27th August 2026

 Weather: ENE force 1, later force 3,     rain from 10.00

 

 

It was not long before the rain started, its been a while since we have seen so much protracted rain. The most significant gathering of waders was again the Black-tailed Godwits that were off the Tanskies and south of middle. There were 3,200 counted today.

 

 

Eight hundred and fifty Black-headed Gulls was a good count, with 6 Great Black-backs and 28 Lesser Black-backs. 

 Other wader counts were 320 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 45 Turnstone, 28 Bar-tailed Godwits, 120 Dunlin, 110 Redshank, 62 Grey Plover, 8 Sanderling and 85 Ringed Plovers.

Despite the poor weather a Willow Warbler and 3 Wheatears arrived on the island. Twenty Five Common Terns and 420 Sandwich Terns were the main sea birds around the islands, 

 and 3 Grey Herons and 15 Little Egrets were here also with 2 male Common Scoters. Surprisingly quite a few butterflies were on the wing, 6 painted Ladies, 5 Small Whites, 3 Large Whites and 2 Red Admirals.

 Photos; SRW  

26th August 2026

 Weather: E force 3, light rain mid-morning 

 Despite a few rain showers there was no migration to speak of, the best was a Whinchat on Middle after the rain, but it only stayed 10 minutes or so. Three Wheatears however hung about the island all morning. The Hilbre rarities however were found on the shore with 2 Green Sandpipers seen, a very scarce bird here. More normal waders were 40 Knot, 80 Redshank, a Whimbrel and 4 Bar-tailed Godwit. Sandwich Terns are still massing on the shore with 650 present. Twenty one Teal were early visitors and later 2 Shoveler were sighted, still a fairly scarce bird. Another Marsh Harrier (immature) for the year flew west at 11.45. The Kestrel was present this morning. Flying insects included a Lesser Yellow Underwing moth, 2 Small White butterflies, 5 Red Admirals and 16 Painted Ladies, they have been numerous this year. 

 Ringed: 2 Robins, 2 Wrens. 

25th August 2026

 Weather: SE force 2,  E 2 in the afternoon

A touch of autumn this morning when a Common Snipe sat at the north end, a nice surprise.

 

 

There were no Willow Warblers first thing although one did show up after the tide. Three Wheatears were the best of the small migrants,

 ... although a White Wagtail and 3 Pied Wagtails were also present. A small passage of Swallows (19) took place, some as usual used the Motus aerial as a perch.

 

  

 Sea watching was productive however, with the first dark phase Arctic Skua before the tide, also 2 Manx Shearwaters, 20 Gannets, 500 Sandwich Terns, 176 Common Scoter, 15 Common Terns, a Little Tern, a Guillemot and 4 Great Crested Grebes. Around the islands were 9 Shelduck, 9 Little Egrets, 15 Teal, an adult Mediterranean Gull and 2 Shags.

 Good numbers of waders were present, including 3,000 Oystercatchers, 60 Ringed Plover, 15 Grey Plover, 30 dunlin, 20 Turnstone, 21 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel and 140 Curlew.

 

 Fifteen Rock Pipits were estimated here, one of which caught a Poplar Hawkmoth at the north end.

 As part of our regular census of the Grey Seals 280 were counted.

 

Two dragonflies which were noted were a Southern Hawker and a Black-tailed Skimmer while lepidoptera included the Brimstone moth and the confusingly similar scarce Clouded Yellow butterfly.

 Several other butterflies were recorded like 8 Large White, 12 Small White, a Common Blue, 20 Red Admiral,

 

...... and 12 Painted Lady

Photos AEH

24.8.26

Weather: SE force 3/4

 A very quiet day after a clear night and cloudless morning, the islands were almost completely devoid of migrants until a Willow Warbler dropped in to the obs garden latish in the morning and then promptly disappeared. After a Wheatear full day yesterday in a south westerly it was a surprise none turned up today. Two Swallows came south through the island but did not stop to feed. Most of the 20 Sandwich Terns seen were calling over the sea with just a adult and juvenile Common Tern on the shore.

 

 

 

 Two male Common Scoter sat at the north end.

Sixteen Shelduck flew west while waders present were 16 Ringed Plover, 80 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel, 10 Turnstone and 50 Redshank.

 

There were just the usual passerines on the island, a couple of Pied Wagtails, 8 Rock Pipits, and a Blackbird.

Photos : CJ 

23.8.26

 Weather: SW force 3   WSW 3 later in the morning

 

The early tide, although a small heap, still provided plenty of feeding for waders,

 

also 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Whimbrel, and a great count of 32 Little Egrets! 

 Six Teal few in from the North and headed off down the estuary whilst flocks of Black-headed gulls frantically followed the flooding tide in.

Twelve hundred Black-tailed Godwits were able just about sit out the tide on top of the southern end of the West Hoyle bank. Migration however was quiet until later 12 Wheatears appeared,

 

 

 

 

  thirteen Swallows and  6 Pied Wagtails moved through.

Sandwich Terns, although reduced in numbers from recently, amounted to 175 and moved around calling away in flocks of about twenty at a time, we will soon miss their screeches!

 Other sightings today included a Shag, the Kestrel and a Common Scoter.  

  Photos CJW 

 

22nd August 2026

 Weather: ESE force 2

 Little migration this morning but a female Sparrowhawk came through also a peregrine was here and the regular Kestrel. Six Whimbrel were among the scattering of waders on the lowish tide. Just 75 Sandwich and one Common Tern were on the sea. Last nights moth trap revealed another good number of species.

 

 

Turnip

Lime-speck-Pug

Butterflies also did well with 3 Red Admirals, a Painted Lady, 

  and two scarce at Hilbre Clouded Yellows.

Photos CJW

21st August 2026

Weather: N force 3

 A late evening arrival noted 3 Swallows still around the island, also 15 Linnets, 10 Rock Pipits, 3 Meadow Pipits, and a Blackbird. Waders included 4 Whimbrel, 18 Curlew, 40 Ringed Plover, 38 Redshank and 80 Dunlin. Ten Sandwich Terns were showing also 7 Little Egrets and a Grey Heron.

18th August 2026

 Weather: WNW force 4

A visit to Hilbre in the afternoon for the high tide. Very few passerines about but we bdid manage to colour ring a new Rock Pipit and caught two retraps - one of which was ringed on the island as a juvenile in 2024 and is now one of our breeding birds.

 

 No warblers today but 2 Hummingbird-Hawk Moths, always a spectacular subject for the camera.

 

 

The Kestrel showed extremely well and allowed some good photos when hanging almost stationary in the stiff WNW breeze.

 Six hundred Black-tailed Godwits were on the estuary, other waders were 60 Turnstone, 

 

 

 30 Redshank and 5 Whimbrel, 

 There were 10 Little Egret,

 

 Three Sandwich Terns were visible over the tide, with a flock of 60 on the shore later on.

 

Two Shags were here also 3 male Common Scoter.

Photos: AEH, PSW