Teifi Ringing Group

More Gorillas than birds!

2012-02-21T19:00:00.002Z

Reluctantly leaving the forest, we set off south for Queen Elizabeth National Park, crossing the equator on the way. As always, the raptor traps were ready to stop at any moment for a hungry bird along the road.
This juvenile Bateleur frustrated us for an agonising half an hour as it sat next to the trap looking at the mouse but eventually flew off!
Our overnight stop in the park on the Kazinga channel was too brief to get rides cut and nets up although we were tempted as there were numerous Reed Warblers singing from the scrub.
Another early start to target Long-crested Eagles on the way to our next stop in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. We soon had a net up in the Buhoma Lodge garden and ringed the birds in luxury from the bar with an interested audience!
Birds ringed included White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher - the race in Western Uganda doesn't have an eye ring!
Black-necked Weaversand Chubbs's CisticolaAlso Olive-bellied Sunbird, Veillot's Black Weavers and an African Pied Wagtail.
Our main purpose here though was to hike through the rain forest to see Mountain Gorillas.
We spent a fascinating hour with them and returned exhilarated and ready to set off on the road again. Not exactly ringing but the blog wouldn't be complete without paying respect to our closest relatives. Some more gorilla pictures here and a short video of a heart stopping moment.

Next in the story, more raptors in the park and how to dazzle Nightjars in lion country!.

Green Mamba to Black Bee-eaters !!

2012-02-17T23:15:00.002Z

Back to forest birds again at our next destination, Kibale Forest National Park.
This Blue-breasted Kingfisher was one of the highlights.
We had a wonderful welcome at the home of Julia Lloyd, a primatologist researching the effects of tourism on Chimpanzees. She owns land on the forest edge so ringing over the years here will be important to look at species change as the land reverts to forest from farmland.
As at other locations, a lot of interest was shown in what we were doing from all ages.
Even baby Dylan enjoyed the birds
This forest edge net ride will be remembered for the Green Mamba coiled up on a branch that was about to be lopped!
A good variety of birds were caught including Klaas's cuckoo Ashy FlycatcherGreen TwinspotSlender-billed WeaverAnd Marsh TchagraOff on the road again but one last stunning new bird for us at Kibale as we left - Black Bee-eater.

Uganda trip report

2012-02-14T07:12:00.007Z

Malcolm has finished compiling the full trip report of our 3 weeks of incredible ringing and birding...we did record c450 species as well as ringing 149 species.
See African Affinity Birding for the report...and more !!
Or contact Malcolm Wilson.....shoebill@mweb.co.za

Bee-eaters,Buzzards and more....

2012-02-11T18:22:00.023Z

After leaving Budongo forest, we headed north where we set up camp on the banks of the Nile in Murchsion Falls National Park.
With the totally different habitat we were soon catching new species including Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrike,
White-browed Coucal (the smelliest bird I have ever handled)
White morph African Paradise Flycatcher
And particularly exciting, Northern Carmine Bee-eaters.
The days settled into a pattern of early morning mist nets around the camp then heading across the Nile in the precarious looking ferry to target raptors.
As part of ongoing work looking into the effects of burning the grassland, Malc was pleased to catch 8 Grasshopper buzzards which are migrants. They often follow fires where they prey on insects being driven out. It was amazing to watch this first hand as we drove through a burn.
One evening we indulged in some birding and went on a boat down The Nile in search of the rare and elusive Shoebill. Our hour off from ringing was rewarded with superb views of this huge bird.
And the day didn't finish with dusk either - there were Nightjar to be dazzled! With the sound of hippos grunting in the background it was rather different to catching Woodcock in the rain in Wales!This was a Plain Nightjar but Long-tailed were also caught here.
With the waning moon we are back to wandering the hills at home with the lamp despite the excitement of our trip and tonight caught 3 Golden Plover.

The Budongo Forest team

2012-02-11T13:55:00.009Z

Before heading for the Nile and it's wetlands, the Budongo team !
Geoffrey Muhanguzi, the Budongo Forest Project Director, here seated with one of the trainee ringers, with Malcolm standing.Ringing underway in the forest with local trainees.The Expedition team.. Malc, Nathan, Wendy, Rich D, Dawn, Rich C.
Dyfed taking the photo and most of the expedition photos...a fabulous collection.

Site faithful wintering Reed Warblers

2012-02-10T15:47:00.003Z

Nathan, our trusty ringing expedition trainee, (he helped me dazzle too!) with one of the 28 Reed Warblers caught. Some in active primary moult, all likely eastern birds with long c67-69mm wing length.
2 retraps in Nile Safari Camp...one first ringed 1 /3/2008 and retrapped 26 /01/2012 by us, quite amazing !!
The 3rd Reed Warbler retrap ringed in a garden in Kampala 18/01/2011, again retrapped by us in the same Kampala garden 15/01/2012.

Ringing in The Royal Mile

2012-02-08T16:04:00.036Z

Colour and variety in the forest! ( Red-bellied Paradise-flycatcher)
For five days we were ringing in Budongo Forest, staying at the long established Sonso Field Station. While the main focus there has been the conservation and study of a habituated group of chimpanzees, activities are now broadening to the wider conservation issues within the Budongo Forest Reserve. Core funding for this is from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. Our ringing was part of an ongoing study into the effect of changes in forest management on bird populations. We were involved in teaching students so that regular independent ringing can be established there. The students were enthusiastic and quick to learn.
It was a stunning environment to be ringing in, surrounded by massive trees and first class birding between net rounds.
As well as the forest nets, we also had a net over a small river which caught some exciting species. This is where Richard was off to in the last blog - checking the nets by motorbike! The stars were 12 Sabines Spinetails, birds one only ever sees above the forest canopy and hardly ever caught and ringed. Listen to the call which was recorded for probably the first time ever!
5 species of Kingfishers were ringed in the forest including a Chocolate-backed Kingfisher - a species rarely (if ever before??) caught.
Also 3 Shining-blue Kingfishers -
and of the small forest kingfishers, four African Dwarf Kingfishers (10cm)
and several of the slightly larger Pygmy Kingfishers (11cm) -
After calling all day but remaining elusive this Dusky Long-tailed cuckoo finally found it's way in to a net.
And to finish this part of our adventure, a Jameson's Wattle-eye
and a Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, another bird that is very shy and difficult to observe.
Next, north to The Nile....

From Martial Eagle to the Royal Mile

2012-02-06T20:07:00.013Z

Impossible to summarise 3 weeks stunning ringing in Uganda with 748 birds trapped of 149 species so raptors to start.....

The only Martial Eagle we caught with a weight of 3.6kg and foot to toe measurement of 154mm was the mightiest bird we have ever handled.
Smaller but no less impressive here is the upper wing of one of three Western Banded Snake Eagles ringed with some fascinating moult scoring. One of the challenges of ringing in Uganda was to moult score every bird we caught as little literature exists on this subject.

From the pleasures of handling eagles and buzzards (3 Long-crested Eagles and 8 Grasshopper Buzzards) to the blooded challenge of falcons and hawks. Each of 4 Grey Kestrels caught inflicted damage!This Red-necked Falcon caused excitement at the mist net at dusk, a species that Malcolm had never ringed before.
A couple of Shikra and African Goshawk completed the raptors caught.

Next on to The Royal Mile, one of the richest birding sites in Uganda where neck-aching canopy and forest floor birding accompanied our 5 days of introducing 6 students to ringing.
More on what Richard was up to here in a couple of evenings as it's too bright to go dazzling for Woodcock at the moment!!

