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

12th October 2026

 Weather: SE force 5

 Ten Pink-footed Geese flew north west early in the day. Brent were at 180 birds, maybe more have just arrived this morning. Also this morning 280 Black-tailed Godwit flew east, probably from the Caldy roost. One of the highlights of the morning was a lone Purple Sandpiper (the first of the autumn/winter) that appeared on top of the north end rocks eating 'jaspers' as we call them, a large species of the woodlice family that are usually known as Sea Slaters, frequently seen at Hilbre but scarce elsewhere. Unfortunately the Purple Sandpiper appeared not to stay for long but later on was re-found after the tide on the pool behind the lifeboat station. 

 

 

Some other waders seen were 220 Bar-tailed Godwit, 65 Turnstone and 60 Redshank. Small migrants today included 2 Song Thrush,

   

 2 Chiffchaffs,

  

 a Skylark, 3 Siskins, 2 Pied Wagtails and a few Meadow Pipits on the move, and for Hilbre an exceptional number of 34 Chaffinches, here pictured by iphone !

 

 A couple of divers were on the sea with about 60 Common Scoter, while shore birds featured 6 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron.

Ringed: 2 Chiffchaffs, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Song Thrush. 

Photos; SRW 

11th October 2026

 Weather: WSW force 3

After the strong winds over the last couple of days a much calmer regime from the south west greeted the island this morning. A male Stonechat was the main interest sitting on the island fences.

 

Very little other migration was evident this morning, but there were 3 Starlings, a Grey Wagtail and 8 Robins present. A roving flock of 65 Linnets toured the island.

 

 

 

There were 125 Brent seen, also 3 visiting Wigeon and 200 Common Scoter out to sea, apart from one that settled close on the rocks.

 

 Among the waders were 6,000 Oystercatchers, 30 Curlew, 20 Ringed Plover, 80 Turnstone, 40 Knot, 30 Bar-tailed Godwit and 30 Redshank. 

Two Grey Herons were noted with 3 Little Egrets, one of which showed off its fish catching skills.

 

 Photos AEH