Thursday 19 September 2013

19th September 2013

Another slow start to the sea watching improved markedly after the high tide as the wind turned back to the west and picked up (sea watchers using the Obs garden as well as the North End slipway).



20 Leach's Petrels were counted and a single Bonxie was watched coming in from Hoylake; from where Obs members were alerted of its impending arrival thanks to AMC (www.lighthousebirding.blogspot.com).

The only other skuas were two Arctics which was an improvement on the previous couple of days.

Tern numbers remained good with 73 Sandwich and 10 Common recorded but only 3 Kittiwakes in which what is turning out to be a poor autumn for the species at Hilbre probably reflecting a very poor breeding season elsewhere.

A single Purple Sandpiper appeared at the North End (see below) and 4 pale-bellied Brent were present.


After the tide Mediterranean Gulls were present on the shore between Little Eye and WKML as well as at WKML.

(DB, RAE, AEH, KMc & Woolston Team, AO, CCS, CJW & PLN) photos by AEH (seawatchers) & David Bowman (remainder)

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