distant. The higher tides push birds onto the sand in front of the Teifi Waterside Hotel, Pembs and Patch on the Ceredigion side of the estuary. Hannah and Liz have spent hours there recently with great results.

A Common Greenshank ringed in Norway on passage at Revtangen Ornithological Station  on 6th August 2023

Resighted Teifi Estuary 19th August 2023  978km 13 days

This was a very brief stop over for this Greenshank on what seems a speedy journey south.

This Ringed Plover was ringed on 20/08/2023 in a mid afternoon catch at Llanfairfechan, North Wales. Liz photographed it on the Teifi less than 24 hours later.

Thanks to Steve Dodd for the quick reply. he commented that also of note it was in active wing moult, so was surprised it has moved on.

During July and August we were ringing whenever conditions allowed, but it was a wet and windy spell so numbers were down this year. Also partly due to reduced effort with several of the A ringers away at peak migration times. 

The chart excludes some of the commoner resident birds.

50 Storm Petrel in July and August was pleasing making a total of 59 new and 7 re-encounters this year. 180 Linnets were added to the Linnet RAS. If you missed the last blog about the Linnet RAS that Chris has started on the coast near Moylegrove here is the link

Linnet RAS 2022/2023

With favourable conditions for teaching lamping for a few days this month we successfully caught 10 Ringed Plover and 6 Dunlin on Poppit beach. 

White Wagtails pass through the Teifi Marshes on spring migration. 44 were ringed this spring. One ringed on the first session was re-encountered in Iceland 135 days later

AAZ6729 Ringed Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 04/04/2023

Re-encountered  Laugarvatn, Arnes, Iceland 17/08/2023    135 days 1639km NNW

Other recoveries

Sedge Warbler  AHV3403

Ringed Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 28/08/2022

Subsequently encountered Llangorse Lake, Powys 07/08/2023 344 days 98km ESE

Reed Warbler AAZ757

Ringed  Teifi Marshes, Pembs 21/07/2023

Re-encountered  Litlington, East Sussex 25/08/2023 35 days 363km ESE

(Wendy J and Rich D)