Friday 21 April 2017

21st April 2017

Weather: WNW 3, 8/8 cloud, 10 miles

A fox was seen in the west side garden of Telegraph House early morning and disappeared down the west side - it is perhaps this that has been flushing the gulls at the North End early mornings.

Continuing the mammal theme an adult Short-tailed Field Vole was found with five young.


Waders were very much in evidence today with a steady increase in Dunlin and by the evening tide 4,000 were counted on the gutter edge.


169 Ringed Plover were also noted and 29 Turnstone dropped in on the rocks on the North West corner of the island. 200 Oystercatchers and 22 Redshank.

'Seven Whistlers' (Whimbrel) were also passing through with between 1-3 birds noted at a time and totalling 11.

A single Willow Warbler was around the gardens but stayed clear of the heligolands.

A single Great Crested Grebe spent some time in the gutter below the Obs garden.


Meanwhile the last two Brents (first winters) were still lingering.


As we celebrate 60 years of coverage by Hilbre Bird Observatory our Environmental Officer (and founder member of our group, AAB) took time to look back at some of our old ringing logs with the Records Officer explaining some of the acronyms used.


Photos by AEH and SRW




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