1st July 2015

Weather: SE force 5, dropping to 2/3
A large passage of about 300 Swifts went through this morning, quite unusual for Hilbre, also a House Martin, 6 Swallows and a Skylark. Insects also arrived in numbers with 80 Red Admirals, 25 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Painted Ladies, 1 Common Blue, a Meadow Brown, a Gatekeeper and a Hummingbird Hawk Moth. An adult Mediterranean Gull was just east of Middle Eye. Eight Gannets were on the sea, and 35 Sandwich and 120 Common Terns were present. Following the first Hilbre orchid for many years last summer, 2 spikes of Common Spotted Orchid was found today in one of the paddocks. Juvenile birds of Blackbird, Dunnock and Robin were in evidence.
(DB,AEH,CJW)