18th March 2026

 Weather: ESE force 3,   slight mist

 Even though it was a glorious day of weather, no visitors (except the obs) made it over before the high tide this morning.

 The day started with a brief sighting of a Woodcock at the north end of Middle which immediately flew south down the east side and could not be located. Before reaching the main island, 2 Canada Geese could be seen between the islands with the Brent.

 Also on arrival between the islands a Pink-footed Geese flew around and landed on the rocks, these are now familar birds in the Dee but a single bird at Hilbre is decidedly unusual.

Overhead 5 Woodpigeons flew in briefly and later another flock of 29 went west.

 Jackdaws were also on the move totalling 18 during the morning while 2 Stock Doves (scarce at Hilbre) settled on the island for a few minutes.

 

As far as migrants were concerned it was a Goldcrest and Chiffchaff day with 20 Goldcrests estimated.

  and 15 Chiffchaffs.

  

 Meadow Pipits numbers were slow at first but increased towards noon while 2 Skylarks flew across and 2 Starlings made landfall. Robins were more numerous than usual today, 5 were ringed. Fifteen Pied Wagtails came through and a White Wagtail fed at the north end.

 Relatively speaking finches were in low numbers today but there were sightings of  2 Chaffinches, 2 Siskins, a Lesser Redpoll, a Greenfinch and 6 Goldfinch.

  

A Reed Bunting was a pleasent surprise in the heligoland trap, although they are fairly frequent visitors at times of passage but we do not ring them very often. 

 

There were no Wheatears here first thing but after mid-morning a splendid male appeared by the obs for a short while. This is only the second this year, the first came on the very early date of 4th March.

The land was the main attraction rather than the sea today but noticed was a single Red-throated Diver loafing off the north end with some of the 150 or so Common Scoter while the now well known Scaup did the same.

 Ringed: 8 Chiffchaffs, 7 Goldcrests, 5 Robins, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Meadow Pipit.

Photos PSW, SRW 

  

17th March 2026

 Weather: SSW force 6,   SSE 4 by noon

 A dedicated morning sea watch produced some good records in the fresh south westerly. Only a single Little Gull was noted but there were plenty of other records including 5 Red-throated Divers, 7 Gannets, 5 Guillemots, 11 Razorbills, and 60 Common Scoter. Migrants were few although a number of Meadow Pipits arrived, also 6 Pied Wagtails, a Skylark, a Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrests (both were ringed). 

 

The West Kirby Scaup turned up off Niffy Bay, (it seems to be spending more time lately at Hilbre),

 ... while the immature Mute Swan also from the WKML was sighted close to the West kirby shore. Single birds seen were a Little Egret, a Grey Heron and a Peregrine. Five Purple Sandpipers were the pick of the waders. A Harbour Porpoise was again sighted even tough the sea was not calm. 

 Ringed: 2 Goldcrests 1 Meadow Pipit

 Photos JE  

15th March 2026

 Weather: SSE force 4,   W  7/8 with rain by noon

 An early start to catch the early morning tide.

 

A lovely morning began with winds in the south and birds turning up at Hilbre. In the half light Long-tailed Tits were heard calling in the obs garden and 4 were later ringed.

 

 Seven Goldcrests also made landfall and 2 of those were ringed.

 

 Some larger movements of other birds included over 100 Meadow Pipits 'in off' the sea, and quite a few Chaffinches appeared going south soon after the rain started. Five Pied Wagtails, a Chiffchaff and a Reed Bunting arrived and a single Jackdaw was logged. As the weather deteriorated and the tide flooded  31 Little Gulls started moving through and 165 Gannets were logged, some passing close to the island.

 

 Also notable were 220 Common Gulls moving west, 2 Red-breasted Merganser, 135 Common Scoter and the Scaup.

Two Great Crested Grebes were also on the sea and the Purple Sandpiper count was up to 16 today. A Peregrine was a welcome visitor today.

 

 A porpoise could be seen towards the wind farms despite the choppy sea at the time.

Ringing: 4 Long tailed Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff.

Photos CJW,SRW

14th March 2026

 Weather: W force 4/5,   NW3 by afternoon

Despite the westerly element in the wind, a few migrants came through this morning; a Grey and 3 Pied Wagtails, 4 Starlings, a Jackdaw, a few Blackbirds,and a Reed Bunting.

 

Also a good variety of finches, 3 Siskin, 2 Goldfinch, a Greenfinch and a Chaffinch. Twenty eight Linnets were recorded, some will be breeding birds. There were 220 Brent, 100 Common Scoter and the peripatetic Scaup. 

 

 Single Ringed Plover and single Bar-tailed Godwit were recorded and there were 4 Purple Sandpipers and 30 Redshank. 

 Ten Turnstone  

 and 60 Curlew 

  Some of the local residents looked well in the sunshine.

 

 

 Photos AMC, AEH

13th March 2026

  A very brief visit in windy conditions - the drake Scaup was the only bird of note. 

 

11th March 2026

 Weather: W force 6 later SW 6

 Another day of repairs to the heligoland traps which left little time for birding.

 

Birdwise the best seen today was a Golden Plover which is still fairly scarce at the islands. Three Purple Sandpipers were also logged. A dark-bellied was amongst the 253 Brent.

 Photos PSW

10th March 2026

 Weather: SE force 2

 The south easterly did not bring any small migrants except for a Pied Wagtail and so the main focus was on the wildfowl and waders. There are still about 400 Brent about and 120 Common Scoter with just a couple of Shelduck, the female Eider and a single male Wigeon.

Sixteen Red-breasted Mergansers were in 3 groups off the west hoyle, also another pair seen earlier. The waders list included 80 Turnstone, 38 Redshank, 120 Knot, 200 Dunlin, 25 Sanderling, 3 Grey Plover, 2 bar-tailed Godwit and 4 Purple Sandpipers.

 

 

Photos SRW