Gorillas in the mist !!

2012-02-04T20:26:00.000Z

Surely the highlight..........
With 27 of his "H" group seen on our ringing trip to Uganda.With c135+ species ringed, much more to say and describe in the following weeks postings as topics arise...
From Martial Eagle to sunbirds....Reed Warblers to Barn Swallows, and species rarely seen in the hand in Uganda's upland forests...

From Siskins to Sunbirds

2012-01-10T17:24:00.007Z

This week, Siskins in the garden between showers.....
next week, Sunbirds and raptors in Uganda!
Four of the group are off to Uganda for a 3 week ringing trip with Malcolm Wilson.
These pictures of Malcolms were taken on his 2011 trip.If we can catch and see anywhere the same number of species we will be in for an exciting and educational three weeks. It won't be just birds either - a hike through the rain forest to see Mountain Gorillas is also included.
News of our travels in February unless we can find fast enough internet access to update the blog from Africa.

A year to remember...a new year to begin....

2012-01-04T17:21:00.009Z

Last January the BTO registered us as the Teifi RG, now one year old, what have we achieved?
Too much to write....Too much to say....
This Chestnut-sided Warbler - a highlight from hundreds for four of the group who went to Long Point Bird Observatory in Canada.
Karen and Andy joined as new trainees, helping to ensure the summer, including CES ran smoothly.
In our first year as a group, we have ringed 3443 new birds of 76 species. Not including our ventures to Portland Bird Observatory twice, and visits to four Pembrokeshire islands where we ringed hundreds of pulli and adult seabirds.
We have gained new friends that have helped us develop;-
Mick Townsend from Stanford RG, my trainer of 30 years ago, who we met up with in Canada and who visited our CES. Richard Charles who ventured south from Lancashire to ring with us during the summer, and is joining us for 3 weeks ringing in Uganda starting next week. Olly Fox from Wiltshire, who on his second visit this year mastered the capture and ringing of Woodcock!

The end of our first year, our second is underway......

Thanks to all who have helped us progress this far, from ringers and groups, to land owners and grant providers.
We thank you all... and hope to see you in 2012.

Glad we carry spares !!

2012-01-04T09:10:00.003Z

Not the best start at 0430 this morning !

Wendy and I went on... and were happy with 4 out of 6 Woodcock before dawn, all 4 birds were adults.

100 up and training for more....

2012-01-01T19:00:00.004Z

IPMR is now up to date for year end, and a great thanks to Wendy for being the TRG IPMR supremo ! We have reached the milestone of 100 new Woodcock ringed in 2011, with 6 retraps.
Olly Fox from Wiltshire in the photo above on December 30th, being introduced to the fine points of Woodcock ageing.....to be taken back to his home county............see what they can find ??

Blown away by 9/9!!!

2011-12-28T08:48:00.004Z

On a night when we had trouble standing up, let alone manage to hold the net steady, we were delighted to catch 9 Woodcock out of 9 seen. We don't get a huge density on our sites so to see 9 on just a short 4km wander was very nice. It seems that adults have moved in as 7 out of the 9 were adults, a much higher proportion than previously this season.
The feather markings on Woodcock are quite variable but this bird was notable by the tiny triangles on it's primaries - they seemed much smaller than any we have seen before.
Two of the birds we caught were retraps. EW93661 we ringed just across the road a couple of weeks ago. EX37965 was more interesting - we ringed that on 22nd Feb this year. That is now our 3rd retrap from a previous season. Now what we want to know is where our site faithful birds go for the summer.

Retrap Woodcock say's Happy Christmas via ? !

2011-12-24T23:59:00.002Z

Failed !! On the 48 hours off.....But worth it !!
EW93674.. our 2nd site faithful re-trap Woodcock of the week. This bird re-trapped 379 days later.
Two new Woodcock also ringed tonight.
Just to complete the day....a 5am re-visit to last night's site provided Fieldfare and Meadow Pipit to the list of captures.
Owen of The Woodcock Network had a Christmas ringed Woodcock recovered in Leningrad !
Why not us? Will try and put the rings on some tomorrow.........maybe ??

48 hours off for Christmas......maybe not...

2011-12-23T23:16:00.003Z

Maybe the last night out before Christmas....the fresh wind helped tonight.
With 5 Woodcock caught and ringed, and 4 other species seen under the lamp.......perhaps not the 48 hours off ??
This juvenile Snipe was caught a couple of night's ago, still plenty in the fields tonight.

Three species lamped ...but overshadowed too...

2011-12-23T08:23:00.004Z

Golden Plover a new species for our Boncath site, Meadow Pipit unusual-
The star of the night..EX37963...a retrap Woodccock.
Our 1st retrap of successive winters. EX37963 was ringed 13th February 2011 ..that a 4am venture!! A juvenile in February, a nice adult now, recaptured one field from the original ringing, I guess you call that site faithful...
What present will tonight deliver...not Christmas yet !!

Ghostly Woodcock.....turns to Stock Dove

2011-12-17T07:07:00.008Z

After a couple of Woodcock trapped and ringed, pulses raised !
A ghostly grey body sitting in the grass turned into a roosting Stock Dove. We had seen 1 at this site before... and watched it fly off as totally unexpected. This time was different !!!

Juvenile Stock Doves moult during their first year, therefore difficult to age.
Owen Williams of the Woodcock Network has been asking if Woodcock numbers are down ? We are not sure.......but we are enjoying the variety of species on the hills this Winter.....
What will we find tonight ....??

Buzzard and a dash to Beaumaris

2011-12-13T20:09:00.011Z

Does this look like a good start to a morning's ringing - hailstones embedded in ice on the car at 5am!
We were cannon netting with the SCAN wader ringing group. Our site for the morning was Bangor harbour where there is a regular Redshank roost at high tide.
After carrying all the heavy cannon netting equipment across the gravel from the car park, the layers soon came off and fingers were luckily warm enough to wire up the cannons.
With a good number of Redshank in the right area and minutes away from firing, a Buzzard shot along the beach and sat in a tree above the net. The waders were off in a flash and didn't return.
Pressing the high tech red button to fire the cannons will have to wait for another day. Luckily across the Menai Straits the other team had great success catching over 400 birds so we shot round to Beaumaris to help.
With many pairs of hands, the Dunlin were soon extracted and put in keeping cages.
In total, 6 Turnstone, 331 new and 91 retrap Dunlin were processed. One retrap was ringed in Jan 1999.

We usually catch our Dunlin one at a time at night by lamping so it was quite an experience to deal with so many and with the stunning backdrop of snow covered mountains.
Thanks to Steve and Dave and the rest of the SCAN team for a very educational day.

Retrap Woodcock in a storm - our Ist !

2011-12-12T21:00:00.011Z

Moonrise at 18:08,
A howling sky, full of rain on the hills, led me to an early visit with the lamp !
Field 1 -- unexpectedly full of sheep, but in the following field, a Woodcock eye glistened !
Easily caught, but ringed already.
This an amazing 1st for us. Other Woodcock ringers regularly catch retraps, but with nearly 100 birds ringed on our local sites in the past 2 years, not one until this evening.
EX37994 was ringed on 28 November 2011, at this site. Though only ringed c2 weeks ago, it is a sign that not all our birds are on a rapid passage (as I was thinking?) being so far west, and with Ireland in view from a flying height.....

First Jay, but Woodcock before dawn..

