1st November 2023

 Weather: SE force 4/5   SW 6 in the afternoon

An estimated 11 Blackbirds were on the island this morning before the tide. Several Starlings flew over the island, 2 going south and 9 west, and while 4 Chaffinches made it to Hilbre, no Siskins did for the first time recently. A Chiffchaff was here as were 4 Goldcrests.

Event of the day was the surprise sighting of a Great Northern Diver flying high between Little Eye and West Kirby that flew out of the estuary and turned east towards the north shore of Wirral, although it did not seem to descend to the sea.

 

 The Eiders today numbered 13, but still only one adult male amongst them, and there were 135 Scoter, 160 Shelduck and 184 Brent. A group of 9 Red Breasted Mergansers dropped into the tide opposite the obs and then flew off south towards the WK marine lake.

 An immature female Peregrine and the Kestrel were the sole raptors and a Raven flew east. Good numbers of waders counted today on the tide which is still high included 10,500 Oystercatchers, 7,000 Dunlin, 5,000 Knot, 243 Curlew, 400 Sanderling, 180 Grey Plover, 84 Turnstone and 57 Redshank. Also on the shore were 6 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons. An obvious raptor kill was found in the SK paddock, it was possibly a Redwing.

 

Ringed: 5 Blackbirds, 1 Goldcrest.

Photos SRW