20th August 2015

Weather: SW force 2/3, later WSW

The morning had a quiet start until a small fall of willow warblers (c10) about 0830 followed shortly by 9 Wheatears that seemed to congregate together by the light on the West side. Three Golden Plover were noted on the way back from a trip to the mainland and wader numbers, mainly Dunlin, continue to increase with 4500 present, 500 of which rooster on the West side over the tide. As the tide flooded three dark phase Arctic Skuas harassed the terns, 450 Sandwich and 500 Common were recorded. Later the Terns were joined by 46 Gannets of various plumages feeding on what appeared to be large sand eels.

A small movement of hirundines moved through around mid afternoon with 40 Swallows and 8 House Martins, two Rock Pipits remain and a juvenile Shag sunned itself on the North End, 3 common blue butterflies were noted and only a single short-tailed field vole. Two Peregrines were present and the big female was seen by members to take a Redshank.

 The Rock-sea lavender (above right) is doing extremely well this year and together with the Heather provides a beautiful purple look to the western cliff tops.

  A tour of the Little Eye and Tanskies area on the flood tide found 3,500 Oystercatchers, 160 Curlew and 550 Dunlin flying north, while 1,000 Black-headed Gulls were by the West kirby shore (DB)
Ringed: 4 Willow Warblers, 1 Linnet    [ 366-34 ]

 (AEH,RTW,CJW& family)                    photos CJW