16th May 2012

Waders were the main attraction today with 3,500 Dunlin, 100 Knot and 300 Ringed Plover on the shore and identified amongst this great crowd was a single Curlew Sandpiper, a very scarce wader more often seen in autumn. Even more rare now than the Curlew Sandpiper was a Wall brown butterfly, found in the obs garden, probably the first for many years at Hilbre ( although it used to be more common ), and an excellent find in a poor butterfly spring on Hilbre (and everywhere else). Twenty five Swallows went through with a single House Martin and 6 Greenland Wheatears were on the island.
(BSB,DB,AAB)