Early Winter and a White Wagtail recovery..

We started November with a second Water Rail in two days at our Mallard Pond site whilst colour-ringing and processing Reed Buntings.

Redwings so far are thin on the ground, a lack of berries on the Hawthorns etc too. By early December only 88 have been ringed at our sites.

No Blackcaps this early winter but new Chiffchaffs are present most sessions on the reserve and Firecrests continue to appear - quite a new pattern for us. Three  birds in the last session including a bird we ringed in Nov 2023.

Jane has been busy at The Emporium...a Finnish ringed Starling, a Goldfinch ringed elsewhere and some variety with Treecreeper, Firecrest and 23 Greenfinches. 

Starling   A85174 was ringed in the nest age 1  Tuusula, Uusimaa, Finland 18/05/2023

Re-encountered    Llwynygroes, Ceredigion 22/11/2024

554 days 2004km WSW

Jane is making excellent progress  developing her new site " The Emporium"  for the group. New rides cut, net locations optimised and potter traps being made. At 168m this a useful addition to our upland sites. Already 765 birds have been processed of 22 species since mid August. 

Wendy's home ringing reflects species seen on the feeders with a predominance of Goldfinches. So far this year, 310 Goldfinches processed compared with 206 Blue Tits which used to be the dominant species.

Note the mid April date of capture below - White Wagtails are our first numerous Spring passage migrant.  

White Wagtail     ABB8518

Ringed  Teifi Marshes 11/04/2018

Ring only found in South East Iceland 27/11/2024 2422 days 1541 km NNW

This White Wagtail - our 4th movement to Iceland or the nearby near Arctic waters, we also have a site faithful stopover bird too.

Chaffinch movement   ABY0026

Ringed    Boncath, Pembs 10/07/2022

Re-encountered  Llyn Llech Owain feeding station, Carmarthenshire  01/11/2024

845 days 44km ESE Paul Aubrey

Sedge Warbler   AVZ2169

Ringed   Teifi Marshes, Ceredigion 01/05/2023

Re-encountered   Frossay, Loire-Atlantique 04/08/2024 461 days 572km SSE

This Sedge Warbler movement is a typical record of one of our  migrating birds.

A good effort at recording colour ringed Reed Buntings on the Teifi Marshes by Hannah and Liz in November. 19 individuals, the oldest having been ringed in 2018.

Reserve photographers are contributing to sightings too

Colour ringed Reed Bunting - Geraint James

We hope to add to the winter season's lamping totals as the moon phases become more helpful.

(Rich D and Wendy J)