Starling Roost at Teifi Marshes Reserve

The number of birds has varied considerable over the last week - from a couple of thousand up to about 40,000. The position of the roost has also varied considerably. When I first saw the roost last week the starlings were roosting on the reeds by the Teifi to the right of the Curlew Hide. By the end of the week they were roosting in the reeds on the opposite side of the path to the Kingfisher Hide. Last night's roost were difficult to count but must have been 15-20k and was in the reeds between the Kingfisher Hide and the Dipping Pond:

This photograph was taken with my Canon 30D camera with my Canon mini-zoom 17-85 ISO800 17mm f8 @ 1/100sec.

Great White Egret at Llanelli WWT

After shopping in Carmarthen and the Crosshands we went to Llanelli WWT. As we entered we were informed of a wryneck at the Heron Hide. We went there a couple of times but saw no wryneck but were informed that a great white egret had flown past. When we got to the British Steel Hide we were told that the great white was visible on a nearby scrape. Here is one of the images I took:



A whimbrel on the Teifi

Nothing much around the hides in Teifi Marshes this morning so went down to the Webley about an hour after high tide. Managed this shot of the whimbrel. Hope you like it. There were 4 curlew around as well as a little egret.

A new bird for us on the Teifi

Just as we got to the Curlew Hide today we could see that the gulls were very disturbed about something. It turned out to be this bird - an immature peregrine (according to Richard & Wendy) - though at first I thought it was a hobby:

Otter fest

Today down on the Teifi took over three hundred images of otters - in about 2 hours! This blog is in danger of becoming my otter blog. First saw the two otters in front of the Curlew Hide then followed them down to the bridge (Pont y Priordy). Here are some of the images:

All taken with a Canon 7D with Canon 500mm lens with 1.4 converter ISO 500. This one f8 @ 1/400sec.

This one f8 @ 1/640sec.

This one f8 @ 1/500sec.

This one f8 @ 1/640sec.



This one f8 @ 1/640sec. Looking back at the images there must have been three otters - a mother and two cubs, but we only saw two at any one time.

Ring-billed Gull

On Wed. 21st. September, while in the Curlew Hide at Teifi Marshes Reserve a group of (presumably) bird watchers joined us in the hide. When they left, one of the members casually mentioned that they had seen a ring-billed gull between the bridges in Cardigan. On the way home for lunch we decided to have a look.  These are some of the images that I managed:

I am no expert on gulls so I had to consult Richard & Wendy on whether or not this was actually a ringed-bill gull. After much discussion and consulting with further experts like Dave Astins the Pembrokeshire Gull expert it was finally agreed that it was in fact a genuine 2nd. winter ringed-bill gull



Osprey Nest building crew

Given the spectacular success of the Dyfi Osprey Project the Teifi Marshes Reserve is making an effort to set up its own Osprey Nest project. An old electricity pole has been donated by Western Power and the usual Tuesday working party at the Teifi Marshes Reserve has set about to build a nest. When complete Western Power will return and install the pole in an appropriate position on the marsh. Here are, reading from left to right: John Thomas (the group leader), Tommy, Geraint, Gerry and Nick.

Any suggestions on changes / improvements to the osprey nest are welcome, as are suggestions on the way to add the twigs for the nest itself.