15th January 2025

 Weather: SE force 3  later ESE 2

With a lovely spring feel to the day pipits had increased slightly with 3 Meadow and 4 Rock recorded while tothers on the island were 4 Blackbirds, 3 Robins and a Song Thrush.

 

Two male Teal drifted up the Gutter with the tide and 4 male Wigeon flew up the estuary, 7 Eider are still present around the islands. In the Swash today there were just 8 Red-throated Divers but Great Crested Grebes had increased to 72. Purple Sandpipers were at 26 today, Turnstone 300, Knot 300, Dunlin 150 and Grey Plover 53. The Kestrel was here and the Weasel was seen in the obs garden today.

Photos AS

14th January 2025

Weather: WSW force 3,  later W 1/2 with mist. At 1300 hrs a heavy mist suddenly swept in.

The light winds made it possible earlier to spot 32 Red-throated Divers and 4 Great Crested Grebes in the Swash west of the island along with a sighting of 2 Harbour Porpoise.

Roosting in Niffy Bay were 284 Turnstone, 86 Redshank and some of the 27 Purple Sandpiper that were recorded. A good count was had of 172 Grey Plover on the east hoyle after the tide. Seven of our Eiders were in evidence, also 380 Brent, the Kestrel and 50 Common Scoter. Both Weasel and Fox left signs of their presence.

Photos AS

10th January 2025

 Weather:  Force 1, calm, cold but sunny

 It is not often we see ice on the shore.

An afternoon visit for several members with maintenance in mind because of the winter storms. 

 There were still 320 Brent in our area including a colour ringed bird (XJBB).

 

In addition to the Brent and the local Eiders (5) there were 5 Pintail noted today. The Kestrel was not recorded today but there was a Peregrine and a Merlin on the list. Twelve Curlews included the German ringed bird.

A flock of 120 Grey Plover performed a good flypast.

Highlight of the winter species noted were 2 Fieldfares, and winter a passage of 23 Starlings, meanwhile still remaining on the island are at 4 Blackbirds, 2 Song Thrushes and 4 Robins.

The moon was prominent during the afternoon.

 

And on the marine lake were 7 Goosander, a Red-breasted Merganser and a pair of Goldeneye which have been scarce so far this winter.

Photos AEH, SRW

4th January 2025

 Weather: SE force 3,  increasing force 5

On a quiet winters day the only birds found of note were 7 female type Eider east of middle over the tide, there were still about 300 Brent around the islands and 30 Common Scoter out to sea. Three hundred Grey Plover were on east hoyle bank as the tide made, 4,000 Knot were about, 120 Turnstone rested and Purple Sandpiper had increased to 26 birds. A Little Egret and 2 Grey Herons fed on the shore and the Kestrel made a brief appearance. The usual residents were here; seen today were 4 Wrens, 4 Blackbirds, 4 Robins, a Song Thrush and Rock Pipit. There was fresh evidence that the Fox was here recently even if not seen today.

2nd January 2025

 Weather: E force 2,   later backing NNW 1

It was quite fresh from the North, and we could make out the Lake District peaks first thing, while the pond had a lot of ice on the surface.

There have only been 2 individual Rock Pipits at Hilbre over the last few weeks, colour ringed CAK (below) and CAD, both ringed here as part of our ringing scheme. We can only speculate as to where the others are at this time (unless we recieve reports from elsewhere) and we await the spring to see if others return. This proves the value of colour ringing individual birds on the island.

 

A count of small birds around today found 8 Wrens, 3 Robins, a Pied Wagtail, a Meadow Pipit, the Rock Pipit, 5 Blackbirds and a Song Thrush.

A decent number of seabirds were seen, 5 Red-throated Divers, 22 Great Crested Grebes and 1,200 Common Scoter towards the wind turbines. The only wildfowl were 180 Brent, 13 Shelduck and 4 Eiders. Some of the 2,000 Knot roosted the tide on the island with 180 Turnstone and 125 Redshank.

 

Likewise some of the 29 Ringed Plover also rested on the island.

 

Purple Sandpipers were here in a pleasing number today, 24 birds.

 

The Kestrel hunted the island while on the shore just 2 Grey Herons and 1 Little Egret fed. The Weasel was once again seen in the obs garden so still surviving at the moment in the colder weather.

Photos CJW

 

'Southward'

 

 Southward

At the end of the year it is appropiate to reflect that 2024 was the centenary year of 'Southward', home of Hilbre Bird Observatory since it was very kindly gifted by the Dixon family in August 1988. Built in 1924 by Capt. Mace who was an officer of the Dock Board, there were at least 2 other owners before the Dixons bought it in 1949. In the article about Southward that Henry Dixon wrote for our 1991 report he mentions the bright red woodwork throughout, which they soon altered upon moving in. In turn, the Obs sent all the internal doors off to be stripped and they were subsequently waxed by one of our members who noticed there was still evidence of the dreaded red paint. Much work was carried out by the Dixon family to improve the building, this was continued by the Observatory and included the building of the deck fire escape and most recently the installation of solar panels which at long last meant a fridge to keep our milk in summer. Unlike the other island buildings Southward was not built into the shelter of the eastward slope and the gable end faces west. This causes some weather problems but gives the building excellent views to east, south and west, hence the high number of bird sightings whilst members are having a tea break! Let us hope that Southward survives the next 100 years of Hilbre weather.

AS

30th December 2024

 Weather: SW force 3/4

The last visit of the year managed to report quite a few seabirds, most were flying west against into the wind but a few were settled on the sea. There were 14 Red-throated Divers, 9 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Guillemots and a Razorbill. On the ebb tide 6 Eiders and 3 Wigeon were in the gutter with 450 Common Scoter way out to sea. Sixty eight Ringed Plovers roosted the tide at the north end, 

As usual at least 5,000 oystercatchers were around the islands.

Eight thousand Knot and 1,500 Dunlin flew over the east hoyle towards the marsh where 265 Curlew and 14 Shelduck were resting. A single Bar-tailed Godwit was also on the east hoyle. Some of the 14 Purple Sandpipers were at the north end and the rest in Niffy bay. 

Photos AS