11th March 2010

A beautiful sunny day but the north westerly did us no favours as regards migrants. Star bird of the day was a House Sparrow which stayed about for a short time, otherwise a single Pied Wagtail and a Skylark (right) were the meagre reward for sky watching.
The sea was no better with just 8 Gannets being of any real note apart form the continuing stay of the Velvet Scoter. Many Knot were again seen travelling north, but nowhere near the massive numbers of yesterday.
Around the paddocks and bungalows only single Song Thrush and single Blackbird could be seen, suggesting that some of the wintering birds have departed in the last few days.
With no decent pictures of scarce Hilbre birds to publish we show portraits taken today of some of the remaining winter visitors- Purple Sandpipers ( 8 counted) and the Brent.









(AAB,DB,CJ,KMc) photos CJ