2011-12-07T14:09:00.011Z

Another new bird for the garden - it must be something to do with the good apple crop this year. A large number of Thrushes and Starlings are attacking the windfalls noisily today.
This one certainly knew how to bite and not let go!

The black cross bars on the wing coverts show a typical juvenile irregular pattern. The number of black cross bars on the outermost greater covert is another helpful ageing feature.
The day had started at 5am ringing 3 Woodcock before dawn. With the moon not setting until the middle of the night, evening lamping sessions are too bright so a morning wander with the lamp and net is the answer.

Follow the red Woodcock road.....

2011-12-01T12:12:00.011Z

Another 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Woodcock and a Meadow Pipit ringed on The Frenni last night.
Our new gadget logs our route and records where on the site we catch Woodcock. As the data builds up over the years we will be able to see distribution around the fields and if we do get retraps will be able to see how faithful to a location they are. The ring numbers of the two Woodcock caught last night have been added to those previously caught at this site. Thanks to Owen from The Woodcock Network for recommending it.
The path (4.9km,184m ascent, 2hrs 39 mins) looks totally random but the changes in direction usually means that we have spotted a bird and are heading towards it then moving round to get the wind in the right direction before approaching it. In the gale last night the birds were jumpy and also 3 badgers were wandering around the best part of the field so a lot of wandering but well worthwhile.

Mistle again ! But out foxed too......

2011-11-29T08:13:00.004Z

Our 2nd Mistle Thrush in one week !!
Our 1st hillside Redwing joining the regular Fieldfare under a night time lamp.
Song Thrushes, Blackbirds and Redwings in Wendy's garden....

Woodcock for the Group processed through IPMR passed the 100 this week..
But last night -- 4 Foxes on one site I suspect made the Woodcock jumpy, with only 2 caught.
But where are our re-traps ?? See the Woodcock Network for more...

We still love our sedgies... another control... a passage adult with us in late May 2011, controlled returning south at our sedgies favourite watering hole....Loire-Atlantique, France on 18th August 2011.

Mistle completes the garden set

2011-11-21T11:34:00.013Z

A nice surprise! A Mistle Thrush in the garden was a new species for the ringing group.
It turned up in a garden net alongside a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
The Woodpecker was a juvenile. The picture shows the old brown unmoulted Greater Coverts and the white tips to the primaries.
Over the winter we plan to have regular sessions in the garden to keep the trainees up to speed with a good variety of birds, not just Blue Tits!
As well as a 60 foot net near feeders we have a net in an adjacent field that catches species like Redwings, Bullfinches and Song Thrushes. A couple of nets between a group of apple trees catches Fieldfare, Blackbirds and Starlings.
Plenty to keep us busy alongside our nocturnal wanderings for Woodcock and Golden Plover which are successfully continuing too.

The Woodcock Network show us the way...

2011-11-18T08:03:00.010Z

A trip up to Aberystwyth yesterday to learn how to fit geolocators to Woodwork was an all round great learning experience. As we work with The Woodcock Network, it was good to meet Owen Williams, the Director and Dr Andrew Hoodless, Scientific Advisor.
Following a successful trial of geolocators by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and having secured funding the plan is to fit geo locators on between 35 and 40 woodcock. This effort will be as a part of a wider collaboration between the Woodcock Network, GWCT, and The French Game and Wildlife Department.

Practical experience is obviously the way to learn so out in the field Andrew showed us how to fit the geolocotor.
We were using dummy satellite transmitters which are bigger than Geolocators but the fitting technique around the legs of the Woodcock is the same.
The transmitter sits comfortably and securely on the Woodcocks back and does not interfere with preening or flying.
Enough Woodcock were caught for us all to practice on different birds. All the birds were also ringed and biometrics taken as usual. There is a useful pictorial ageing guide on the Woodcock Network website.
As well as learning this technique, the invaluable part of the evening was the lengthy discussions about the different equipment we all use. Not one net was the same and we have come back with new ideas about lamps and nets and a shopping list! Also it was good to compare the field type and Woodcock habits at sites we use. Could earthworm density and different farming practices be a big factor in Woodcock usage is something that would be interesting to look at in the future.
Thanks to Owen and Andrew for a very enjoyable, educational evening.

Last year a leo, this year.... a shortie !!

2011-11-16T22:06:00.008Z

Over the last 2 evenings carrying out regular winter wader ringing in coastal Ceredigion fields Arfon has caught and ringed, 3 Woodcock, 5 Snipe and 14 Lapwing. Effort rewarded not only with these waders but a Short-eared Owl last night.Last December, Paddy and I, on coastal South Pembs fields for Skylarks found this Long-eared Owl. Winter night time ringing does provide the chance for some otherwise near impossible birds to ring, and research.
Tomorrow evening, back to Woodcock on the hills -- geolocator fitting the lesson...

Kevin calls......from Walney !!

2011-11-10T22:54:00.004Z

BKR001 -- what a tale....
This little Goldcrest - see post below;-
Amazingly ringed by one of own (Kevin Johns) who emigrated to Cumbria a year ago!
Kevin ringed this Goldcrest at Walney Obs - his new ringing base on March 28th 2011.
Well done at Walney.....send more west coast migrants our way......

November Cetti's..... but is it our's?

2011-11-10T09:41:00.008Z

Sessions for migrating Redwings are going well with a few more ringed at our CES site this morning. We are also catching Blackbirds with longer wings than our local population, suggestive of continental birds. A new Cetti's warbler was good too, maybe a passage bird rather than one that was bred on the reserve.
This was only our 8th Cetti's this year compared with 18 in 2010.

BKR001 -- goldc

2011-11-06T18:42:00.005Z

After yesterday's little jewels (see post below), what could we find ?
A couple of Redwings, a couple more Blackcaps, and a few Goldcrests....
1 a gem !!
Goldcrest BKR001.........the 1st Goldcrest control for us, with new crests and Blackcaps daily...where was this ringed??
Ideas welcome..!
Enjoying our birding too.......The Gower Isabelline Wheatear to end the morning !!

Not One !......I've got TWO !!!

2011-11-05T13:55:00.004Z

Teifi Marshes this morning;-
(photo Tommy)CES net 11 came up with Wendy's target bird of the morning session,..... 2 Firecrests, not just the one in the plan !
A female on the left sexed on attitude, then wing length and crown colour, a male on the right.
CES is over and we try and get into some of the rides late in the year, on the 7th November 2010 a Garden Warbler was the prize.
Today also delivered 2 Blackcaps, and 10 Goldcrests all juveniles.
Last night whilst setting up nets, 9 Redwings were nice....
...we will see what this evening and tomorrow morning bring......

Extreme ringing

2011-11-02T08:29:00.005Z

.... we could have gone bigger but not smaller!
The day started with a 4.6g Goldcrest in warm sun and ended with a 330g Woodcock in a howling cold south easterly wind.
Our coastal dune site continues to add to our Goldcrest totals for the year but was otherwise quiet. A late Small Copper butterfly was a nice sighting there.
A wander round the Frenni fields under a starlit sky with the lamp was also quiet but we caught two juvenile Woodcock. Two Golden Plover, a Fieldfare and a Skylark were the only other birds seen.
Our Rock Pipit numbers are creeping up with another 13 caught on Sunday at Patch. Unlike last Autumn we still haven't caught any with Scandinavian features.

We...and our sedgies love Western France....

2011-10-30T12:53:00.000Z

This map above we produced in June showing our Teifi ringed Sedge Warblers passing through western France on their way south last Summer.

