Tufted Duck is a less than annual occurrence at Hilbre, so three birds including two drakes on the sea just off the east hoyle was a very pleasant surprise this morning. They stayed in the area for some time enabling them to be seen even from Hoylake. Earlier the first 2 White Wagtails of the spring landed on the rocks at the north end and later quite a few Pied Wagtails passed through, but overall passage was sparse this morning, no Skylarks or Starlings etc, and just a single Goldfinch, a Greenfinch and a Woodpigeon.
The sea also produced 3 Eiders and 4 Red-breasted Mergansers and 13 Great Crested Grebes, while the Brent Geese gathered nicely for a surprisingly high count of 243. Flocks of 1,500 Knot and 2,000 Dunlin flew up the west side at low tide. Still on the island are 2 Rock Pipits and the Pheasant, while the fine weather encouraged many Meadow Pipits into display flight.
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