Our visit to the Welsh Wildlife Centre at the Teifi Marshes Reserve was not the happy experience we had enjoyed last year when we saw an otter. The first hide (Kingfisher hide) had been raised to the ground by arsonists and the only bird in sight was a mallard.

At the Creek hide all we saw was a crow.

At the Mallard hide the three occupants clearly decided that extreme social distancing was necessary and made no attempt to move cameras and/or camera bags to allow us to sit down. However, I did manage a photo of a little grebe from the back of the hide but that was all we could see.

Appropriately at the Curlew hide looking out on to the River Teifi we did see a solitary curlew. (I am sure the canoeists on the river had frightened anything else away.)

There was then a moment of joy when we saw a kingfisher fly across a pool on the marshes side of the path.

At the Heron hide there were just two wood pigeons and at the last hide on the Wetland Trail, the Otter Hide, there was absolutely nothing. I would be surprised to see an otter here as there was no water in sight.

Disappointing yes, but a pleasant walk and thankfully the rain had stopped by the time we had arrived at the reserve.

On returning to our holiday cottage we had a walk along the road to the Ty Glyn Davis walled garden which is set in a beautiful woodland alongside the River Aeron. This sensory walled garden has been developed specifically for people with special needs – there is a holiday centre for people with special needs nearby.

Despite the unseasonably cold weather (14 degrees C) there was one Red Admiral butterfly. Along the river we saw a grey wagtail.