5th October 2026

 

 

  Weather: SW force 3/4       WSW 4

 

 A nice morning of some movement of birds. A male Stonechat was on the island, we have had a few lately.

 

 

A steady movement of single Skylarks totalling 11 birds took place while  another passage of Meadow Pipits occurred, about 85 this morning.

 

 

A Chiffchaff was on the island.

 

There were 6 Robins also on the island and as we often point out many could be migrants, one was ringed today.

  

Two Swallows were seen also a House Martin, the first for a little while. Brent were counted at 162, 18 Pintail flew west, 180 Common Scoter were out to sea with 11 Red-throated Divers, 5 Guillemots and 3 Great Crested Grebes. Shorebirds present were 6 Little Egrets and 2 Grey Herons. Again 86 Bar-tailed Godwits were the highlight of the waders.....

 

 

 ......... and others were 800 Oystercatchers, 120 Curlew, 85 Ringed Plover, 8 Grey Plover, 49 Turnstone, 14 Knot, 25 Dunlin and 110 Redshank.

 

Ringed: 1 Robin
 

Photos : SRW  

4th October 2026

 Weather: SE force 2

The weather looked good for us today and for once it was indeed good. Just after 7.00hrs a Yellow-browed Warbler from the east arrived in off the west side and subsequently it was caught in the obs garden. 

 

 

  

  

  

 

It received colour rings as requested by the national scheme to study the movements of these birds.

 

That was not the end of the excitement. Eight Spoonbills flew west passed the north end of the island, sightings of Spoonbills are less rare now that they breed in this country but are still unusual here, certainly for a flock of eight ! 

 

 A Great Spotted Woodpecker flew in and was caught for ringing.

Great Spotted Woodpecker is still very scarce at Hilbre, maybe less than one a year and they nearly always turn up here in the first 2 weeks of October. 

 

 

 

  A male Blackcap was the only warbler to arrive after the Yellow-browed warbler.

 

 

  Another scarce visitor to Hilbre were 8 Rooks.

 

Two Starling came to the island and one sang from the 'motus' mast. 

  Other autumn visitors were a Wheatear and 6 Reed buntings.

 

 

 

 Meadow Pipits were again on the move with a few dozen across the island. 

 

Thirteen Skylarks were also passing.....

 

 ....... while a Greenfinch, a Siskin, 6 Redpolls and 4 Goldfinches joined the large influx(65) of Linnets about the island. A single followed by 7 more Wigeon flying at dawn were the main duck visitors although a Teal showed later in the day.

Among the waders 4 Snipe were typical arrivals at this time of year and there are 140 Bar-tailed Godwits together with 35 Ringed Plover, 150 Dunlin, 120 Redshank, 7 Sanderling and 100 Curlew. On the sea were 130 Common Scoter, 17 Red-throated Divers and 2 Guillemots. Others seen were 106 Brent, 3 Shelduck, 12 Little Egrets, 4 Great Crested Grebes a Peregrine and the Kestrel. Three late Red Admirals were in flight.

Ringed: 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 1 Blackcap, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Wren

 Photos: AEH,  CJW,  SRW  

3rd October 2026

 Weather: SW force 4

 

A nice clear morning with a moderate breeze - but good visible migration and surprisingly (given the wind direction and blue skies) a few things dropped in, chiefly a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and a Stonechat.

 

 On the move were about 85 Meadow Pipits, 16 Skylarks and a few Wagtails, 6 Grey and 5 Pied with 4 Swallows appearing separately. A flock of Linnets (32 seen) roamed the island. 

The Brent have increased rapidly over the last few days, there are now 146 pale-bellied and a single dark-bellied. Best of the waders were 35 Ringed Plover and 132 Bar-tailed Godwits. There were 4 Little Egrets, but just one Raven noted today.

Photos SRW  

2nd October 2026

 Weather:  SE force 3/4

 

 A short visit on a quiet day for birds. There was a small movement of Meadow Pipits and a single Swallow was present. Residents included 6 Robins (probably some migrants), 5 Wrens, a Pied Wagtail and a Blackbird. Bar-tailed Godwits numbered 45, Ringed Plover 25, Curlew 65, Turnstone 40, and Redshank 85. A large flock of 56 Linnets was the biggest since August. Four Common Scoter were noted, also 4 Little Egrets, a Grey heron and the Kestrel.

Photo: SRW
 

1st October 2026

 Weather: SW force 3/4,   2/3 by late afternoon

 

 

  In the morning a group of 4 Ravens flew north west towards Wales. 

 A crowd of 950 Black-tailed Godwits went into the roost at Newton/Caldy as the tide rose. Best of the other waders were 46 Ringed Plover and 48 Bar-tailed Godwit, while there were 3,400 Oystercatchers. 

 ... and the usual number of Redshanks, some in the gutter and others finding things on the rocks.

 

There were 62 Brent, 46 Shelduck, 15 Common Scoter, a Guillemot and 2 Red-throated Divers. After a few days of Wigeon records there were none today but for a change 4 Pintail flew south. The best the south westerly could do to send us migrants were a few dozen passing Meadow Pipits, 3 Skylarks, 3 Pied and 2 Grey Wagtails, 2 Swallows also travelling south and a Greenfinch. Linnets were about the island, 38 today. Around the shore were 8 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons. Thirty One Carrion Crows were a very good count for Hilbre. In the afternoon a Common Sandpiper was discovered around the island edges.

 

 Butterflies seen when the sun came out were a Peacock, Painted Lady and a Clouded Yellow.

Photos: SRW 

30th September 2026

 Weather: SE force 3  rain early,  then clear and sunny in the afternoon  S 5

It was very quiet on arrival (as expected with overnight rain) but a Blackcap flew down the east side and landed in willow in the 'gazebo' garden at 10am and was later caught in the mist net in the obs garden.

 

Visible migration started to pick up with a few Wagtails, 2 alba and a white, dropping in on a sun-drenched north end. 

 Meadow Pipits were moving through now, 95 today,

 Rock Pipits (12) however, will be mostly residents, 

  

Six Wigeon, 45 Brent and 28 Shelduck and 450 Common Scoter completed the wildfowl today and a Red-throated Diver was on the sea. 

The juvenile/first-winter Black Guillemot from the last couple of days reappeared before high tide opposite the Obs. 

  Mid-afternoon a Grasshopper Warbler flew from tea bushes into the old Obs garden before quickly dissolving into the undergrowth. Curlews numbered 240 at the high tide and there were 8 Bar-tailed Godwits. A few butterflies came in off at the north end and a Clouded Yellow appeared along the west side south of the old mast base.

In addition to the Clouded Yellow there were  a Large White, a Small White there were 3 Painted Ladies and a Red Admiral. The juvenile male Peregrine seen at Little Eye on way off was in addition to the juvenile female spooking the Oystercatchers on middle at high tide. The Kestrel was also here.

 

 

 Ringed: 1 Wren, 1 Blackcap, 1 Robin.

Photos SRW