18th October 2026

Weather: NE force 3

 

A brief visit this morning found early on a flock of 350 Pink-footed Geese flew in to the Dee, as did 450 Black-tailed Godwits.  Skylarks were passing through again, a group of 24 with lots in singles or smaller parties. 

Many of the birds this morning were typical of early winter; 22 Jackdaw, a Fieldfare and 6 Redwings.  Five Starlings arrived, one landing on the motus mast.

 

 

  Four Wigeon landed to the south west of the island.

 

  The Stonechat still provides great pictures.

 

 Around the island today were 12 Meadow Pipits, 9 Rock Pipits and 26 Linnets. About 300 Brent are now in the vicinity.

Also logged were 12 Shelduck, 35 Common Scoters and a Guillemot. There are still 115 Redshank showing, also 12 Bar-tailed Godwit and 65 Turnstone and on the shore 8 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron.

 Photos: SRW

17th October 2026

 Weather:  NE force 4

 A slightly cooler day but full of sunshine.

 

 A nice movement of 92 Skylarks, the largest flock being 32 flying west but many passing in singles or small groups moving in many directions.

 

 Finches also came in numbers to add to the 51 Linnets on the island with 4 Goldfinch, a Chaffinch, 2 Siskin, 1 Redpoll and 6 Greenfinch including these 2 in the old obs garden and 1 in flight.

 

Just a single Starling, 4 Pied Wagtails and 2 Reed Buntings and a late Wheatear north of the lighthouse added to the passage.

 Three 3 Song Thrushes (2 on middle) were there early, and 1 later on a bungalow fence.

As usual there are some Robins on the island.

Three unringed Rock Pipits indicated that there is a passage at this time of year in addition to our colour ringed breeding birds.

 The Stonechat was still present and the Brent reached a new high of 308 birds. On the sea were single Great Crested Grebe and Guillemot and 160 Common Scoters. Shorebirds seen were 4 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron. regular waders logged were 1,200 Oystercatchers, 25 Curlew, 42 Turnstone, 4 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover, 85 Redshank and 12 Bar-tailed Godwit. A Sparrowhawk was on the island as was The Kestrel.

 

Ringed : 1 Wren.

Photos: SRW 

16th October 2026

Weather: NW force 4/5

The Purple Sandpiper was in its more traditional spot (bottom of the slipway). If you can't see it at first keep looking, I promise it is there ! 

 

 The Stonechat (presumably the same as yesterday) was on the bungalow fences and on the 'wendy' hut

 

                              catching a moth !

The other regular winterers the Brent Geese were logged at 185 birds while Common Scoters seen were 165 and Cormorants 225 while there were 22 Shelduck.

 

The Curlew are building to 295, Oystercatchers peaked today at 4,000, there were 80 Turnstone, 6 each of Grey and Ringed Plover, 12 Bar-tailed Godwit and 185 Redshank.

Two Grey Herons kept company with 11 little Egrets.

 One Raven was around little eye and a different bird over the island. On the West Kirby marine lake from now onwards through the winter Goosanders can be seen as this one today.

   smaller birds passing by were not many, just a Skylark and a Goldfinch moving south.

 

Photos SRW

15th October 2026

Weather: S force 5/6,  dropping to NW force 0/1 mid afternoon and later NW 4 with light drizzle.

 The Stonechat was still here (picture from yesterday)

 

 A Chaffinch and a Swallow were the sole other definite migrant today. The Purple Sandpiper is still here, maybe its staying now for the winter. Other wader counts were 84 Turnstones, 64 Redshank, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Ringed and 3 Grey Plover. Brent today were seen at 77 birds, there were 6 Shelduck and 90 Common Scoter and a Great Crested Grebe. Ten little Egrets were on the shore with a Grey Heron. A Peregrine flew about the area.

 

Photos SRW 

14th October 2026

 Weather: S force 3 with slight mist around the estuary,   later SSW 5

 A lovely bright October morning.

 A morning dominated by a good passage of various finches. In addition to the 18 Chaffinches, there were 2 Bramblings,  3 Siskins, about 150 Linnets and 8 Greenfinches. It is unusual to see so many Greenfinches grounded together in recent times. 

On the move in addition to the finches there were over 100 Meadow Pipits and 9 Skylarks and 3 Reed Buntings so it was no surprise that a Merlin was lurking on the island. 

A single late  Swallow flew south, On the ground was yet another Stonechat which have recently been frequent visitors. 

 

A bird scarcer here than Stonechat was the Magpie.

 A Chiffchaff was present as were 4 Wrens, two were ringed today

 

 

There was another highest count of Brent  for this autumn of 224.

Three hundred Black-tailed Godwit were flying east this morning as the tide flooded. A number of waders were seen on the way off the island: 110 Grey Plover, 1200 Knot, 500 Dunlin, 45 Bar-tailed Godwit. About the islands were 7.500 Oystercatchers, 280 Curlew, 42 Bar-tailed Godwit, 108 Turnstones and 135 Redshank. Around and about on sea and shore were 2 Red-throated Divers, 240 Common Scoters, 40 Shelducks, 8 Little Egrets and 4 Grey Herons.

   Photos: GIW, SRW