12th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 2    NNW 3 by afternoon,  very warm and sunny

A Whinchat was spotted on the Obs fence but disappeared before it could be photographed, fortunately it stayed around for the morning and was later relocated.

 

Three  Swift passed over the island early, they were going east as were the 10 Swallows seen later. Unusually one of the males was caught and ringed, it's normally the juvenilles that are caught.

The Chiffchaff was singing and a Willow Warblrer was caught for ringing.

 A Magpie was noted and a Greenshank was heard calling and was thought to have flown into the estuary, but at high tide it was spotted at the north end of Middle along with 2 summer plumaged Turnstone. Just the 4 Whimbrel seen but there were 130 Dunlin and 26 Ringed Plovers. Eight Mallard around today included a pair spotted on Middle Eye, there were 3 Little Egret and 3 Grey Heron recorded.

 

A single Harbour Porpoise was seen in the Swash. Also on the sea were 3 Gannets, 14 Common Scoter and 20 Sandwich Terns. Red Admiral butterfly were in lower numbers today with 40 noted but 9 Painted Lady had arrived.

 Photos JE, AS

11th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 3,  backing N and then NE

At last our first Short-eared Owl of spring arrived and was first spotted by the lookout flying south, 

 It landed briefly by the pond then set off again, this time headed towards Hoylake.

Singles of both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler were singing, 5 Goldfinch toured the island and later a female Blackcap was in the SK paddock. The male White Wagtail still sings at the North End and a female Alba Wagtail was also seen there today.

 There were fewer Gannets (64) in the Swash than yesterday and just 3 Eider noted.

 Only 15 Cormorant were recorded, one of them was finding plenty of fish off the west side.

Five male Mallard were on the pond and 8 Shelduck about the islands. Amongst the few wader records were 16 Whimbrel, 28 Ringed Plover and 80 Dunlin.

 Another influx of Red Admirals with 60 arriving today, also 10 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Common Blue and 2 female Orange Tips.

 Photos AS

10th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 3

 A fairly quiet day with just the singing Chiffchaff present representing the warblers, plus a few odd visitors to the island. A single Swift paid a visit just after dawn.

  Five Jackdaws passed over flying in a south easterly direction.

A Grey Wagtail flew from the whaleback towards the south. while the White Wagtail continued to sing, and at some point was collecting food.

Two Goldfinches were noted after a blank day yesterday. Gannets were a spectacular sight with about 100 seen flying up the river even further than Mostyn.

 

Terns were scarcer with 25 Sandwich and 4 Common. The pair of Common Scoter were here again, with 6 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons. Only 4 Shelduck stayed around the islands again, one wonders what effect the Fox has had on this. A pair of Mallard were on the pond, its good to see a female.

 

There were 5 Eiders today including 2 males.

The Whimbrel continue to be the main attraction among the waders, there were 16 today, also 25 Dunlin, 6 Knot, 2 Turnstone and 35 Ringed Plover. With some young Rock Pipits about the numbers have increased to about 10 birds. Only 2 Swallows were recorded, local birds that will be breeding.

There was a large influx of Red Admiral butterflies this morning, estimated at 25. In addition were  8 Green-veined White, 6 Large White and an Orange Tip.

 Photos AEH

9th May 2025

 Weather: ESE force 2, sunny with a slight mist around the coast 

 Another beautiful but quiet day for migrants which has been the case for a week or more.

 The only excitement was capturing a Willow Warbler that had been ringed elsewhere, one of only 2 of these present on the island today. Enquiries are being made as to its origin.

A Chiffchaff was also caught and ringed while another was singing repeatedly this morning. A flava Yellow Wagtail called as it flew up the west side, and the White Wagtail continues to sing at the north end of the island. 

The Rock Pipits seem to be having a successful season, 3 juveniles were present as well as 5 adults. There were still 18 Whimbrel around the island, also about 35 Dunlin and 55 Ringed Plover. 

 

Out of the 3 Turnstone here, 2 were in summer plumage. A summer plumage Grey Plover was near the reef early on.

A Peregrine sat on the sand near Little Eye first thing this morning. Three Eider were off the whaleback but very little was seen on the sea apart from 1 Gannet,  about 40 Sandwich Terns and a pair of Scoter.

 Just 2 Little Egrets today and no Grey Herons. The butterflies were more varied this morning which is to be expected with a wind direction including some south in it. There were 3 Red Admirals, 4 Common Blues, 2 Large Whites and 8 Green-veined Whites. Near the pond, a pair of Azure Damselflies and a Blue-tailed Damselfly were active in the sunshine.

 

 Photos SRW

8th May 2025

 Weather: ENE force 3

Another beautiful dry day. The most rewarding sighting this morning was one of our colour ringed Rock Pipits feeding a juvenile. It is remarkable how quickly they have settled down to regular breeding over the last few years.

 A Collared Dove was singing at one stage, probably the bird of the day but it was reluctant to show itself. Most of the other land birds here at the moment are breeding, the exception today was a singing Chiffchaff and 2 Willow Warblers, both Willow Warblers were ringed this morning.

Wader counts were small, there were 85 Oystercatchers, 2 Ringed Plover, a Curlew and 9 Whimbrel.

 The best looking bird was the single Turnstone present which was in summer plumage.

Around and about the island were 25 Cormorants, one of which was a ringed bird found dead at the north end, also a Common Scoter, 4 Little Egrets, 4 male Mallards, 3 female Eiders and 8 Shelduck. Butterflies included a Common Blue, an Orange Tip, also Large, Green-veined and Small Whites.

 

Photos SRW
 

7th May 2025

 Weather: N force 2

 When there are no exciting birds on the island such as a day like today there are still plenty to admire such as the flowers that adorn parts of the islands like the Thrift.

 

Insects also come to the fore with butterflies reacting to the warm sunshine. There were 4 Large Whites, 2 Small Whites, 4 Green-veined Whites and a Common Blue.

Although the butterflies always catch the eye, insects of other sorts abound at this time of year. This is a Plum Tortrix moth.

 and this a Azure Damselfly.

 

The sea was calm and 4 Common and 65 Sandwich Terns fed off the island.

 

 There were just 3 female Eiders today, also 9 Whimbrel, 12 Ringed Plover and 45 Dunlin. The White Wagtail continues to sing while a great number (15) of Little Egrets fed around the island with 2 Grey Heron.

 Photos Matt Thomas & SRW

6th May 2025

 Weather:  SE force 2/3

 A clear blue sky and a south easterly is not always helpful in bringing migrants to the island. A single Sand Martin with possibly a couple of Swallows were the only small migrants this morning, arriving to visit the residents.

 

The singing White Wagtail was still here however.  On the sea 5 Gannets, 2 Great Crested Grebes, a pair of Common Scoter, 80 Sandwich and 14 Common Terns were logged.

 The only duck species were 4 male Mallard, 6 Shelduck and 5 Eider. 

 

The best sighting off the island were 3 Harbour Porpoise that were seen swimming passed. Twenty two Whimbrel today, a good count again, one seen with a colour ringed Curlew.

There were also 12 Ringed Plover, 2 Knot and 85 Dunlin. A Common Blue butterfly took advantage of the sunshine.

 Photos SRW