24th July 2024

 Weather: SE force 2    WNW 2 by noon, rain showers later.

 A quiet day with waders drawing most of the interest on the tide. Some of the 1,800 Dunlin roosted at the north end until disturbed.

 But taking the eye were 4 Knot, 3 of which were sporting bright summer plumage.

 

Other waders featured 18 Bar-tailed Godwits, 5 Whimbrel, 90 Turnstone, 38 Redshank, and 9 Ringed Plover. Two Swifts were seen flying towards Wales this morning and a Wheatear was glimpsed flying down the west side, views were insufficient to be sure if it was the recent juvenile. Sandwich Terns are numerous, 430 counted with 26 Little Terns, mostly seen on the east hoyle after the tide. Nine Eiders loafing about this morning were par for the course. At least 6 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons fed the shore around the island. Local birds showing were 3 Goldfinch, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Rock and 8 Meadow Pipits.

 A juvenile Wren was the sole bird ringed,

 

A count of the Grey Seals at low tide was 209, plus 5 Common Seals. Not a huge number of butterflires today but there were 6 Green-veined Whites, 2 Gatekeepers, a Red Admiral and a striking Peacock on the Ragwort.

Another Emperor dragonfly rested on the wire of the traps.

Photos CJ, AS

22nd July 2024

 Weather:  SE force 4,  drizzle,  W 3/4  in the afternoon

 Two Swift flew west over the island early, and then before the tide 20 Bar-tailed Godwits also flew west,

 After the tide a group of another 29 fed on the east hoyle.

Others round the islands were 8 Whimbrel, 20 Ringed Plover, 33 Redshank, 22 Sanderling,  150 Turnstone and 300 Dunlin roosting on Middle.

  Two Little Terns and just 80 Sandwich Terns.

Nine Eiders are here and a lot of the breeding birds had young including the pair of Goldfinches,

 ...........and the thriving Rock Pipit population on the island. No less than 12 were seen during a special effort to ring them for the Hilbre study. Six birds received Hilbre colour rings today.

 

Harebells are in flower by the mast and in the garden.

Photos AS, PSW

21st July 2024

 Weather:  WNW force 4

 Quite a bit cooler this morning after a short hot spell with a lot of the emphasis on the increasing number of waders around the island including 250 Bar-tailed Godwits.

Their fresh water liking cousins the Black-tailed variety were also here, 25 birds. A thousand Knot and 2,500 Dunlin were the most numerous with 6 Whimbrel, 19 Ringed Plover, 25 Grey Plover, 40 Turnstone, 40 Sanderling and 25 Redshank.

 On the sea 30 Scoter showed, also 2 Great Crested Grebes while 250 Sandwich Tern flew in to feed their young sat in the roost.

 

Eight Eider stayed about the islands today. Two Ravens have been here for the last week or so. Some of the juvenile landbirds are also being fed like this Wren.

 The 2 Pyramidal Orchids that are on the island this year are now fading.

 

 There are still a lot of Frogs wandering around rthe grassy areas.

Butterflies today were 2 Red Admirals, 6 Green veined White and 2 Small White.

Ringed: 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin.

Photos CJW

20th July 2024

 Weather: W force 3   SSE 3 by noon

 The first 3 Willow Warblers were ringed today of the autumn passage, there were 4 in total.

other signs of the autumn were an early Sand Martin, 8 Goldfinches and 6 Pied Wagtails. The juvenile Wheatear appeared again, it seems to have been here for 12 days now.

 Outstanding today was a count of 69 Little Terns on the ebb tide with 350 Sandwich and 25 Common Terns. Nine Eiders rested about the island.

A Porpoise gave another show today and there were 50 frogs on the island also a female Emperor dragonfly in one of the 'helis'.

 

The 2 Ravens are still here. A good range of waders showed at the high tide including 30 Ringed Plover, 14 Whimbrel, 70 Sanderling, 2,500 Dunlin and 45 Turnstone, many in summer plumage.

The sixteen Swallows around including some young.

The best day for ringing this autumn so far, 17 birds: 2 Wrens, 3 Willow Warblers, 5 Linnets, 3 Blackbirds, 4 nestling Swallows.

 The moth trap was very busy last night,

  nice looking were:

Yellowtail

 

the Sycamore

Scalloped Oak

 Flowers in bloom included Common Centuary.

Rock Sea-Lavender

and Bell Heather.

 The Six-spot Burnett moths seem to favoured Dandelions.

 

Photos CJW
 

19th July 2024

Weather: SE force 3   veering SSE 3 later

Just after sunrise a Reed Bunting was heard calling at the South End, it then flew over the pond heading north and was later relocated by the lookout.

 Rock Pipit CAD was at the North End and has started to moult.

 Linnets seem to be having a good nesting season with the flock today numbering 34 and some birds still on the nest.

 Two Raven again came to the dead sheep/goat, although little now remains.

Around the islands were 300 Sandwich Tern and there seems to be plenty of food for the young.

Nine Eider are still here while 3 Gannets, 6 Whimbrel and 4 Little Egrets were logged and for a change 8 House Martins showed as well as 7 Swifts. Two Emperor Dragonflies this morning and a total of 30 Green-veined Whites, 10 Small Whites and 4 Red Admirals.

 Photos AS

18th July 2024

 Weather: SE force 3 veering WNW and then NNE during the day and evening.

The highlight today was watching 3 Bottle nosed Dolphin  from the west side of Obs garden out towards the windfarm, picked up travelling east to west but then finding fish which could be seen jumping from the water with the Dolphin following suit. They were watched for at least 20 mins, eventually turning back east but heading further out to sea. There were 2 Grey Herons today, herons will rest on the islands when there are no visitors.

Seven Little Egrets were in their usual position feeding in the gutters.

Nine Little Tern were amongst the Sandwich Tern on the East Hoyle on the ebb and 7 Common Scoter on the sea. Four Shelduck flew west (separately). A Raven was again feeding on the corpse (see yesterday). The Kestrel didn't turn up until evening. Nine Eiders were counted while some nice records of waders today included 6 Whimbrel, 46 Curlew, 6 Sanderling, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and 24 Turnstone.

A couple of Swifts flew passed and small birds on the island included a Robin, a Goldfinch, 30 Linnet, 9 Wrens, 3 Blackbirds and a juvenile Pied Wagtails.

The Ragwort is now in full bloom and the Soldier beetles are much at home.

Photos AS