Sedge Warblers and evening ringing

Sedge Warbler migration is slowing down but Reed Warblers may still be attending fledged young therefore we will seeing them for a while longer.

Sedge Warbler - Diane Williams

As dusk approaches we have been opening a couple of mist nets for Swallows and Sand Martins, though Yellow Wagtail along with Pied and White  coming to roost and a hunting Hobby have added to the evening.

Evening ringing in the reeds

Sedge Warblers processed July to August 

Teifi Marshes

2026   519 total  474 new

2025   629 total  546 new

Cors Caron

2026 76 new

2025 86 new

Though captures are down on the previous year we believe a successful early breeding season, followed by prolonged good feeding weather encouraged birds to move early. Fat scores and weight seem to be slightly  lower this season, maybe due to not depositing fat, just feeding as they move in the exceptionally good conditions.

Juvenile Sedge Warbler

Overall, the recoveries below  reinforce established migration corridors linking Wales with western France, Cornwall, and Dorset, and demonstrates the high mobility of Sedge Warblers during July and August.             

Movements of Sedge Warblers in July and August

Sedge Warbler 9108551 

13/08/2022 Treogat, Finistere, France 01/07/2026 Teifi Marshes  1418 days 467km N

Sedge Warbler BXF0605

24/07/2025 Carey Floodplain, Dorset  27/07/2026 Teifi Marshes  368 days 233km NW 

Sedge Warbler BJD8212

31/07/2024 Trimley Marsh, Suffolk  29/07/2026 Teifi Marshes 728 days 405km W 

Sedge Warbler  9343538

25/08/2023  Treogat, Finistere, France 06/05/2026 Teifi Marshes  985 days 467km N

Sedge Warbler 10179216

24/07/2025 Donges, Loire-Atlantique, France 03/05/2026 Teifi Marshes 283 days 562km NNW

Sedge Warbler BEP3406

09/08/2026 Nanjizal, Cornwall 16/08/2026 Teifi Marshes 7 days, 236km NNE

Sedge Warbler BCK8690

23/07/2026 Cors Caron 09/08/2026 Clanfield, Oxfordshire 17 days, 171km ESE

Sedge Warbler BKN8888

31/07/2026  Teifi Marshes 07/08/2026 Carey Floodplain, Dorset 7 days, 232km SE

Sedge Warbler   BZK4348

17/08/2026   Teifi Marshes   20/08/2026 Carey Floodplain, Dorset 3 days 232km SE

Sedge Warbler   BHH5582

22/08/2025 Teifi Marshes  11/07/2026 Kinneil Lagoon, Falkirk, Scotland 323 days 442km N

A couple of Reed Warbler movements. More on Reed Warblers in a later post - a RAS (Retrap Adult Survival) study species.

Reed Warbler BLJ7672

11/07/2026 Oxwich Marsh, Swansea 02/08/2026 Teifi Marshes  22 days 67km NNW 

Reed Warbler BBB3358

15/05/2025 Teifi Marshes  16/07/2026 Cors Ddyga, Anglesey 427 days 130km N 

Only one movement involved Cors Caron, with a Sedge Warbler travelling 171 km ESE to Oxfordshire — consistent with the site’s typical eastward mid summer pattern. 

This bird was re-encountered by our ringing buddies in the WOFP (West Oxford Farmland Project Group).  A Group we visit several times each winter to assist with farmland winter feeding projects.

Evening activities mentioned earlier have resulted in  377 Swallows, 11 Sand Martins plus a few wagtails ringed. As the Swallow passage has decreased we now focus on wagtails - with a particular interest in White Wagtails. 

With 5 recoveries of our ringed  White Wagtails in Iceland - a real focus ! 

A fat 4 , 31.5 g adult male White Wagtail the highlight of the latest session on the 1st September.

(Rich D and Wendy J)