The larger map shows our latest Sedge Warbler movements, with the Loire Atlantique featuring twice again. The Pyrenees movement is shown below, as this Sedge Warbler is a Teifi breeding bird. - Most of our Sedge Warblers are passage birds.

The Woolston Eyes juvenile was a bird that reached us in 3 days.

Sedge Warbler 5634103
Ringing date: 10-Aug-2009 Age - juvenile
Site name: Les Barthes-de-Quartier-Bas, Villefranque, PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques, France
Grid ref: Co-ords: 43deg 27min N 1deg 28min W

Finding date: 05-Jun-2011 Age - adult
-- this bird, presumed male was re-trapped several times after the June date given.
TEIFIC Site name: Teifi Marsh, Ceredigion
Grid ref: SN1845 Co-ords: 52deg 4min N 4deg 39min W

Duration: 664 days Distance: 987 km Direction: 347deg NNW

Confimation received of our control of a Portland ringed Willow Warbler, and the recovery of a Swallow roosting in the Teifi Reed-bed 2nd August, then roosting at Langorse Lake 1st September - both 2011.

Four on the Frenni

2011-10-26T07:15:00.010+01:00

Out on Frenni Fawr again last night - four species caught! Our first two Woodcock of the autumn, a Fieldfare, Golden Plover and a Meadow Pipit.

This is a juvenile Woodcock showing rounded inner primary tips and wear on the outer primary tips.

The Meadow Pipit was also a juvenile with a good contrast between the new adult greater coverts and the retained juvenile feathers.
And to complete the four, a Golden Plover (one of 13 seen)
and the Fieldfare being ringed.(photos - Mike)

Our hills are Golden with Fieldfares too

2011-10-25T09:30:00.013+01:00

The first nights of the season up on the Frenni;-
On Sunday with Paddy, a great start ! 5 goldies and 2 Fieldfares.Last night Wendy & I ringed 3 Fieldfares, unbelievably under the stars. The rain and wind having past !!
No Woodcock seen on either visit. See Talk of the Devil for more West Wales goldie info including a Belgian goldie...........courtesy of Tony C !!

Rock Pipits at Ceibwr

2011-10-24T11:13:00.005+01:00

Our usual spring trapping site in the Teifi estuary was being battered by high winds yesterday so we tried a sheltered bay just down the coast.
A reasonable number of Pipits and Pied wagtails were feeding around the piles of seaweed. Despite plenty of insects and a tide that was really too low, some Rock Pipits and Meadow Pipits were tempted by our waxworm bait.
The Rock Pipits showed none of the Scandinavian features of those we were catching last Autumn. This site is going to be a good alternative when strong winds from the south stop us doing anything else. Still 40mph gusts today but with heavy rain as well, even spring trapping isnt appealing!

Tales of ....tails from the Teifi RG

2011-10-23T19:56:00.008+01:00

Not of Bluetails....but the first garden ringing session, with lot's of BlueTits and a photo of 1 of yesterday's Long-tailed Tits.Also, nice to retrap a Nuthatch, and catch up on ageing Great spots...this one a juvenile having completed his first primary moult.(Photos Mike)
We were garden ringing due to the wind, but this did not deter an after session drive to an even windier Burry Port Harbour,....for a fine male Long-tailed Duck... a rare bird in these Western parts these days and...a bogey bird for one ringer !!

A few hours at Gwbert

2011-10-21T19:35:00.008+01:00

A rare respite in the wind yesterday enabled us to spend a couple of hours at our new site in the dunes at Gwbert.
What looked a promising stream, boggy area and pond last year to draw migrants in has dwindled to a muddy trickle. Wellies not really needed this year.
Just a few Goldcrest and Chaffinch were moving though the site but plenty of migration was visible high overhead.
It is always good to catch a few of the same species to compare moult.
Even common birds are photogenic to a newcomer to ringing. Mike was with us for the first time to see what his little sister gets up to and enjoyed taking some photos including this Dunnock, Goldcrest and Chaffinch.

Garden ringing tomorrow so probably some pictures of Blue Tits coming up......

More from Portland

2011-10-17T20:29:00.006+01:00

TRG in action!
While at Portland, we started each day by running the ringing site at Culverwell. This is a small patch of woodland and scrub just up the road from the Observatory. It's a sociable place where passing birders stop to chat and take photos. Thanks to Bagsy for this picture. Some birds we processed yesterday morning are on The Bagsy Blog

Autumn at Portland....but in the sun !!

2011-10-17T12:41:00.009+01:00

We've just spent 3 Days at Portland Bird Obs. over the week-end.
Wendy and Dawn ringed the first Redwings of Portland's autumn, nice to find in the nets amongst the Robins !Not all autumn though, 1 Grasshopper Warbler, 7 Blackcaps, 6 Chiffchaffs and a very nice to weigh 24.g Garden Warbler..
Raptor movement was nice too..
10 Common Buzzards soaring above the Bill was record- breaking on the Saturday, and the Kestrels, Sparrowhawks and Short-eared Owls kept the finches diving for cover and into nets.
Shorties peaked at 18 Owls over the Top fields on the Sunday.

Shop online and raise money for the TRG

2011-10-12T08:07:00.003+01:00

Another windy day so admin jobs instead of ringing!

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Chiffs, Chaffs, and very long bills......!!

2011-10-03T21:38:00.004+01:00

Apologies for the late posting,.....A Western Bonelli's in the county caused a delay to the admin for Wendy and I..!!

Saturday at the CES site;-
8 new Chiffs & 35 new Chaffs, along with new Great Tits and Song Thrushes seemed to mirror coastal passage through the county and islands...
(74 new 18 retraps)

Sunday, a TRG first !! and very pleasing, two of our other migration hotspots, were ringed simultaneously. Little to report from these hotspots though today....
So off !! Wendy, Dyfed, Karen and I go......
Off to Kidwelly and further depths of Carmarthenshire.
Long-billed Dowitcher, Glossy Ibis, Spotted Redshank, and 4 Curlew Sandpipers by rotating our 'scopes....from Kidwelly Quay wall.

Back to ringing in the morning.

Africa to the Teifi......via Icklesham again !!

2011-09-30T00:40:00.000+01:00

6 movement details received in the last 48 hrs;-
Constant Effort Session (CES) and Mallard, the Teifi Marsh sites.

Common Whitethroat;-
Our first, L399822 ringed as a juvenile, presumably on passage - Icklesham 5th August 2010,
controlled at CES, a female with a brood patch, - 19th June 2011.

Sedge Warbler;-
Typical movements, presumably ringed on passage.
L018186 ringed as a juvenile - Icklesham 14th August 2010,
controlled at Mallard, a breeding bird ? - 9th & 30th June 2011.
L447220 ringed as a juvenile - Farlington Marsh 8th August 2010,
controlled at Mallard 24th June 2011.

Reed Warbler;-
R424229 ringed as an adult - 12th May 2011, Kenfig Pool, continuing it's Westward movement,
controlled at CES - 19th June 2011.
L598209 ringed at CES site, presumably on passage - 5th September 2010,
controlled Llyn Ystumllyn, Gwynedd - 2nd June 2011.
R336063 our oldest favourite !!
Ringed at Penclacwydd, 22 September 2002, last recaptured 9th July 2011, now 3212 days later.
Only 8 times to West Africa and back so far....

Ringed above the knee -- though not a semi - p !

2011-09-28T23:21:00.016+01:00

We now ring Ringed Plovers above the knee - see latest Ringers News. No help to read in the field or by digiscoped photograph !
We also learnt yesterday whilst ringing Curlew on the Severn (see below for our adventure)...that we were to put the rings on upside down. On the leg, wear is greatest on the lower part of the ring, the number being more important than the address, so upside down they are. Again no help to field readers.

