24th September 2026

 Weather: SE force 4

  A moderate south easterly produced a good morning of migration. A Stonechat spent most of the morning around the main island -

 

  

 Wheatears were on middle first thing and the main island in the afternoon. 

 

Eleven Pied Wagtails were here and a Grey Wagtail came down to the island where the habitat looked familiar.

 

 

 Four Chiffchaffs arrived on the island, 2 were caught for ringing.

 About 50 Meadow Pipits came through on passage today and 23 Skylarks appeared which were mostly singles in flight. Over 20 Linnets showed, also 2 Goldfinch and a Greenfinch. Just 3 Swallows appreciated the weather.

 

 Visiting birder Rob Williams spotted three Eiders (including the recent male) and a juvenile Peregrine. Twenty Six Pink-footed Geese flew passed, and there are still 52 Brent today. 

 Seabirds comprised 2 Red-throated Divers, 200 Common Scoter, 3 each of Sandwich and Common Terns and 3 Guillemots. A Curlew Sandpiper was picked out amongst a lovely flock of Dunlin, Sanderling and a few Grey Plover.  Others about were 48 Ringed Plover, 50 Bar-tailed Godwit, 250 Knot, 65 Redshank and 5,500 Oystercatchers.  Some of the regulars was a Raven, 6 of our Rock Pipits, 

 

also 14 Little Egrets.

 

 
Later in the afternoon the island warmed up (it was cool mid morning when it clouded over and the south east breeze was cool).  A clouded yellow came in off the sea at the north end and flew along the seaweed covered rocks heading down the east side another appeared by the air raid shelter/generator bunker.  

 Another Hummingbird Hawk moth zoomed through the old obs garden. There were 10 Red Admirals and a late Painted Lady.

 The Obs helped a lady who had slipped on the rocks between Middle and Hilbre and had injured her arm/wrist. We wish her a speedy recovery.

Ringed: 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Robin.

Photos: SRW 

22nd September 2026

 Weather: SE 1,   backing NE 1

 An afternoon visit discovered a male Goldcrest on the island, surprisingly possibly the first this autumn at this late date. It was in the obs garden on arrival and was caught for ringing.

 

 

 

 

 

Another Chiffchaff was here, also in the obs garden, a Pied Wagtail showed and 8 Meadow Pipits were moving south. Another Robin was ringed, a few have been trickling through the last few days. 

 

 

 

 Among the 240 Dunlin present was a colour ringed bird from elsewhere, we will make enquiries as to its origin.

 

 

 

 

 A Golden Plover flew west and there were  8 Sanderling, 45 Bar-tailed Godwits and  62 Ringed Plover present.

An immature Kestrel hunted the island and there was another good count of 14 Little Egrets.

 Brent were logged at 52 with 18 Shelduck. Twenty Five Common Scoter sat on the sea while a Shag was at the north end.

 

 

 

Ringed: 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Robin.

Photos SRW 

21st September 2026

 Weather: SE force 1/2       NE 1  late afternoon

 

 A walk over Middle this morning had a Green Sandpiper flying over the vehicle track to the island and was then rediscovered when it flew up calling from the south end of the island. This is a rare visitor to Hilbre while more expected were 2 Common Sandpipers that were heard calling near Niffy bay and later heard calling further south.

 

 

Later two Golden Plover were found calling and flying south. There were good numbers of other waders today including 255 Curlew, 145 Redshank, 120 Dunlin, 200 Knot, 85 Ringed Plover, 42 Grey Plover, 110 Bar-tailed Godwit, 140 Sanderling and  4,500 Oystercatcher.

After a day for really good sea watching the light winds still produced a few birds on the sea: 20 Common Scoter, 6 Great Crested Grebes, 2 Guillemots, 2 Sandwich Terns and 13 Red-throated Divers -sighted on the flat calm sea at the flood tide. Very little migration but there were 6 Pied Wagtails, 2 Skylarks, 40 Meadow Pipits, 7 Robins, a Swallow and a Chiffchaff. 

 Brents are now at 55 birds and there were 18 Little Egrets, 35 Shelduck, 2 Grey Herons, 2 Ravens and a Kestrel. The insect world still gives interest to the island with a Hummingbird Hawk moth, and butterflies including a Red Admiral and a Clouded Yellow. 

 

 The wasp is a male of the genus Ichneumon. Conspicuous wasps and parasitoids of moth pupae, there are plenty of very similar species. Our suspicion is that it is most likely Ichneumon suspiciosus.

 

 

 

 

 

Ringed: 2 Wrens, 2 Robins, 1 Chiffchaff 

 Photos SRW

20th September 2026

Weather:  WNW 6, 7/8 cloud, good vis

With the sea-watching weather continuing it was an early start for three members (one who had stayed over and the others joined before dawn).  Unlike on many previous occasions ... they would not be disappointed as today was an outstanding day.

The first birds were seen before dawn with Manx Shearwaters passing close in to the North End soon to be followed by the star of the show - Leach's Petrels (our logo bird of course).

It was great to see some skuas after it has been such a poor year for them so far.  Five Arctic Skuas were seen including a single adult pale phase that flew in and landed on the sand.  

Meanwhile, a Great Skua (aka 'Bonxie') approached menacingly from the North East and headed straight for the north end before flying right behind the sea-watching hide and over the heads of observers.  Amazing views! The photographs indicate it was ringed so we are hopeful that a couple of digits made lead us to work out where it was ringed (if not the date it was ringed).

Whilst watching a Leach's Petrel heading west one sharp-eyed observer picked up a Grey Phalarope whizzing west but it disappeared behind the waves having ditched onto the sea.  However, seconds later and it was on the move again and the other observers present were able to get onto this delightful oceanic wader.  It ditched in a couple more times before disappearing one final time.  A screenshot from a video grab means today's bird only got the record shot below.

However, below is a library photograph of last year's Grey Phalarope on the East Hoyle sandbank for reference (https://hilbrebirdobs.blogspot.com/2025/09/22nd-september-2025.html).

Single Arctic Tern and only 8 Sandwich Terns and a single juvenile Kittiwake were noted and 3 Red-throated Diver were seen on the evening tide (with none present in the morning) and only a single Great Crested Grebe was on the sea.

A solitary juvenile Gannet passed through in the evening.

Amazingly a Blackcap appeared in the traps late morning and late in the day an Osprey was spotted along North Wirral and was picked up east of the Hoylake Lifeboat Station from the island.  An amazing end of a brilliant day on the island.

Osprey (seen over Leasowe) - Sean O'Hara

The final counts for the day was 131 Leach's Petrels (90 pre-dawn to 1030hrs, 22 reported to us during the day and 19 between 5-7pm) - we suspect there were more between 1030am-5pm as 50 were reported from Point of Ayr in North Wales between 4-5pm. 

Photos by AEH, CJW, SRW and Sean O'Hara (Osprey)