30th July 2008

Who would have thought that southeasterly winds would make for good seabirds and no grounded passerine migrants? Totals for sea-watching included 24 Arctic Skuas (see above pale phase carrying disgorged sand eel from Sandwich Tern),1 Great Skua,1 Manx Shearwater and 2 Black terns. An immature Black tern was first identified resting among other terns on the East Hoyle sandbank as the tide pushed in and then roosting briefly north of middle near high tide. An adult and immature Black tern were then seen feeding off the north end.
Twelve Swallows and 4 Swifts drifted through during the morning.

Two adult Meditteranean Gulls were on the shore, seen both before and after the tide.

(BSB,CJ,PGW)

28th July 2008

Lots of terns, (circa 1,000 Sandwich, 100 Common and 6 Arctic) were about the rocks south of middle as the tide ebbed, and some together with the gulls were later harassed on the east Hoyle by some of the 6 Arctic Skuas present.

Another small passage of Willow Warblers this morning and 7 were trapped for ringing.

Butterflies were again in abundance, numbers of Green Veined White and Grayling being particularly impressive.

(CJ,PGW)

26th July 2008

The first small fall of the autumn today with 12 Willow Warblers, 6 of which were trapped.
(JE)

25th July 2008

No migrant birds today ( if you don't count Woodpigeon and Collared Dove) but plenty of butterflies, up to 100 Green Veined Whites and some Small Whites apparently arrived in off the sea, and were the most numerous of the 9 species present this morning. Common Darters and Damselflies also put in a good showing.

Two juvenile Robins were trapped, after being seen around the SK paddock area for a number of days recently. Nesting Robins are very secretive on Hilbre and breeding is normally hard to prove.

(CJ,DNW,PGW)

24th July 2008

A single Sedge Warbler today, hopefully a sign of a good autumn to come !
(DB)

23rd July 2008

A return to easterly winds brought an early migrant Grasshopper Warbler together with a single Willow Warbler. A Greenshank flew south passed the island.
(DB)

16th July 2008

A force 5 to 6 westerly produced a good sea-watch with 175 Gannets, 10 Manx Shearwaters, 15 Arctic Terns, and the splendid total of 18 Arctic Skuas.

Another Puffin was recorded for the island this year, and a Harbour Porpoise noted, but still no Storm Petrels.

(AW)

13th July 2008

Two very different yellow arrivals flew in today ( see photos), one was an uncharacteristically skulking Willow warbler ( first of the autumn), and the other nearly landed in the pond!




A Garden warbler was another early record that announced autumn had arrived.
The normal build up of Sandwich terns on the west hoyle bank reached about 600 including young, and a Common sandpiper and three Arctic skuas were seen.
(DB,CJ)