So on to toes and lack of webbing.

Only 2 Ringed Plovers caught tonight, (3 more on 30th Sept) with checking webbing rather topical at the moment...... !

We are big Ringed Plover ringers !! In 2009, of 287 full grown ringed in UK...50 (17%) were ringed by us.

Cardiff ringers tell the story...

2011-09-27T20:05:00.012+01:00

A change from the Teifi!
A couple of us went over to the Severn Estuary to help catch some Curlew for a colour ringing project.
We had travelled up the day before to help set up the cannon net at this site. Being my first experience at this method of catching it proved to be a worthwhile and educational few hours. Thanks to all the team.
Have a look at the Cardiff Ringers blog, cardiffringers.blogspot.com. for some nice pictures and description of our morning.
A ringing trip away has to include some birding too so we tried to find the Spotted sandpiper at Lydney without success but better luck at Goldcliff lagoons, Newport on the way home where the American Golden Plover flew over calling. Also 8 Ruff, 3 Spotted Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 4 Avocet and a Yellow Wagtail.

A brief respite from the wind...

2011-09-25T16:45:00.004+01:00

A window of opportunity was forecast so the nets at Mallard were open at dawn. Now that the acro passage seems to have slowed down or even finished, we have cut down to just 2 X 60 foot nets in the (very wet, thigh deep in places) reed bed and a couple of 2 shelf nets around the pond edge.
Some movement overhead was promising including Snipe and Skylarks. 13 new Reed Buntings and 2 retraps including one that we had not seen since June 2010 was good. A retrap Cetti's Warbler too was welcome as our numbers of these this year is well down.
But look what turned up next! -
Our first Water rail at Mallard. The only previous one was Aug 2009 at our CES site. This first winter female wandered into the 2 shelf net while I was extracting a Blue Tit from the other end!
The other highlight of the morning was a male Migrant Hawker in the net.
(Photos Dawn)
And then the wind stopped play yet again.....

On the way to Mallard..........

2011-09-24T21:09:00.003+01:00

Not in the hand.........does come to bread !! The Cardigan 2 year Ring-billed Gull
Some 2nd year plumage features showing well on this photo.
Meanwhile in the Mallard Run, a few Reed Buntings, Pied Wagtails, and a Swallow this evening....
some late acros in the morning ..........?

late sedgies at Mallard

2011-09-21T21:13:00.002+01:00

This isn't a Sedge Warbler, a bit more important, a new Cetti's today, they seem a bit thin on the ground this year?

4 new Sedge Warblers this early morning, all no / very low fat scores.....where were our late Reed Warblers today?

Fat............

2011-09-16T09:22:00.006+01:00

This little fat chap ! I retrapped 07:30 yesterday morning - 15 September.
He was ringed as a juvenile on the 13th August in the Mallard Run, by our guest at the time Richard Charles, with a fat score of 0, and a weight of 10.2g.
Yesterday (15/9), he had a fat score of 6.5 and a weight of 16.2g....and felt fat too!!
I must check, but it is rare for us to catch birds putting fat down whilst with us, we are very much a site for passage migrants, not a place for major refuelling........Was our recent poor weather the cause of his delay to move on?

Under a full moon..........

2011-09-10T23:35:00.002+01:00

The day started with removing 3 x 60' nets from The Mallard Run..between the downpours etc.. The acro. numbers are diminishing....but 4 Sedge Warblers by 8am were a delight including a fat 6... weight 15.0g.
High tide nearly perfect for Patch..but the cloud went,and the moon shone bright !!
A few Dunlins, and 2 Common Sandpipers were a nice catch.

Mallard mud -- but no Aquatic !

2011-09-05T15:43:00.008+01:00

We, well I, ... (Wendy currently ringing and working on Skokholm !)
....... had been enthused by the ringing on Saturday of an Aquatic in S. Devon...
Yesterday, Sunday morning back in the mud, and with 14 new Sedge Warblers, quite happy. This figure a new daily September high for us here. Also 3 new Reed Warblers.

Then over to Towyn, our small site in the scrub near the mouth of the estuary.
3 visits over the past week, small numbers of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and a couple of Common Whitethroats & Goldcrests the highlights so far........!

Relatives on the beach

2011-09-02T02:27:00.008+01:00

Juvenile Dunlins and Ringed Plovers are our usual catch, and 5 of each species tonight.
Tonight's other waders were more of a hand full !Whimbrel and Curlew, both juvenile..........

Megamouth pulls a stormie

2011-09-01T01:09:00.013+01:00

We had successfully attracted and caught stormies with our "old sound system"...
Wendy's brother, Mike had been tasked to upgrade our largest sound system.
Not put off by the much delayed arrival due to events in Japan, we set up at Strumble with the newly arrived "Megamouth" last night. -- pictured with the lights of the Fishguard /Rosslare ferry in the background !! 23:20 success.......and we look forward to increased catches next year.

3 wader species on the beach

2011-08-31T01:09:00.007+01:00

After 58 Woodcock ringed on upland pastures last winter, a nice change to be on the beach, watching the sunset over the sea.....
Juvenile Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, and this juvenile Curlew Sandpiper ringed -- a nice start to this phase of high tides at night.

Sylvia warblers next

2011-08-29T11:16:00.005+01:00

(Lesser Whitethroat on Saturday, Tommy Evans)

We get the feeling that our Aquatics are not going to happen, but we are not giving up.... !
Emphasis now moving to Sylvia warblers, both on the reserve (ces over now) and at Towyn Burrows, our scrubland site nearer the estuary mouth.

Back to the beach...

2011-08-28T10:23:00.005+01:00

With waders starting to move, a high tide look at the estuary this morning was calling so we took some spring traps down to Patch for a change.
This was earlier than our first attempt last year when our maximum catches were in October. It was well worthwhile though - 12 Rock Pipits ringed. With only 8 traps, a six bird round just 10 minutes after the previous round was a good result.
No rarities amongst the waders but the Turnstones and Sanderling on the spit make a dazzling attempt tonight look appealing.

TRG goes all weather!

2011-08-27T13:52:00.007+01:00

It was good to have three enthusiastic children with us this morning for our last CES session of the year. Apart from one big round at 7am the morning was fairly quiet, particularly the reed bed - 55 new including 16 Chiffs, 15 Blackcaps, 4 Sedge Warblers and 1 Lesser Whitethroat. 16 retraps including 2 Treecreepers.

The weather could have been better but we had a chance to try out our new pop up gazebo to shelter us from showers that threatened all morning. With any luck we might have some hot days next summer and we can shelter us and the birds from the sun.

This was funded by Environment Wales as part of a start up grant.

Our £2 table and chairs have survived another season so until the day that we can afford the luxury of a ringing hut we are not too doing too badly for comfort. The only thing missing was Dawn with her supply of bacon sandwiches!

Aquatic free ...but a thank you

2011-08-21T22:00:00.000+01:00

Karen, our latest Trainee, overseeing the drying of bird bags !!!
Steve in the photo, the finder of the recent Long-eared Owl, & Woodchat Shrike on the marsh.
Our ringing effort in the Mallard Run has been helped this season by 2 grants for ringing in this area of the reserve. A grant from the Welsh Ornithological Society directed at the Aquatic Warbler. A grant from Cardigan Town Council for our ringing in this area of the reserve where we are very accessible to interested members of the general public.

