25th March 2026

 Weather: NW force 7    showers of rain, hail and snow.

A truly awful day weather wise … but repair works were completed on another heligoland trap.  Before and after. 

      
Weather front having passed Hilbre (looking towards red rocks from middle)

 

 With the work taking place in a gale, not much bird watching took place, however recorded were 120 Brent, 20 Common Scoter, 220 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 650 Oystercatchers, 90 Redshank, with 85 Turnstone cowering in the reef or east of Middle out of the wind, rain, hail and snow, also 12 Common Gull, 8 Great black-backs, 220 Herring Gulls, 4 Blackbirds, 2 Rock Pipits and a Wren. A Weasel moved between the gazebo garden and the obs garden.

 Photos PSW, SRW

24th March 2026

 Weather: WSW force 6/7      N 7/8 early afternoon

 The weather forecast was heavy rain today with strong winds later but the weather station at the obs was showing it was gusting to gale force before noon and indeed it was stronger later.

The weather defined the sort of bird sightings with the only land migrants being a few dozen Meadow Pipits in off the sea, 2 Wagtails (a Pied and a White) and 2 Woodpigeons flying high to the west. The usual Oystercatcher roost at the north end of Middle was very disturbed by the very strong wind blowing across and many were seeking alternative resting places. 

Curlews (225 counted) were likewise unsure of their usual places to rest.

The tide is still fairly high at the moment so few waders were able to be counted but 82 Turnstone, 62 Redshank, 12 Ringed Plover, 20 Dunlin, 6 Purple Sandpipers and 2 Grey Plover were around the main island at high tide. 

 

 

Eighty five Shelduck were by Tanskey rocks, 385 Common Scoter were out to sea while a single Gannet was noted, also 3 Great Crested Grebes and a male Red-breasted Merganser. Mostly closer in was the female Eider.

  and our famous Scaup with a companion drake Scoter.

There were no Grey Herons logged but 3 Little Egrets were on the shore.

 

The wind increased even further in the late afternoon especially as the heavy rain showers arrived.

 

 

 

  

 Photos SRW 

  

23rd March 2026

 Weather: WSW force 1/2,   WNW 2 in afternoon

Despite the subtle change of direction the wind is still light and some migration came through at a trickle. Our first Sand Martin for this year finally arrived even though we have already had 2 Swallows, certainly Sand Martins seem somewhat delayed this spring, they are normally one of the earliest to fly through the islands in March. There were no Goldcrests or Chiffchaffs first thing this morning but recorded were Reed Bunting, 2 Pied and a Grey Wagtail, 2 Goldfinches, a Siskin and a Greenfinch. Wildfowl appearance is less dependent on weather over 200 Brent were present, also this dark-bellied bird.

  

Other wildfowl listed were 1 Red-throated Diver, 120 Common Scoter, 10 Red-breasted Merganser, 9 Guillemots, 4 Shelduck, 2 Canada Geese flying east and the female Eider at the north end. The Scaup was back on the marine lake at 6am this morning and still there after midday. A lot of Carrion Crows again with 12 seen and a Raven showed distantly over Red Rocks, while 2 Peregrines flew about the islands. 

 

Recorded were 165 Curlew on Salisbury bank, 80 Turnstones and 9 Purple Sandpipers while out to sea were 8 Little Gulls and 45 Black-headed Gulls, 60 Common Gulls, 25 Lesser Black backs, 12 Great Black backs and 700 Herring Gulls. Feeding on the shore were 7 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron. A Harbour Porpoise yet again showed to observers.

Many of the Rock Pipits from our colour ringing study still show on the islands.

 Probably just breeding birds among the 8 Meadow Pipits and many of the 42 Linnets noted.

The low tide haul out on the west hoyle was counted at 102 Grey Seals. 

 Photos SRW 

22nd March 2026

 Weather: SE force 1   with mist   WNW 1/2

 

Before dawn the sky was clear then the sun rose to a very calm but chilly morning.

