Weather: NE force 1
Two Wheatears were on the main island, one of which was a large Greenland type feeding by the area north of the lookout.
Two Grey Wagtails flew in circles around the top of the island and together with sightings of Starling and Song Thrush were reminders that autumn is now truly here. Six Swallows seen may have been birds from the summer on the island.
It is also speculation as to how many of the 52 Linnets flocking today were part of the Hilbre breeding season.
......while any Rock Pipits with blue colour rings we know definitely were.
The highlight from this morning came a little later on when 5 Black Terns were noticed feeding distantly off to the north west as the tide approached.
It is not every autumn we see as many as 5 consorting together.
Tern numbers as a whole are now much reduced, a couple of dozen or so Sandwich were the others seen. The first walk around the island this morning produced a single Teal flying south west down the Dee.
Eleven Brent were here, the same as yesterday. The regular eclipse drake Eider seems to have lost one of its 2 female companions today unless she was being elusive.
Only a few small waders were noted at the low tide after dawn, Ringed Plovers and were in the majority.
Twenty Sanderling and 35 Redshank fed near thre islands.
A flight of 25 Bar-tailed Godwits drew attention to the observers.
Large numbers of Curlew are now in the Dee.
Only 1 Little Egret was near the island but several were seen on the way off to the shore.
A Painted Lady was one of less than a handful of butterflies this morning, there are no pictures as it was only seen in flight. A Red Fox was suspected of being present today.
Photos AEH, SRW
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