Alas no Aquatic Warbler ....yet !
Last August we ringed on 18 dates in August, catching 2 Aquatics and 215 Sedge warblers in the process.
To date, this August we have ringed on 24 of the 26 dates, no Aquatic but 281 new Sedge Warblers and 61 new Reed Warblers. A great plus in the Mallard this season has been 15 Grasshopper Warblers.
After our final CES tomorrow,........into Mallard mud again !!

Aquatic no, but Cettis.....

2011-08-20T20:11:00.004+01:00

No surprise, no Aquatic yet, note -- 1 trapped in Dorset this morning.
Oliver Fox from the West Wiltshire RG with us for a few days with a juvenile Cetti's Warbler today. Oliver doesn't find many on Salisbury Plain !
Not sure how our Cettis have fared.. work in progress.

Still no Aqua but...

2011-08-20T00:12:00.002+01:00

No Surprise !! No Aquatics on Patch either
-- but this juvenile Knot is rather nice.

No Aquatic yet but a new bird for the TRG

2011-08-15T14:03:00.006+01:00

A strange sight across the reed bed this morning with mist rising from the Mallard ride! Richard and his visiting nephew, Tom, must have been working up quite a sweat opening the nets to produce that.
With acro numbers not reaching the peaks of last August (our 2 Aquatic Warblers turned up this week last year) and plenty of pairs of hands this morning we added a 2 shelf wader net along Mallard pond edge for some extra excitement. This was our reward, a Green Sandpiper.

None were ringed in Wales in 2010 and only 3 in 2009.
Also overhead were a Spotted Redshank and Whimbrel so watch this space for another new TRG species before long!
We did catch another 19 acros in a couple of hours so the numbers for this year are slowly adding up (over 400 Sedge warblers so far this year).

Not all Blue Tits...

2011-08-14T12:52:00.006+01:00

Nearly a full house of tits this morning, Blue, Great and Long tailed of course but unusually for our CES site, a Coal Tit and Marsh Tit.
Nice for our visiting ringer too, Richard Charles from Leigh Ringing Group, as Marsh Tits are not regularly caught by them either.
Richard has spent a few days with us enjoying some early morning sessions in the reed bed and getting to know us before 3 weeks together ringing in Uganda next year.
A quiet CES session with 55 new including 17 Chiff Chaffs and 26 retraps, the best of which was a Treecreeper.
A Marsh Tit was also caught in the garden yesterday, a more usual site for them.
Interestingly birds ringed there do turn up on our CES site 3 miles away - last week we retrapped 2 Goldfinches that were ringed at home last December and a Blue Tit from CES last summer was caught in the garden during the winter.

X799807 - Siskin

2011-08-13T22:27:00.004+01:00

Not sure where this one is in the system?
This was a surprise control by Paddy and I, as a 5M at Ty Rhyg, North Pembs, on 3 July 2010.
Any knowledge.......?

From Russia.... (with love ......)

2011-08-12T17:45:00.001+01:00

Woodcock Scolopax rusticola

Ring no: EW93650

Since November 2009 we have ringed 67 Woodcock in the North Preselis, so far no recoveries for us,... but one for Paddy Jenks ringing nearby,...

Ringing date: 17-Jan-2010
Place code: CRINOW Site name: Crinow Farm, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, Wales


Finding date: 15-Apr-2011
Place code: --- Site name: Yusupovo, Domodedovskiy district, Moscow O., Russian Federation Shot

Duration: 453 days Distance: 2825 km Direction: 82deg (E)
Finder: RUM Moscow

Y141566 -- Teeside to the Teifi !!

2011-08-09T14:30:00.002+01:00

Ian Forrest said...: Hi Teifi Ringing Group

Sedge Warbler Y141566 was ringed at Saltholme[RSPB]/ Teesside -my CES site- as a '3' on 22/07/2011 Wing 68 mm Mass 11.1 gram. @ 0710 .

Thanks and well done!

Best Wishes

Derek Clayton

Y141566 - sedwa.....an owner please?

2011-08-09T05:36:00.005+01:00

Back in Mallard mud.....
7 & 8th August 2010, we controlled 4 BTO ringed Sedge Warbler & 1 French ringed Reed Warbler.
2011, 7 & 8th August.. we have controlled just 1, the Sedge -- Y141566, a juvenile bird.
Likely the weather paid it's part, with a much smaller catch, and likely a slower/different passage?
We are beginning to recapture birds as adults that we ringed last August as juveniles- never seen in the breeding season.
Time will tell as we study our breeding population, but nice to think that these are returning faithful passage birds.....
....our studies go on when the weather allows !!.

Thanks...a melody too

2011-08-08T20:04:00.005+01:00

Before I dive into Mallard mud...
A big thanks to Owen Leyshon (now of Kent / Dungeness) sitting at the table scribing for Arfon in the photos below.
A great thanks too for finding today's Melodious Warbler at Martin's Haven.
See PembsBirds for nice pics by Dave Astins,

More from Saturday

2011-08-08T13:28:00.016+01:00

Some of dawn's photos from the ringing demonstration.

After a slow CES start, it was looking as if there might not be many birds for the demo but first bird out of the net for them was the star of the show, a Kingfisher.

And next, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers!

A steady flow of birds followed, including Sedge and Reed Warblers, Goldfinches, Chaffinches and to finish, a Goldcrest, providing plenty of interest.

Ringing Demo delights!

2011-08-06T23:05:00.010+01:00

A good turnout at the 1st of the seasons ringing demonstrations.
What a setting, held on the bank of the Teifi, next to our CES site....... what birds!
The 1st birds out the bags, 1 Kingfisher, & 2 Great Spots..... more demo pics to follow..!!

Attempting Aquatics & ringed Ringed Plovers

2011-08-06T23:00:00.002+01:00

Visit this.......Lamsdell Ringing & Birding Blog........and wish...!!

We missed the Mallard Run due to CES and the Ringing Demonstration today. With 8 Sedges caught on the CES site, where we only catch Sedges with heavy passage, I suspect we missed c100 today at Mallard and what species with them...??
Sunday is another day.....

A HT visit to Patch today, the 1st juvenile Ringed Plovers and 2 ringed adults....I only ringed 1 on Friday night.....OH !

Sedges in the mud!

2011-08-05T15:40:00.005+01:00

Our second highest August Sedge Warbler catch this morning with 53 new birds in one and a half hours. Also a Grasshopper Warbler and 3 Reed Warblers. Out of the 53 birds before 7am only 6 were adults.
Net rounds are quite a challenge at the moment with mud to the top of our waders in places but worth it as the drier reed bed on our CES site doesn't attract anywhere near as many acros.

Sandpiper stories

2011-08-05T00:04:00.014+01:00

The week-end is here...
No Green Sandpiper at Mallard he was as at Creek Hide!!
Off to Patch, and this nice adult Ringed Plover, small wader passage has hardly started, no juvenile small waders yet.
We catch a few Common Sandpipers on the Teifi in August, therefore very nice to catch the spotted American cousin. This Spotted Sandpiper was one of the amazing successes at Long Point in May, (see the May postings).
To finish the sandpiper stories,....my 1st Wood Sandpiper, and what a disappointment for a crazy second,...a control, bearing a Belarus ring.....this was on a Southern Greek island...
I wonder what will the Teifi produce this week-end ??
What will enhance our ringing demonstration and CES?