 

 Another nice day on the island, not the grounded migrants of recent days (with only 3 Goldcrests, Chiffchaff that arrived after high tide and 3 Wheatear), but still small numbers of finches and alba wagtails (including 3 definite White Wagtails). The Chiffchaff landed an hour or so after noon. 

 There were of course typical early spring visitors such as a House Sparrow which hung about the island for a while, particularly liking the large pittissporum bush in the obs garden.

A Reed Bunting made itself known, also a single Starling which came down for a short time.

and a single and later 4 other Jackdaws passing over. Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs were far fewer today than yesterday but finch species performed almost as well today. Ten Goldfinches were top of the list and others were 3 Chaffinch, 3 Siskin, 2 each of Greenfinch and Redpoll, plus 36 Linnets. Three Wheatears were here again today (2males). As usual the sea was calm when 2 Porpoise were seen swimming off the west side.

 

 

Birds on the sea were varied: 2 Red-throated Divers, 10 Red-breasted Mergansers, 18 Great Crested Grebes, a Guillemot, a Razorbill, a Wigeon (here with some of the 184 Brent, plus a drak-bellied bird)   

 and 'our' drake Scaup, 2 Shelduck and 2 Canada Geese, and then another 7 flying off the east side

 and a female Eider.

Waders were in normal numbers, including 145 Curlew, 68 Turnstone, 2 Grey Plover, 11 Ringed Plover and 6 Purple Sandpipers. A Merlin arrived and sat on the lifeboat station at high tide (and was later seen pursuing and catching a small wader south of middle with crows also in pursuit).

 

 

Nine Rock Pipits are present and 4 Robins and 4 Blackbirds were seen in the gardens and paddocks.

 At high tide and with little disturbance Grey Seals can give close views if you are lucky.

Photos CJW, SRW

21st March 2026

Weather: SE force 2  mist around the estuary,  N light air by noon

 Misty again but the sun came out and it became a great migration day. The first Willow Warbler of the year arrived to confirm it really is spring. It was seen firstly on the main island and a few minutes later on Middle, soon flying off to the south in both cases. Four Chiffchaffs were also recorded.

 

 Over 20 Goldcrests landed during the day, some were already leaving the island not long after dawn.

 

A very long list of migrants were recorded on the sheet, most typical of early spring. There were 7 Pied Wagtails and 5 White Wagtails about 50 or so Meadow Pipits, the second Swallow of the year and 2 Wheatears.

 

Many more finches than yesterday, 25 Linnets, 16 each of Chaffinch and Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch, 26 Siskin and 4 Lesser Redpoll.

 Passing over was a Brambing, a much scarcer finch to the island. Closely related, 2 House Sparrows roamed the island.

 

 Also a Reed Bunting.

Other typical early autumn migrants were a Starling, 34 Jackdaws in small parties, 2 Collared Doves (the first of the year) flying south and 34 Woodpigeons.

 

 Another first for the year was a Sandwich tern flying east passed the north end.

 

Other sea birds were 2 Red-throated Diver, 4 Red breasted Merganser, 8 Goosander and a Great Crested Grebe. On the shore were 2 Little Egrets and 3 Grey Herons. 

 

Three Little Gulls were noted to add to the small passage through over the last week. There were quite a long list of duck today, 3 male Mallard were in the island pond, 5 drake Wigeon visited, 2 Shelduck were here, also a Canada Goose, 125 pale-bellied Brent and one dark-bellied Brent. The drake Scaup came over from the lake when it got too busy over there. Sixteen Purple Sandpipers showed up today together with 65 Turnstones, 40 Dunlin, Redshank, 16 Sanderling, 15 Ringed Plover and 2 Bar-tailed Godwit.  The Peacock butterfly is a regular early spring splash of colour in the sunshine.

 

 

Ringed: 12 Goldcrest,1 Chiffchaff, 2 Chaffinch, 1 Linnet, 1 Meadow Pipit, 1 Robin, 1 Wren, 1 Redpoll

 Photos: AEH, CJW, SRW