11th November 2009

A slow start with some Blackbirds, a Song Thrush and a Redwing about but very little migration overhead apart from a single Skylark and parties of Starlings passing all morning. A Raven flew to Red Rocks and both Merlin and Peregrine were seen.

The Brent were at a new high of 114 with both the colour ringed birds present. Another late Gannet was noted and 12 Great Crested Grebes rested on the calm sea but not much else off shore except for a flock of 2,000 Knot flying at the north end.

Later in the morning a Brambling appeared in a mist net (above), very surprising as no other finches were seen all morning apart from the usual Linnets and 2 Siskins overhead soon after dawn. This is the first Brambling to be ringed on Hilbre since December 2001 and only the second in the last fifteen years.

Just as members were congratulating themselves on finding bird of the day, there seemed to be another influx of Blackbirds, and the new bird of the day found itself in the Newton catching box (above and right). A male Blackbird bearing a Dutch ring was extracted with much excitement as foreign controls such as this do not happen often at Hilbre! It seems quite appropriate that a ring bearing the legend 'ARNHEM HOLLAND ' was found on armistice day. The late chairman Peter Williams would have been especially delighted at this recovery as he did a lot of ringing in Holland.

Ringed :- 4 Blackbirds, 1 Redwing, 1 Brambling.

(DB,CJ,) [594] photos CJ

PS. on a lighter note a penguin was photographed at Hilbre today but the photographer has been sworn to secrecy for a couple of days ... watch this space !