Environmental funding gives the TRG a boost

2011-08-04T11:17:00.003+01:00

The TRG has received a grant from Environment Wales.
The Environment Wales initiative not only provides financial assistance but also support to voluntary groups who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the Environment of Wales made possible by funding from the Welsh Government. The grants help to cover the cost of valuable resources to undertake much needed projects. Particularly valuable for us will be the purchase of a digital projector to enhance talks given to local groups as well as tools and stationery.
For more information about the Environment Wales initiative, their core partners and the types of project it can support email: info@environment-wales.org

Ringing demo this Saturday

2011-08-02T17:32:00.004+01:00

There are still some places left for the bird ringing workshop being organised by the Welsh Wildlife Centre -
Saturday 6 August, 8am
"Join the Teifi Ringing Group on the Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve for this interesting insight into their work.Breakfast is included after the workshop in our Glasshouse Cafe.£7.50 per person. Booking is advised. Please call us on 01239 621600 or email us on wwc@welshwildlife.org"

A lovely Lesser ?

2011-07-31T22:42:00.003+01:00

Lesser Whitethroats -- still not a very regular bird we catch.
We've only trapped 7 adults before, and I don't remember seeing one undergoing a complete moult before, tail-less and a fine example of flight feather replacement..
Otherwise a quiet CES, a new juvenile Cetti's perhaps the best of the c90 bird session.
(photo Tommy)

Weather for Strumble?

2011-07-31T22:41:00.008+01:00

Not for sea-watching but......
Saturday night relaxing after an early CES...!!
8 Storm Petrels trapped in a 2 hour session, the session started early, the 1st being at 22:47 including a stormie in active wing moult, 2 new primaries with c10mm in sheath, was an unusual observation for me in July.
(photos in the dark, Rich. Stonier)

Nice birds at dawn and dusk.........

2011-07-29T22:45:00.003+01:00

An early (pre) dawn in the Mallard Run picked up a new Grasshopper Warbler, then 40 acros.
A couple of hours CES this evening........and oh !!

Will the week-end live up to this >>>>>>>>>>>

A Sedge & Reed warbler excite us this morning !

2011-07-26T09:47:00.015+01:00

L637855 - a juvenile Sedge Warbler caught this morning, a control from someone?

L250798 - a retrapped adult Reed Warbler for us this morning, good RAS stuff we retrap many. (our next project ? !).
OUR pocket PC with all our IPMR data held on it, tells us not only we ringed it as a juvenile 25/7/2010, ..........AND.........Icklesham caught this juvenile as a control 17/8/2010....

Don't we love this in the field technology and an upto date IPMR !!

Also into double figures of both Sedge & Reed warblers caught this morning plus another Grasshopper Warbler.

Last night we introduced Bethan, a new trainee to her 1st Swallow roost. We packed up nice and early with 34 Swallows, 5 Pied Wagtails, 3 Sand Martins in the bags,...... still c1000 in the sky !

CES toThe Mallard

2011-07-25T09:43:00.010+01:00

Our 2nd Magpie was a bizarre high-light of the week-end CES. (A new bird for a leading member of the group!)
c40 new birds amongst the c30 retraps.......good CES data though, with c20 Reed Warblers, and 2 juvenile Treecreepers nice.

This a nice shot of the undertail coverts of a Grasshopper Warbler, note the weak feathers of the tail, indicating poor feeding conditions when growing.

An early visit to the Mallard Run on Sunday, producing some nice birds moving through the reedbed.... 3 Grasshopper Warblers, a Willow Warbler, and a Goldcrest along with c30 new acros. Juvenile Reed Buntings starting to move through too.

A calling Green Sandpiper dropping on the Mallard pond edge...... that would be nice....!!

This week-end last year (24/25 July) we caught c100 Reed warblers in the 2 sites, only c40 this year in comparison........what will the week ahead deliver...??

Tuesday's Moorhen

2011-07-21T21:57:00.006+01:00

A first for the TRG, not what you expect in the top shelf of a net!
A short dawn to 7.30am session this morning in the Mallard reed bed was again worthwhile. 13 Sedge and 12 Reed Warblers, a Grasshopper Warbler, a Cetti's warbler, Pied wagtail and surprisingly, a juv Whitethroat.

The Teifi at dawn -ish

2011-07-20T16:06:00.003+01:00

An early visit this morning.
Amongst the Reed & Sedge Warblers, another new juvenile Kingfisher.
The 20 Reed Warblers, almost certainly home-grown Teifi birds most juvenile with small amounts of body feathers in sheath. At least one of the 11 Sedge Warblers a certain migrant, a new adult, with a fat score of 6 and 30% heavier than the others.
(photo Dawn)

The Teifi at night -ish

2011-07-20T15:21:00.004+01:00

(photo Dawn)
Swallows & Sand Martins gathering before roosting in the reed-bed near Mallard Hide last night.
113 Swallows and 23 Sand Martins caught and ringed. Also a new bird for the Group, a male Moorhen flew into a net and pocketed long enough for me, on hearing Wendy's shouts from the other end of the net run ! to wade through reed-bed mud......

Reed Warblers..........more to learn......

2011-07-17T23:58:00.008+01:00

Have a look at this link to the BTO on Reed Warbler movements.
The map shows that the Teifi plays it's part, remembering that breeding was not proven / regularly occurring until the mid 1970's in either Pembs or Ceredigion.

Last year -2010 on the Teifi,
We ringed 432 Reed Warblers with 169 recaptures(retraps & controls).
Over the coming years what will we discover about our rapidly expanding population...?
Early and late arriving birds, giving the extended breeding season they enjoy?
Surely, all those birds are not our locals..?

We guess that most the Sedge Warblers are passage birds, 612 ringed with only 61 recaptures in 2010.....and of the 2 Aquatic Warblers in 2010.....migrants for sure!!

R424229 -- Reed Warbler

2011-07-17T19:23:00.004+01:00

Many thanks to Cedwyn, Gower RG for replying that they ringed this Reed Warbler, during a CES at Kenfig NNR 12th may 2011.
We caught the bird, sexed it as a breeding female during our CES 19th June 2011.
This movement along the South Wales coast, seems typical of Reed Warblers passage to and from West Wales

France to the Teifi

2011-07-15T12:17:00.006+01:00

Another French control Sedge Warbler, 6321623, was caught in a short session in the reed bed at Mallard hide this morning. That is our 16th Sedge Warbler control (8th foreign).

Also news of the Sand Martin with a French ring 6051318 that we caught on the 6th April this year.It was ringed on 4th August 2009 inLe Massereau, Frossay, Loire Atlantique in France. (610 days, 572km)

Teifi RG on TV!

2011-07-13T09:59:00.006+01:00

An S4C TV programme was being filmed on the reserve yesterday. 8 celebrities are staying in the nearby Fforest camp for a week of intensive Welsh learning. Matt Johnson and Sophie Evans were out for a dawn walk and called to see us ringing at Mallard hide.
They were delighted to see some Sedge and Reed Warblers but declined the offer of some waders to experience the mud of the reed bed!

Wheatears - potential for a RAS project?

2011-07-11T17:54:00.011+01:00

Sunday morning was spent on the southern slopes of the Preselis with spring traps for Wheatears. A lot of time waiting and watching.....

but success, amongst those caught - this retrap juvenile Wheatear that was ringed as a pullus by Paddy on 27th May. He ringed pulli in 2 nests at this site.
The resident adults did seem much more wary of the traps than Wheatears we have trapped at Mwnt (a coastal site) on migration. There was plenty of food around so our mealworms weren't so tempting.
The site has a good number of breeding Wheatear in a defined area so it does seem to have potential for a future RAS (Retrapping adults for survival) project.

