3rd April 2023

 Weather: SE force 3, later reaching 5/6   sunny and cool  

An interesting day started with several flocks of Pink-footed Geese, estimated at 320, exiting the estuary soon after dawn. 

 On arrival at the island the Red-legged Partridge from yesterday was in the obs garden and a little later showed better than yesterday to the observers present.

 

The first of the 9 Woodpigeons today also showed at that time and 2 Chiffchaffs were trapped for ringing with another 2 later, then the first Willow Warbler of the year was in the pittosporum by the obs garden but avoided getting ringed. There were perhaps 3 Goldcrest with 7 Chiffchaffs on the island this morning, One of the Chiffchaffs spent some time on the obs lawn.

It was a real mixture today, more typical of late March than April, covid visitors included 8 Jackdaws and a Rook, in addition to the Woodpigeons was a Stock Dove. No hirundines flew through and no Starlings nor Skylarks passed over today but a single female Wheatear arrived on 'Wheatear hill'. The only finches were the 40 or so Linnets, 22 Goldfinches and 2 Redpolls. Just a few Meadow Pipits in comparison to the last few days, 6 Pied Wagtails however were a few more than recently. There were no Little Gulls seen today but over 100 Gannets and 55 Sandwich Terns were feeding north west of the island. Other regulars out at sea were 6 Red-throated Divers and a Guillemot. Wildfowl did not let us down, as well as the over 200 Brent and the passing Pinkfeet, 6 Greylags flew around and another one later, a single male Red-breasted Merganser sat between the islands and on the ebb tide some Eiders drifted in, making a total of 7 for the day, A pair of Goosanders joined the Eiders moving with the tide.

The Kestrel was not here but 3 raptor species sighted were; a Peregrine over the west hoyle, a Sparrowhawk flying west over the obs garden and a oommon Buzzard flying in between the islands, scattering the waders and landing in a sheltered position at the north end of Middle. Common Buzzard is still a rare sight at Hilbre. 

 

The waders were in large numbers at the tide, lots of Knot and Dunlin were seen, also 23 Ringed Plover, 85 Turnstone, 8 Purple Sandpiper and a single Bar-tailed Godwit. Some gull counts were 10 Greater, 21 Lesser Black-backs and 60 Common. There were no great rarities but 54 species is not a bad haul for an early April day.

Ringed: 4 Chiffchaffs, 1 Robin.

Photos CJW, SRW(buzzard)