21st July 2021

Weather: W force 2   misty, very hot and sunny

Another stunning July day began when friend of the obs Colin Davies inadvertently flushed a Hoopoe from near the slipway at the south end of the island and watched it flying over the sea to the west and then back towards Middle Eye (see finders account www.birdingsthelens.blogspot.com)

Middle Eye was searched with the help of obs members and it eventually showed and flew towards Little Eye but returned passing the observers to the main island.

Some of the Hilbre regulars arrived from the mainland and the bird was soon located again moving about on the rocks and various coves along the west side where it seems most happy given the large numbers of visitors arriving in the hot sunshine of the day. 

 

 

 

 

The Hoopoe stayed around the island for the next few hours but was not seen after 5pm or since. This is the fourth for the island, the last being in May 1991. If it wasn't for the main attraction today, it would be regarded as a decent July day with a Wheatear present, a Whitethroat seen in the obs garden and a Blackcap caught and ringed, continuing the run of warblers for July.

Other migrants were a Sand Martin and 7 Swifts, residents meanwhile included a total of 6 Rock Pipits and 4 Pied Wagtails, some of both species were young birds. A retrapped Rock Pipit showed it's progress in the post breeding moult.  

 A Mediterranean Gull made the log again today, as did the female Eider, 5 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Heron and a Kestrel. A colour ringed Dunlin was on the shore below the obs, and it has now been discovered that it was ringed in Spain.

Thirty Dunlin are now here altogether and 7 Whimbrel was an increase from previously, and 16 Turnstone, 18 Ringed Plover, 26 Redshank and 500 Oystercatchers showed the steady build up to autumn numbers. Not massive numbers of butterflies today but 5 Common Blues, 2 Red Admirals and 2 Small Tortoiseshells were here.

Photos AMC, JE, AS, PSW, SRW, Colin Davies