Highlights 27th June to 6th July 2012

27th June:- 21 Swifts, 120 Curlew (Little Eye/east hoyle) (BSB,DB)
28th June:- 3 Little Egrets, 26 Swifts, 50 Gannets  (DB,CJW)
29th June:- from a light westerly in the morning winds increased to force 6/7 wsw in the evening when a sea watch produced :- 178 Manx Shearwaters, 530 Gannets, 35 Kittiwakes, 13 Great Crested Grebes, 1,000 Common Tern, 300 Sandwich Tern, 3 Little Terns, 6 Guillemots, 2 Razorbills. other records earlier were 2 Greylags flying east, 2 Teal moving south west, 4 Little Egrets and a Wood Pigeon. (DB,AEH,PSW,SRW)
3rd July :- A member was rewarded for a dedicated sea watch with a Puffin off the north end, a rare bird indeed at Hilbre. Also logged were 150 Gannets and 250 Sandwich Terns. Over the island were 6 Swifts, an unexpected Sand Martin flying east at Tanskey and 5 Swallows. Three Whimbrel were recorded. (DB,AW)
4th July :- 31 Swifts, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits and 3 Whimbrel.  (DB)
5th July :- A female Mallard was observed with 7 ducklings at the south end of Middle, they were later off Tanskey rocks and then at the south end of the marine lake. On the sea 2 Arctic Skuas and a moulting drake Eider were good records. (DB, + John (coastal warden))
6th July :- a Common Sandpiper  and 10 Swifts were the best of the day, a juvenile Blackbird was ringed. (BSB,DB,CJW)