6th January 2016

Weather: SE 0/1  no wind, no rain and a little sunshine for a change !

Sparrowhawk (Matt Thomas)

Highlight of the morning was the finding of a Sparrowhawk perched on the wall of Telegraph house to the consternation of the few Meadow Pipits in the area. The ebb tide saw a pair of Teal fly south down the ridge and 2 Wigeon sat on the tide south of Middle. The sea was very calm but revealing few birds, just 5 Great Crested Grebes, a Guillemot, a Shag, a male Common Scoter close in with many more distantly towards the wind farms. Only 2 Purple Sandpipers were seen, also a single Grey Plover. The Brent were scattered all about the islands, so impossible to count but certainly exceeded 150, 2 of which were colour ringed.
Yesterday a Fox was seen from the mainland by the Wirral Ranger crossing from the islands towards the Red Rocks area, not necessarily the animal that has been on Hilbre most of last year as that has not been seen there for some time.

Turnstone bathing at the north end (CJ)

Grey Plover (CJ)

(CJ, also Matt Thomas)