Weather: E light air, then NNE 1 mist around the estuary
There was a good roost of terns on the morning ebb tide and among the 150 or Sandwich and 11 Common was a little Tern. two Snipe were on the rocks at the north edn on the east side in the morning and later on the flood 3 were on the rocks by the gutter. A Sparrowhawk made a brief appearance over the west side but our cameraman was quick to react as it wasn't seen again.
A Collared Dove however flew about the island for some time.
The 3 Eider were still here and 18 Shelduck were seen but the wildfowl highlight of the day was the first appearance this season of a pale-bellied Brent Goose. It was found swimming in the gutter on the flood tide.
A small scattering of migrants were grounded this morning including two each of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, 6 Goldcrest, 4 Pied Wagtails, a Wheatear, 2 Sisikin (the sole finches apart from about 14 Linnets) and a Reed Bunting.
Waders were best seen late afternoon as the smallish tide approached, there were 17 Bar-tailed Godwits, 10 Sanderling, 1,700 Dunlin (including this one colour ringed).
among the rest of the Dunlin was a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper.
A couple of Whimbrel were among the 80 Curlew seen. A massive 27 Little Egrets were logged today, surely a record for Hilbre. Red Admirals were down to more normal levels, 12 today and 3 Migrant Hawker dragonflies. Found in the heli trap was an interesting creature Volucella zonaria, a hoverfly, the larvae of which eat detritus in wasp nests, and sometimes the wasp larvae.
Photos SRW
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