29th July 2024

 Weather: SSE force 1 , later NNW 3  warm and sunny

Another lovely day but with limited migration although a group of over 30 Swallows came and joined in the feeding with the locals for a while and then moved on rapidly, leaving the breeding birds to themselves.

 and no less than 13 Little Egrets were counted around the gutter.

One of the 4 Whimbrel took advantage of the good conditions to have a bath,

 

Fifty Turnstone mixed in with the regular waders including the Dunlin.

A total of 2,000 Dunlin and 200 Knot (some in summer plumage) and 80 Bar-tailed Godwits took to the north shore as the evening tide ebbed,

 

while a little further out the terns were in loose gatherings on the east hoyle, and on the evening ebb tide 118 Little Terns showed in the roost or fed in the gutter in their distinctive dipping style. The groups of Sandwich Terns were estimated at 650.

 

The Eiders were hard to find this morning but eventually 5 were revealed. A Gannet and a Great Crested Grebe were also on the sea. Local breeders seen in additon to the Swallows were 16 Meadow Pipits, 7 Blackbirds, 6 Wrens, 2 Goldfinch and 4 Rock Pipits.

 A busy day for visitors went quieter as the evening tide approached.

 

There were surprisingly few insects today, pick of them were 2 Red Admirals and 2 Emperor Dragonflies.

 Photos CJ, AS

28th July 2024

 Weather: SE force 2   NNE 3 mid-afternoon

A Common Sandpiper still here this morning in the area of the whaleback, probably one of the 2 here over the last 2 days. Fifty Ringed Plover, 600 Dunlin and 7 Whimbrel were the pick of the other waders. Eight Eiders were logged and 8 Shelduck flew up the estuary as the morning tide dropped. There were 600 Sandwich Terns and 24 Little Terns resting with the roost on the east hoyle. Shorebirds included 4 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons.  Two Peregrines were seen following few sightings lately but the Kestrel did not let us down, it flew straight over the island going east to west. There were no migrant small birds noted today. A few butterflies flew including 3 Red Admirals, 2 Green-veined Whites and a Peacock.

Photo AS

27th July 2024

 Weather:  SE force 3, later SSW with slight drizzle

 A single Willow Warbler was in this morning with little else in the paddocks and gardens except the breeding residents such as the Goldfinches.

 The two Common Sandpipers were still here, presumab;y the same as yesterday.

 

Good numbers of other waders around the island included 24 Whimbrel, 41 Curlew, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 220 Turnstone, 100 Sanderling, 40 Ringed Plover, 800 Dunlin, 60 Knot and 32 Redshank. Twelve Great Crested Grebe rested on the sea, 550 Sandwich and 3 Little Tern stayed here to feed and roost and the Eiders numbered 10 today. On the shore were 4 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons. The gulls are also building up in numbers with 800 Black-headed Gulls and 60 Lesser and 15 Great-Black backs. Diligent searching among the gulls found a second calendar year and an adult Mediterranean Gull in summer plumage.

 Two Red Admiral butterflies flew today.

Photos SRW

26th July 2024

 Weather:   W force 4  veering WNW and then SW

 

A good day for a westerly wind direction with arrivals of both a Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler in the paddocks. 

 Two Common Sandpipers around the islands were another bonus this morning.

Records of Bar-tailed Godwits have been increasing over the last week or so, there were 14 today and in addition a group of 22 Black-tailed Godwits settled near the gutter.

Waders in general have been more numerous as we progress towards the autumn, there were 17 Whimbrel, 40 Curlew, 100 Ringed Plover,

 also 120 Sanderling, 220 Turnstone, 200 Knot and 800 Dunlin.

 The juvenile Wheatear was confirmed as still present.

Seen on the sea were both dark and light phase Arctic Skuas (which have been scarce this autumn), 12 Gannets and a large count of 520 Sandwich and 8 Common Terns, while the 9 Eiders were close to the islands. Rounding out the bird list were 2 Grey Herons, the Kestrel and 3 Little Egrets,

Lepidoptera did well as we would expect at this time, butterfies featured 4 Red Admirals, 3 Green-veined Whites, a Peacock, a Small Tortoiseshell and a Gatekeeper. and from the moth trap a small catch of 2 Large Yellow Underwing, a Yellow tail, a Grey Pug, a White-spotted Pug and a Dun-bar.

White-spotted Pug

Dun-bar

Two Dragonflies were recorded, another Emperor and Common Darter.

 Photos CJW , SRW

24th July 2024

 Weather: SE force 2    WNW 2 by noon, rain showers later.

 A quiet day with waders drawing most of the interest on the tide. Some of the 1,800 Dunlin roosted at the north end until disturbed.

 But taking the eye were 4 Knot, 3 of which were sporting bright summer plumage.

 

Other waders featured 18 Bar-tailed Godwits, 5 Whimbrel, 90 Turnstone, 38 Redshank, and 9 Ringed Plover. Two Swifts were seen flying towards Wales this morning and a Wheatear was glimpsed flying down the west side, views were insufficient to be sure if it was the recent juvenile. Sandwich Terns are numerous, 430 counted with 26 Little Terns, mostly seen on the east hoyle after the tide. Nine Eiders loafing about this morning were par for the course. At least 6 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons fed the shore around the island. Local birds showing were 3 Goldfinch, 3 Pied Wagtail, 3 Rock and 8 Meadow Pipits.

 A juvenile Wren was the sole bird ringed,

 

A count of the Grey Seals at low tide was 209, plus 5 Common Seals. Not a huge number of butterflires today but there were 6 Green-veined Whites, 2 Gatekeepers, a Red Admiral and a striking Peacock on the Ragwort.

Another Emperor dragonfly rested on the wire of the traps.

Photos CJ, AS

22nd July 2024

 Weather:  SE force 4,  drizzle,  W 3/4  in the afternoon

 Two Swift flew west over the island early, and then before the tide 20 Bar-tailed Godwits also flew west,

 After the tide a group of another 29 fed on the east hoyle.

Others round the islands were 8 Whimbrel, 20 Ringed Plover, 33 Redshank, 22 Sanderling,  150 Turnstone and 300 Dunlin roosting on Middle.

  Two Little Terns and just 80 Sandwich Terns.

Nine Eiders are here and a lot of the breeding birds had young including the pair of Goldfinches,

 ...........and the thriving Rock Pipit population on the island. No less than 12 were seen during a special effort to ring them for the Hilbre study. Six birds received Hilbre colour rings today.

 

Harebells are in flower by the mast and in the garden.

Photos AS, PSW

21st July 2024

 Weather:  WNW force 4

 Quite a bit cooler this morning after a short hot spell with a lot of the emphasis on the increasing number of waders around the island including 250 Bar-tailed Godwits.

Their fresh water liking cousins the Black-tailed variety were also here, 25 birds. A thousand Knot and 2,500 Dunlin were the most numerous with 6 Whimbrel, 19 Ringed Plover, 25 Grey Plover, 40 Turnstone, 40 Sanderling and 25 Redshank.

 On the sea 30 Scoter showed, also 2 Great Crested Grebes while 250 Sandwich Tern flew in to feed their young sat in the roost.

 

Eight Eider stayed about the islands today. Two Ravens have been here for the last week or so. Some of the juvenile landbirds are also being fed like this Wren.

 The 2 Pyramidal Orchids that are on the island this year are now fading.

 

 There are still a lot of Frogs wandering around rthe grassy areas.

Butterflies today were 2 Red Admirals, 6 Green veined White and 2 Small White.

Ringed: 1 Blackbird, 1 Robin.

Photos CJW