A lovely sunny Summer's day began with clear blue skies and a very light south-easterly wind. Up to nine Grey Herons were seen today but, perhaps surprisingly, no Little Egrets (by mid afternoon at least). Highlight of the day was found on the way over when a juvenile Stonechat appeared on the posts on Middle before promptly flying off towards Hilbre. It was re-found later in the Old Obs garden (left) where it gave stunning views but frustrated 
the ringers by sitting on the potter traps observing the meal worms. There were clearly plenty of flies around for it to feed on.However, a female Greenland Wheatear was caught in the Potters (the first of the 'Autumn' - see right) and a Willow Warbler spent the morning catching flies in the bracken ... another returning bird. The autumnal feel to the bird list was compounded by the brief appearance of a Song Thrush, but it definitely felt like mid-Summer weather-wise as the temperature rose and heat haze made sea-w
atching difficult although the sound of Sandwich Terns and the reappearance of the stunning 
Hummingbird Hawk Moth on the Honeysuckle in the New Obs' ('Southward') garden meant that the battle between the seasons was won today by Summer!
Other sightings today included the Kittiwake at the North End again, a Kestrel being mobbed by the summering Swallows, 3 Sand Martins and 11 Swifts over as well as single Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Red-breasted Mergansers and a few diving Gannets in the haze.(CJ, NDW, PSW, SRW + VB) [623-39] Photos to follow Hummingbird Hawk Moth (John Ball - voluntary coastal warden) others SRW
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