What a nice tail..........

2011-07-10T23:02:00.012+01:00

The highlight of this week-end's Teifi ringing..
This young male Redstart only the third that we have caught.

We also caught 3 new juvenile Cetti's Warblers in the 2 reserve's sites this week-end amongst the rapidly increasing Reed & Sedge Warbler totals..
(photos Dawn J)

CES 7

2011-07-05T22:42:00.007+01:00

With adults in heavy moult and nowhere to been seen (Blue tits ..to Willow Warblers), plenty of juveniles, these the highlights. This a new juvenile Kingfisher, much brighter than last weeks juv. I didn't think that we catch many Treecreepers, thus a nice photo...a quick check with ipmr....oh? this is our 12th..!!
(Photos Dawn J.)

Strumble Stormies

2011-07-04T19:38:00.010+01:00

A new venture for the TRG last night, ringing Storm Petrels at Strumble Head.
The net was set up below the sea watching lookout.
10 pm and it was still daylight.

Adrian joined the TRG for the night and took some photos for us.
Hundreds of passing Manxies entertained us while waiting for darkness......
The first Storm Petrels were caught at 11.47. This was just after the Rosslare to Fishguard ferry went past so theories were flying around about the boat pushing the birds towards land. Sounded reasonable at the time.
Note the healthy midnight snacks!
Only four were caught but a useful first session to get used to the site and the sound system.
A good way to end a long day that had started at 4.30am for some of us when we opened the nets for
CES!

Skokholm revisited

2011-07-02T23:25:00.014+01:00

The turn of adult Manxies today, Wendy with one of the 30+ ringed from their burrows...we are trying to ring 100 adults in this study plot.

Alice doing a great job with the admin, whilst a Manxie copies a Puffin in attempting to bite me.

Part of the Puffin colony only minutes after we had finished.... we did successfully colour-ring the remaining 30 Puffins today, all the Manxies and Puffin work carried out for EGI (Oxford Univ.)
Jerry - Skokholm warden has resightings of 60+ of the c120 Colour-ringed Puffins so far.

I guess the final sea-bird ringing trip of the season....?

The group today not only from the Teifi RG and Pembs RG, but also Ian and Cedwyn from the Gower RG....Note the major rarity North of the Cleddau in the form of John Hayes !!
Delighted to see you John.

DRP664 see post below........

2011-06-28T21:16:00.005+01:00

Richard and all at TRG.
I can confirm the bird was ringed at PBO by Emma Cockburn on 27th April 2011. Wing 65 therefore not sexed on measurement by us. Wgt 8.7 gms 1200hrs. Will write longer re reewas etc, must dash off to the excellent Chinese down here.
All best wishes
Peter Morgan.

Thanks Peter for following our blog, recognising the sequence and the follow up.....superb !!
Our 1st movement between Portland and the Teifi...? Certainly for the Teifi RG, and as Wendy as just reminded me, we only left Portland ourselves 2 days before on the 25th !!!.. From one of our regular six monthly visits to Portland B Obs.

A follow up on Peter's reewa (Reed Warbler) comment and activities from the Mallard Run soon...

Chiffchaffs provide the numbers, a Willow Warbler the highlight

2011-06-26T17:18:00.005+01:00

CES 6:-
DRP664...an adult Willow Warbler control, the highlight with 36 Chiffchaffs (16, CES 6 2010).
Another species on focus this week versus last year, Reed Warbler, with 14 (17, CES 6 2010).
Other highlights of a tremendous team effort, juveniles.... Kingfisher, Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Pied Wagtail & Lesser Whitethroat.....all good CES birds for us !!
CES 6 totals, 103 new, 35 retrap(2010...87 new, 20 retrap)

L447220... a Sedge on the move??

2011-06-24T10:19:00.002+01:00

A noticeable difference in a short session in the reed bed this morning.
Recently we have been catching our breeding Sedge Warblers but today had 4 new adults including a control, L447220, but none of our own. It looks like birds are on the move.
More juvs too including a Cetti's warbler, Swallow, Reed Buntings and Reed and Sedge Warblers.
An adult Little Egret flew over - the first around the Teifi for months.
Plenty of juvenile Swallows around which came out of roost quite late and stayed around the reed bed looking as if they were practising perching on the reeds.
Also a Kingfisher over Mallard pool which headed straight for the net run just after the net was taken down of course!

Puffin colour-ringing update !!

2011-06-23T14:18:00.006+01:00

Wendy with skokholm puffin 99
Just had a quick chat with Jerry on Skokholm, between himself, staff and visitors staying on the island, they are just coming up to the 50th Puffin being individually recognised out of the 100 colour-ringed a couple of weeks ago.. an impressive result !

Herring Gulls on Caldey

2011-06-23T13:15:00.008+01:00

Yesterday we joined the annual visit by Steve and The Pembs RG to Caldey to look at Herring Gull productivity. Several of the colonies were checked, all with poor, although variable productivity.
Even at the most successful part of the colony, only 100 juveniles from c400 nests were ringed. We would expect to be able to ring the required 200 juveniles at this part of the colony.
Small numbers of gull chicks were either too small or too big to ring, but overall Steve will have some poor productivity figures to report, even though this was a late season visit.

CES, with controls, retraps and juveniles

2011-06-19T22:52:00.010+01:00

An excellent CES today..
(photo Dawn J)

The highlight maybe this Common Whitethroat, we don't record many on the site, and surprised by this female with a brood patch...and a control !! (L399822)
An odd coincidence... Paddy had a control Garden Warbler in Ty rhyg last week L399232..the same origins of ringing ?....but not Pembs ?

Reed Warbler R424229 -- may be of equal significance, an old local bird that pre-dates the Teifi RG, or another control?

131 birds caught this session. 84 new, including our 1st juvenile Cetti's of the year, 1 week later than last year, (more on the Cetti population another time, a decline?)
Our 1st juvenile Treecreeper of the year, c1 month earlier than normal, a sign of successful early breeding.

A nice return from Senegal

2011-06-16T22:09:00.007+01:00

Sedge Warbler T990464 was ringed on the 4 May 2009.
This was one of 144 Sedge Warblers ringed that morning, and also amongst these 2 controls bearing PARIS rings, what a session on the Teifi Marsh.

T990464 was controlled on 15 January 2011, Djoudj National Park, Senegal
(by DEW Wilhelmshaven)

The two other dots on the map are two Sedge Warbler recoveries received today, showing typical passage movements of our Teifi Sedge Warblers through Western France.

Fault bars

2011-06-16T09:40:00.004+01:00

A short session in the Mallard Run before work. The first juvenile Reed Buntings this morning, along with more juvenile Reed Warblers. This juvenile with a well marked growth bar across the tail, indicating a poor period of feeding at some point in it's feather growth.
(Photo. Wendy J.)

Too wet to ring so.....

2011-06-15T11:54:00.005+01:00

The Welsh Wildlife Centre at Cilgerran have kindly let us have the use of a noticeboard for ringing news and information.
It is on the middle floor of the centre along with other information about the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales..

Reed Warbler P216372

2011-06-12T18:08:00.002+01:00

P216372..retrapped 11 June 2011 on the Teifi.............
Ringed ...24 July 2000 as an adult on the Teifi.........
He has been known on the Teifi as an adult for nearly 11 years, afraid he will have to make the return journey again to be considored for the oldest recorded Reed Warbler.
(the current oldest 12yrs 11 months, photo Dawn J.)