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

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, Pyrénées-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

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

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

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

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

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

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