1st April 2023

 Weather: NE force 3, backing NNE 2

 A good day of migration with the main highlights being on the sea. Little Gulls featured fairly early when 68 flew in from the west with 21 Sandwich Terns then passed the north end and off towards the north coast of Wirral. Around noon 3 Ruddy Shelduck were found on the east hoyle bank, They were visible mfrom the Red Rocks area before moving to the gutter east of the island, and joining the Brent on the tide line.

  

Earlier the tide had also yielded 10 Red-throted Diver, 24 Gannet, 25 Great Crested Grebes, 110 Common Scoter and 7 Guillemot and 4 Harbour Porpoises. Other duck were 80 Wigeon flying west passed the north end,

The regular Eider turned up, 8 today, also 3 Red-breasted Merganser, 5 Shelduck, 3 Mallard in the pond, and a lone Canada Goose at Middle Eye. 

and of course the Brent (still 248 here). No Wheatears, Goldcrests and just a single Chiffchaff, but there were a few other small migrants including 3 Sand Martins, a White Wagtail, a few dozen Meadow Pipits moving through, 3 Woodpigeons making themselves at home by the obs.

 

 

There were several finches (11 Goldfinch and 2 Chaffinch), and rarer than any of these at Hilbre was a Rook flying east. 

 

 The regular waders gave a good showing: 3,500 Dunlin, many staying around the island.

 

also 2,500 Knot, 67 Redshank, 36 Ringed Plover, 2 Sanderling, 70 Turnstone and 10 Purple Sandpiper, particularly notable were 40 Bar-tailed Godwit. Ten Wrens were seen exiting their early morning roost in the obs building, while as many as 10 Rock Pipits seem to be on the island today.

 

Of the gulls 43 Greater Black-backs and 20 Lesser were counted. Five Little Egrets were present, more than has been recently. The weather was glorious at times, the air clear, so much so that the lake district mountains could be seen in the distance.

 

 

  Photos CJW,  - Ruddy Shelducks PSW & Mal Curton.